The Washington times., 1919-11-22
NARROW STREETS
HURT CITY GROWTH
improvements to Relieve Traffic
Congestion Vital to
Every Town.

That America is waking up to tho
necessity of not only building more
good roads or patrolling and keeping
present highways in the best condi-
ton, but improving boulevarLs. ave-
nues, street extensions. and widenings
was proved in those States that reid
elections the early part of November.
Most every city in America today
has a "City Beautiful Plan" general
ly fostered by either public-spiritAd
citizens, commercial clubs, chambers
Of commerce. or other organizations
Of q like character.
These "City Beautiful Plans" are
the result. of growth, aimed to facili-
tate traffic-by widening streets too
narrow for the continuous stream OF
motor vehicles, thus relieving con-
gestion in the more densely populated
traffic by double-decking the streeta.
More and more, each year sees
greater traffic toward the suburban
and country districts. To take care
of this increase, II 10 necessary that
all main avenues and roads leadipg
out into the suburban and agricui-
tural districts adjacent to the cities,
are not only wide but are highly inn
proved roads, so laid out that they
connect with one another, thus pro-
viding short cuts to destination.
This desire for increased suburban
and agricultural travel springs from
the economical and convenient auto
mobile and motor truck, which, to-,
gether with good roads. makes the
owning of q suburban home just az
desirable as one located in the city
as far az convenience, health and
home life are concerned.
Then again. good roads leading cut
or into cities are absolutely neccS-
sary to facilitate the transportation
OF food products produced on the
farms adjacent to the big centers and
permit their economical transporta-
tion by motor truck as well as by
the individual housekeeper who utIl-
ICES her motor car for buying direct
from the farmer.
If each municipality does not watch
out, n will wake up one morning TO
find that it's growth and industrial
expansion has been stopped through
Observation-Disclosures in not providing
traffic space. Those municipal Inn
provements for quick and convenient
traffic communication between all
parts OF the city are a necessity, and
those civic organisations that are
back of the schemes to anticipate
congestion in the business centers,
and remove 1t before 1t reaches thas
point where stagnation and confusion
result, should be FUZZY co-operated with
by not only the business Interests,
but the entire population of that COM
munity.
No transportation equipment. no
matter how versatile or adaptable,
can exert it's greatest capacity and
become an efficient Transportation
carrier. unless provisions are made
whereby its scope of operation is not
curtailed by street limitations.
This includes those narrow streets
that have outgrown their former use.
fulness as side streets, and have bios.
somed forth as part Of the main ar
teries Of the community. and should
be widened Immediately.
Uniformity Of thoroughfare worl: is
very necessary. There is a certain
section of a city in the Middle West.
which by widening certain streets,
the width of which in nineteen diff
ferent places varied from 80 to 100
feet. to given uniform width of "a
feet, would afford a direct avenue OF
travel to the city proper, thereby ia.
cilitating traffic and creating a trans
portation efficiency OF which II is
badly in need.
IL Is common also in a good many
cities to find street. originally la d
out, to come to an abrupt end for a
block. after which the street is con-
tinued. No doubt the founders never
dreamed that more and wider streets
would be necessary, and thought thsr
in laying them out they were antici.
pating all possible road expansion
for hundreds of years to come. Where
such streets by continuing them
through the block, would create an
outlet for additional traffic, thereby
eliminating congestion and confusion.
the property owners as we'll as city
and government officials should take
immediate steps to rectify It.
The automobile and motor truck
has been found practically 100 pe.
cent efficient for city, intercity and
Interstate traffic, and. inasmuch. AZ
the manufacturers have perfected
their product to such a high degree
IL Is up to the business interests as
well as the civic interests of every
community to see that these carriers
are given every possible chance Ia
make good by providing continuous
thoroughfares of sufficient width to
accommodate not only motor traffic
but all traffic in both directions. Rv
doing this, economical transportation
VIII keep pace with the natural ex-
pansion of their community without
creating expensive congestion ana
confusion.