San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-25
HOW TO OPEN UP
CLOGGED ROADS IS
STILL BIG PUZZLE
Problem No Nearer Solu-
ton, Despite Many Sug-
gestions Offered. "a,

Automobile traffic has como q suca
degree OF congestion that city plan
ners and police authorities the coun-
try over are hard pressed trying 10
solve this serious problem.
In spite of ali sorts Of Suggestions.
large cities are no nearer the solution
than they were when the matter first
forced itself to their attention. One
way streets, two-level roads, subdi-
vided truck and passenger ear traffic,
all sorts Of control towers and Other
devices have been considered, and even
t<ied, Jet congestion grows vorse
5ear By year.
New York City-k an ettiss-h.s
been hardest hit IN this respect. In
Yact traffic has trown % that parf-
hS IN the downtown district - old
Pew York-has long been abandoned.
Even this relief has be temporary,
md now eity officials facs the same
I'D question Of congestion. Thi time
10 not % much q problem Of where
~ put the cars Of business men when
hey come downtown a. X Ii how b
heep Ehem moving without delay,
That this IL serious problem may
D deducted from the single fact that
200 autos PISS Fifth Avenue and
Ted Street-New York's busiest cor
nsr-each hour Of the days 10 live
tnese hourA Forty-two hundred autos,
Edned up end to end, would stretch
along more than IL miles. On Fifth
kAyenus they 90 six abreast, three lines
sUoing north and three south.
This. IN q less degree, perhav& Is
ne problem Of every growing COM
immunity In the country. Parking can
b cared for, In one way or another,
b underground parking stationA for
Isdampls.
| But keeping traffic moving has
been q difficult Job. One-way streets
have aided some, but In comparison
With the whole situation they have
proven OF little avail Traffic towers,
special directonal movements and
other forms Of relief have helped, but
still the problem Of congestion re-
mains.
For q solution, something bigger
than any Of the relief measures al
ready taken must be considered. Po-
lice Commissioner Enright Of New
York thought first Of cutting a street
parallel TO Fifth Avenue, in the long
block between this thoroughtare and
Sixth Avenue. But the cost Of this
would be so high that the plan could
not be considered.
Another plan, which New York now
is thinking over seriously, is that of
running important cross streets I'M
derneath Fifth Avenue, so traffic
would not be stopped either way.
This idea has been taken up in other
cities and, up to today, it seems the
nearest to the solution Of this most
serious form Of traffic congestion.
Popular inter-city roads, on pleas
ant days, offer the same problem of
traffic congestion.
To relieve this situation. Connect
cut is trying out new plan on the
Boston Post Road, between Bridge.
port and New York. Instead of wild
ening the road the authorities will
have a parallel highway constructed
Passenger traffic will be confined to
the old road, while trucks will be
forced to use the new one.
This plan may prove of great helr
in relieving country traffic conges
ton. But even doubling the widtl
of most of our highways might be
enough to open up the clogged lines
Of traffic along them.