Evening star., 1923-04-22
ASK PERMANENT
i 0NE-WAY STREETS
Trade Board Committee Rec.
ommends Dozen Single
Traffic Highways.

Immediate establishment of per-
manent one-way streets in the con-
scsted section of the city is recon-
nended to the Commissioners by the
special traffic committee Of the
Washington Board of Trade.
Twelve streets are named in let
ter filed yesterday afternoon by w.
Pcarce Rayner, chairman of the COM
mittee. They are:
jackson place, southbound; Madi-
son place. northbound: the east side
of Mcpherson square. between II and
X. southbound: the west side, be-
tween | and X, northbound; 18th
street, between Massachusetts and
Pennsylvania avenues, Southbound: {:
18th street between Pennsylva MIA
and Massachusetts avenues north
bound: 11th street, between II street
and Pennsylvania avenue, south
bound; 10th street, between PennSyl-
vania and Massachusetts avenues.
northbound: 9th street from Louisi-
ana avenue to Massachusetts avenue,
northbound
20 street between 14th and 18th.
east hound. and f street between 14th
and 18th, weStbound."
We believe that it is unfair to
tho public and to merchants to adopt
one-way streets piecemeal, but ask
' that the entire plan of one-way
streets he adopted now for north and
south streets in the congested Sec
tion. and put into effect as soon as
possible so that no street will be left
more desirable for business purposes
than another"
Other matters recommended are a
reckless driving clause and increased
speed limit.
I'VE request that Washington be
given the increased maximum speed
limits recommended by the Copmis-
sioners special traffic committee.
after long study and consultation
with experts and citizens" says the
letter.
This recommendation was a COM
promise and was made to insure
greater safety for all and to reduce
by thousands the absurd number of
arrests per year for exceeding the
present fixed limit, where no ele-
ment of reckless driving was in
NolNed and the arrests were on the
technical factors Of the speed alone.
I'VE implore the adoption of a reck-
1esS-driving law, which will make it
possible to punish most severely
reckless driving a any speed. how
ever far below the maximum 1t may
be, or the operation of an automobile
in an unsafe condition. We believe
the combination of a reasonable and
enforceable maximum speed limit
with n ssdriving regulation,
will produce far more careful driving
peal to the large element of our pop
ulation who are immune from arrest
through official connection. A rigid
enforcement of the present fixed
speed limit against all persons alike
would overwhelm our court with
technical cases"
1t is expected that the Commission
ers will devote Tuesdays board meet
ing to a final consideration of the
new traffic rules. These proposed reg
ulations will be permanent and en-
tirely independent of the temporary
rules promulgated today for the
Shrine convention only.
Ii Commissioners Rudolph and Bes-
son follow the stand of Commissioner n
oyster there will be no change in the
present speed limit of eighteen miles
an hour.
The Commissioners traffic committee
recommended twenty miles in the city
proper and twenty-five miles on twenty
nine main suburban highways. The
Board of Trade committee indorses
these recommendations but Commits
Sioner Oyster is firmly of the opinion
that existing speed limits are reason
able.
Capt. Oyster heartily favors the
wreckless driving statute and is also
strong advocate of one-way streets
downtown.