Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-06
ELI KIRK PRICE HITS
REROUT|NG OF CARS
Park Commissioner Asserts
Parkway Traffic Was Over
looked in Transit Plan
HOLD CHANGE WARRANTED

president Of the Fnirm6unt Park Com
mission, disputing the adyisabilty of
rcrouting certain Market street cars.
featured the resumed hearing by the
Public Service Commission in the
CIivedcn Improvement Association
transit petition today.
The hearing was held before Commits
sioner Clement in Room 40G. City Hall.
\. Howard Jones. chief engineer of
the commission. read letter from Mr..
Price, dated April 20. in which the
park commissioner asserted Mr.. Jones
had failed TO take the traffic flow Of the
Parkway into consideration in making
recommendation for the transfer of
Route 81 and 10 cars from Market
street to Fi'bort, west of City Hall.
Mr.. Price in tho letter conceded that
the change in routing appeared all right
on the flow map. bnt pointed out that
this map does not show the traffic flow
eastbound on the Parkway.
To reroutc the cars To Filbert street
would BE- making u conflict of traffic
flow Mt the narrowest and most con-
gcsted part of the Parkway" Mr..
Price stated.
such change the letter added.
'is inadvisable, even temporarily"
The letter approved the proposal to
make Arch street onc.way thorough
fare.
Confer With Mills
Commissioner cement stated that
conferences had .'cady becn held with
Superint eudent Of Po:ice Mills and the
chief engineer Of tho p. r. T. but hc
directed Mr.. Jones TO confer with Mr..
Price for n satisfactory course in re-
routing the Market street cars.
Mr.. Jones submitted, in testimony. u
report of the progress of the commits
sion's inspections last week looking to
bcttcrment of transit facilities.
Tratic interference on Market and
Filhert streets between Ninth and Juni-
per streets was compared. It was sub
mittcd that nm investigeti tion on April
~ showed there was but SO pcr cent
Of tho trolley traffic interference oil
Market street that had been found on
Hilbert street. This is attributed to
the narrowness of Filbert street,
Joseph +. Lewis. president of tho
Clivedcn Association. asked Mr.. Jones
whether. or not many persons, bound
for North Philadelphia, boarded cars
south of Market street on Eleventh and
Thirteenth streets.
Mr.. Jones said that many persons
boarded the northbound cars below
Market street, but that it would infict
no hardship on the passengers to turn
certain cars. routed south on Tenth and
lweifth streets, north again on Eleventh
ana Thirteenth streets at Filbcrt. At
present these cars continue south 70
SAMSON street. causing congestion at
the Chestnut street Intersections.
photographs. taken by Harvey !.
Rose. of the commission. at ms many
congested points in various sections Of
the city. suggested by G. Oscar Bpasley,
were submitted at today's hearing,
headwaN OF cars on Routes 10 and %
IN Eermantown was personally inyesti
gated April 20 bv Mr.. Jones, who was
accompanied by 4. II. Horton. engineer
of the T. r. T.
Get Evidence ut Barns
The engineers went directly m tho
feiham carbarn. TO learn the exact bs 90
headway of cars operated on the two
routes. Mr.. Jones stated they found
Route " cars operating on base head
way OF eight minute intervals. with
four minute intervals during the morn
ing rush hours. and three minute in.
tervals during the afternoon peak hours
Route 23 cars were found to be oper
ated on a base schedule of four and one.
half minute intervals, with three and
one half minute intervals during tba
morning rush. and two and one half
mute intervals durig the late after
noon.
The previous suggestion that Route 81
cars he changed was made a recommen
dation today by Mr.. Jones.
At present. Route II cars are routed
south on Eighth street to Chestnut. east
on Chestnut to Second. south TO Wal
nut, west to Ninth and then north on
Ninth street.
Mr.. Jones gave figures to show how
many persons use the route east of
Eighth street. Ten per cent, he said.
ride TO Second street; % per cent ride
TO Fourth street. and 81 per cent use
the cars as far east as Sixth.
The commission $ chief engineer said
relief of traffic congestion on Chestnut
and Walnut streets would warrant re q.
routing these cars so that they would
proceed south on Eighth street TO Locust.
west on Locust to Ninth, and north on
Ninth, eliminating the eastbound loop.
Cars would thus be reduced on Chestnut
and Walnut street from 152 to 1914
Mr.. Horton, for the P. r. r.. set
forth advantages of the skip-stop sys-
tenn in maintaining Il better Roadway.
He said that trolley cars in Philadelphia
ran 9S per cent on time.
Frederick l.. Ballard counsel for the
+. K. T., said he had letter from
Joseph +. Lewis asking for data as to
the skip stop system. He asked to be
given time to gather data and said he
at the next hearing.
mIlIe pPnRhTEn ronAy