Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-21
MOST STREETS
IN DOWNTOWN
AREACROWDED
Traffic Problem Becomes Grave
as Automobiles Increase
in Numbers.
MAY REROUTE CAR LINES
BY voLNEY 3. FOWLER.

Most people come downtown be-
cause they have to. They come to
sell their services or their goods and
to buy what others have to offer.
For a long time it has been gen
orally recognized that they tread on
one another's heels and crowd into
each others tail lights because it Is
necessary to transact business in too
confined a space. Having been
brought into the congested section
bottle through the narrow neck pro-
vided by too few main highway en-
frances they mill about in the con-
tainer which in itself is too small.
This is coming to be recognized as
injurious-not only to the people
who come downtown, but also to
business men inside the crowded
blocks, for the reason that hundreds
cannot find places to park in front
Of the stores and Office buildings
where they desire to stop.
Some persons who have studied the
situation think that the rerouting OF
downtown cars over wider loops, taxing
cars of of certain highly congested
streets Will relieve this. Others are OF
the opinion that nothing but eventual
natural pressure will break the bonds
All agree that something is bound to
happen soon. The committee OF the city
council. other officials and officers OF
the indianapolis Street Railway Com
pany are considering this matter in con-
nsction with the street car routing
changes. The general tendency of the
street railway in the past few years has
been away from bringing all cars TO a
central point Transportation men Of
other cities hold the same view.
SERVE GREATEST
NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
Edward Dana, general manager Of the
Boston Elevated Railway. stated in re
cent article in Electric Traction t1ar
the primary purpose Of street railway
system is TO develope community growth
and Intercourse for the greatest number
Of inhabitants.
THE construction Of a terminal to
which all trains run is directly opposed
to all sound principles Of transporta-
ton" Mr.. Dana wrote, for the reason
that IT increases congestion in limited
area with consequent enormous en-
hancement in value Of a very limited
amount Of property, the construction Of
high buildings, the Overlooking Of streets
with traffic and all Of the various evils
which accompany such a condition"
While the business district streets are
crowded because the section is too small
it also is true that congestion exists be-
cause so much OF the travel from one
outlying section to another must come
through the downtown bottle neck. Lack
Of through East and West apd North
and South arteries other than the few
cutting the center Of the city is re
sponsible-
Admitting, as everyone must. that the
downtown jam is a pressing tanCle. there
have been dozens Of theories advanced
for its unraveling. Those who finally
get the task OF Strengthening ont the
matter are going TO have plenty Of ma
terial to start work upon.
THREE STREETS
ARE CONGESTED.
There are three streets upon which
the crowding is worst. Illinois from the
Union Station to Ohio street, Ohio from
Illinois to Pennsylvania streets and
Pennsylvania from Ohio to Washington
Continued on Page Fiye.)