Evening star., 1922-12-17
Civic Bodies Back Drive
for Better Highways
for Whole City.
MUCH DAMAGE DONE
BY HEAVY TRUCKS
Chamber of Commerce
and Board of Trade
to Push Fight.

Street and highway committees OF
both the Washington Chamber OF
Commerce and the Board Of Trade are
bending every effort to influence
Congress to realization OF the pad
condition OF many of the Districts
streets. The chamber committee, un.
der Will lam F.. GUIDE, and the board
committee, headed by George e.
Shinn. are now engaged in intensive
campaigns for the betterment OF the
highways. one of the most vital local
needs in the opinion of citizens OF
this community.
| Although the budget committee has
allowed total of S730,000 for re-
paving streets during the fiscal year
of 1924. residents of Washington feel
, that this amount is too small TO meet
the urgent needs of the city. They
| feel that with the beautiful highways
| of Maryland running to the Nattonai
| Capitals very doors washington
should at least have streets compar.
| able to these roads. They also feel
that when it Is taken into considera-
, tion that the neighborinG state mas
vast areas to maintain and keep IN
good condition. the District. with us
ten miles square should be able TO
keep every inch of road in first-class
shape.
Damage Done by Trucks.
questions in the maintaining OF hlgn.
ways. it is said. is the amount OF
traffic and the character OF trainc.
The elements. OF course. nave gTeal
deal to do with the way In which
highways stand up.
last meeting of the streets and ave
nues committee of the board, "hen
! overloaded trucks were SAID TO De
| the cause of the breaking up OF many
| of the Districts streets. me sectioi,
! of Connecticut avenue in CleFeiaho
| Park. where extensive building opera
ttons are going on. was cited to sho"
what heavy trucks could do to pave
| ment.
ter there is a decided doubt in my
mind" said member of the com
mittee, whether it Is the alleged
| overlooking of trucks which oreaks
! up the roads or whether 1t Is the poor
| quality of pavement.
1t is said to be generally agreed
! among highway engineers that over
! loaded trucks will cause much dam
| age to the best constructed highways
| but the point brought up by the com
mitteeman will be investigated by the
board committee. Immediately a..er
| the discussion special committee
| was appointed to take up the matter
| with those familiar with highway
| construction in order to ascertain
| how much overlooking was going on
! in Washington. and also to hnd out
| the grade of material useo IN the
| streets.
Fixht on PlnEue Spots.
| I'VE intend to push these street
! ma tiers through to the very finish"
| said Mr. Shinn. in talking with
! Star reporter about the conditions IN
| the District. "At the meeting last Fri
day we appointed subcommittee on
lights. paving. new streets. truck trat-
! fc. and also a committee to get In
touch with congressman and acquaint
| them with the needs of the city.
| EVERY member of this committee
! who has a car will try at some tu-
| ture date to take member OF Con.
gress for a little ride over some OF
these plague spots which are called
streets in Washington. We hope In
| this way to convince the legislators
that it is not extravagant expenditure
Of money that we ask, but simply
enough to put the streets OF Wash-
fnpton in good and usable condition.
1.-THE committee will also take up
the lighting problem. We feel that
the streets here are not suff1ciently
lighted to insure safty to the autoist
and pedestrian. On rainy nights II is
extremely difficult to see clearly ano
we feel that brighter lights and more
of them will tend to lessen the num-
ber of accidents.
"At the present time. on some OF
the streets, il Is necessary 10 puin
headlights to keep out OF the ruts
and holes and save ones springs.
This condition is a dangerous one.
The headlights blind other drivers.
and they are in violation Of the law.
but they are made necessary by the
poor condition of the roads and the
insufficient lighting"
Handicap to Motorists.
Practically every motor1st IN the
citv at one time or another has had
to deal with this situation. In the
suburbs where the roads are par
ticularly poor. and where the igntihs
is so Inadequate that the driver is
unable to see either the holes in the
roadway, or PEDESTRIANS who may be
walking in the street. he Is faced
with the problem: Shall l turn on
the headlights, thereby violating the
District law. or take a cnance on
running down pedestrian or break
ing up my car in pot-hole! IN
variabIy the answer is the turning
on of headlights and a subsequent
reprimand by a policeman.
Citizens of the community are anx-
ious that this condition be remeoied.
They believe that 1t should not be
necessary, in a civilized community
to be in fear at all times Of hitting
a pedestrian on account OF poor IL
Elimination, or breaking their cars up
in holes in the street, due to the non
maintenance of the streets and made
Quate lights.
both committees are expected IN the
near future, and with all washington
back of a comprehensive street pro-
gram, it hoped that favorable action
will be taken in Congress.