The Washington herald., 1918-01-26
POINTS WAY
TO ABOLISH
DEATH TRAP
Engineer Beeler Urges
"Skip-Stop' System to
Correct Traffic Ills.

Abolition of the death trap" a,
Fourteenth street and New York
avenue, adoption of the skip-stor
system and the collection of fares
at the front entrance of cars, are
the most striking of ten recommen.
dations advanced yesterday by John
A. Beeler, consulting engineer fol
the Public Utilities Commission. tc
better the service of the Capital
Traction Company.
Declaring that the maximum con-
gestion in the city occurs daily on
Fifteenth street between Pennsyl-
vania avenue and New York avenue
Mr.. Beeler covered only that por-
tion of the lines of the Capital
Traction Company in the first Sec
tion of his report. 1
w. r.. q E. Report Later.
Plans for relief of the congestion
on the lines OF the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company will be
considered in a section of the report
now being prepared. The first sec
ton covers sixty pages of type writ
ing. and contains a half dozen blue
prints.
A complete rearrangement Of stops
must be made between Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue and
Fourteenth and H streets, the report
declares.
'At present a northbound car has
six and a south bound car eight
regular stopping places between these
points. which are but 2.3O0 feet apart.
This short spacing Of stops, together
with the use OF the streets by auto
mobiles, is largely responsible for
the congestion and consequent slow
speed.
Provides New Schedule.
The stopping places for both in.
bound and outbound cars should DC
arranged as follows:
(a) On Pennsylvania avenue at Four
teenth street, as at present.
Cb) On Fifteenth. street between
Pennsylvania avenue and F street
(c) On New York avenue immediate
ly east of the junction of New York
and Pennsylvania avenues and FIT.
teenth street.
(d) On Pennsylvania avenue Just
west Of its junction with New York
avenue and Fifteenth street.
(e) On Fourteenth street north OF H
street. as at present.
The present average distance be-
tween stops in the district Is AGO feet
for northbound cars and 800 feet fof
southbound cars. ..-
The average distance between pro-
posed stops would be 767 feet fol
northbound cars and zoe feet for
southbound cars. This would cut stop:
down one-haf.
Twelve Steps Now.
Present stops in this distance num-
ber twelve for cars bound both ways
The added crowds would be handled
by Misunderstanding" which woulC
permit two cars to load at each Of the
proposed stops at the same time
"The death trap at fourteenth street
and New York avenue should be abol'
ished," contends Mr.. Beeler. This
dangerous stop on New York avenue
just before turning into Fourteenth
street northbound, is a constant men
ace to life. At present persons who
board or alight from the outbound
Fourteenth street cars must do sc
from the space on the westbound track
of the Washington Railway and Elec'
trio Company directly in the path OF
the westbound Columbia line and the
W., B. & A. cars. Two fatal accidents
occurred here in the last few months. ~
Explaining "double-berthing." OF
loading cars in pairs, which must
be done at all spaces within the
congested district between Four
nue. and Fourteen street and II
- ~ - - a.
Traction Company.
''The first car to approach the
stop should always take the for
ward position. When a second car
arrives while the first is still stand
ing, it should invariably take the
second berth, and when it goes for
ward after taking on and discharg.
ing passengers, it must proceed
without stopping at the forward
berth.
Avoids Confusion.
This plan will avoid confusion as
to which berth the car is to occupy
and no time will be wasted in max
ing more than one stop. This is a
distinct advantage over the present
plan of partial double berthing."
To aid the public in getting or
and off cars with more speed, safety
zones and loading platforms long
enough and large enough to be util-
ized in the double berths are advo-
Gated. The platforms should be six
feet wide and ten inches high. Mr.
Beeler states. Ultimate permanent
construction Of such platforms is
urged. Wood is banned on account
Of its slippery condition in bad
weather.
The front-end fare collectors, ac-
cording to Mr.. Beeler, should be
stationed at each Of the principal
loading platforms, during periods OF
heavy traffic. These men should sell
tickets, collect fares and issue
transfers. II properly carried out
experts declare, the use of 'front.'
end collectors results in more even
loading of cars and reduces time
lost at stops.
On the approach Of a street car, &C
cording to plans, traffic officers
should so regulate traffic as to render
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.