Evening star., 1922-03-26
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.


growth.
Sounds fanciful. doesn't it?
The initial reaction to any explana-
ton on thousands Of automoolies
crowding upon one another "ouio
be that traffic would have to be
slowed up considerably to meet this
congestion. The needs OF the moi
vidual would have to be sacrlnceo
10 the safety of the greatest NUMBER.
Expcrience has shown just the op-
posite to be the case. Speed, prop
eriy regulated, not only PROVIDES the
greatest safety for the largest nun
fers, but also offers the only soau,
ton as to how the growins cry yrohl ean
continue to grow and meet the prov.
lens such growth presents on INC
crowded thoroughfares
Saw Theory Demonstrated.
Standing with DIR. John HarfiSs' y,
New York's traffic commissioner N
his spacious office overlookihs
avenue late, one February afternoon,
of this theory. Dusk was aireauy
settling upon the thorough1are "
endless -iliunination ihe s.S O.
towers directing traffic, stationed "
intervals of about eight olocks' The
already adapted to night time. lnS
mn and down with the traffic signal.
shining at that great distance peio"'
like so many firef1ies.
suddenly the north and-Soutn move
rent ceased Automobiles travelling
with the avenue came to a stdnos..,l II !
or pursued their course only ~ 'he
next corner, to be buuched win
dozen or more other Hdehihes ia
motionless group.
Machines Swarm Out.
L. i =
ed As if some magic wand mao oeeh
waved an amending string or ma :
chimes swarmed out from the sac
streets. pursuing a course from ease
TO west or the reverse. or else 'u.m,ns
around 5th avenue to become na
loss entity in the swirlinE masses.
The Significant part of the ~nole
orderly procedure lay in the fact thal
not the slightest effort was maee ~
cnrb the speed at which these ma
chimes Travelled. Except :WneIe 'he
buu,hinr of traffic neceSsltate6 d
slnwinr down. they were allowed to
proceed. the drivers acting as the,.
own mentors in the matter or speeu
without the slightest interference
from the traffic policemen. 40,
It was then that Dr. HarF1ss OUT
lined his theory.
System Is Solution.
"Tbere is no sound argument why
,,cbines should not be allowed 70
travel quickly when tramc is Mei. !.
rnsuI,ted" he contended. III there is
p tendency to congestion IL can ueS
he relieved by getting the Venicics gu.
of the way as rapidly as p5 poss; !. the
one argument against speeu nc o
risk of life and limb, mainly 10 Pc
dcStrians n of nede,-
triaus and you eliminate tnat llsh. ~
course, there are seinSh psu ,yho
1r;II trv to crab the whole game py
deriving all regulations. Ihat rs ..e .e
one thing the traffic policeman mas ~ y
watch out for constantly ana II is ihe
bane Of his existence.
Majority Has Appreciation.
"The majority Of citizens; noWeve.'
have an appreciation OF Ut . thev have
heen formulated as a means OF satety
for the large majority. with tnis
as an understood axiom We can slHe
The motorist the freedom OF the ave
nue.. dictated by, some insein.r .ei
sS the traffic will permit. In New
work this plan is working out eN.
celIently. we handle trahc ourihs =
The rush hour with minimum VI
confusion and delay =,
oyerdeyelopment are evidenced az tnt
Start in crowded streets. For prima
conditions a traffic policeman or SIG.
nal tower at the main intersectlCn y
and a clear understanding OF slsn15 nsaS
will suffice, After the city has passed
that stage the problem becomes more
complex.
Must Weed Out Best.
Immediately the emergency oe,
comes apparent, dozens of plans VIII
he presented, sponsored oy Variou
organizations. Sometimes these pians
are fuStered by civic interest ano
other times by shrewd business con
siderations.
From the many conflicting. claims
sci forth the commissioner or pupht
safety the traffic commissioner cnIel
of police or whoever has cnarse % al IN,
particular problem. will have to hnd d
feasible, working plan. sometimes tne
When 5th avenue evidenced the mi
tial symptoms of overcrowdlng II wa
Immediately prophecied Inat .ae ~ sngt fSc
The signal towers were anstaIieo te
regulate it, but prior to the actual com,
pletion of details traffic both north and
south was permitted.
Merchants Make Protest.
Notice what followed. Merchants on
both sides of the avenue came 20 tne
traffic commissioner protesting ihe IN
Jury that would be done their business
If the traffic ran only one way-opposite
to the side on which they were located.
Their claims were sufficiently logical to
warrant serious consideration.
In the meantime, however. the Two
way, signal tower system was giving
such general satisfaction that even the
proponents of the one-way plan were
Compelled to concede that they were
ahead of their time. Some day. per-
haps, 9Th avenue will be one-way
thoroughfare: but for the present it 1s
functioning quite we'll from both inlets.
Nightly Theater Congestion.
Not so successful has been the main
tenance OF two-way traffic on the slde
streets, and most of these, around the
theatrical center. where 100000 peopie
congregate every night. are conf1ned to
one-way traffic during those hours.
Broadway is still one-way trafnc at GER
tain hours. =,
It may be inconvenient to the tndi.
yidual who wants to go to the Capitol
Theater from 5th avenue and 4Sth street
"a distance of five bloc&s-to find ne
has to travel about a mile and q half.
1t is infinitely better. however. than be-
ing tied up in a jam in one Of the side
streets for more than half an hour
while ctauffeurs are decorating the at
mosphere with voluble exclamations and
trying to untangle themselves from q
hopeless snare without the slightest re-