Evening star., 1925-06-19
NEW SIGNAL LIGHTS
FOR 18TH STREET
ORDERED AT ONCE
Commissioners Give Con-
tract for Immediate Pur-
chase at $4,000 Cost.

The District Commissioners today
approved plans for the purchase
without delay of Washington first
automatic electric traffic-control sys-
tenn, to be put into operation at a
cost of about $4,000. on Sixteenth
street from Lafayette Square TO Irv-
ing street.
Contract for the triple-colored signal
lights and equipment was awarded TO
the Grouse Kinds Co. of Syracuse,
y. Y, which has installed the system
adopted here in many of the large
cities of the country, including New
York City. Chicago. Philadelphia,
Syracuse, Seattle. etc.
When the work is completed. about
two months hence, Sixteenth street
will be equipped with 10l signals
four at each intersection-all central
ly and automatically controlled with
a master switch mechanism at Scott
Circle, according to the plan for in
stallation tentatively approved by the
Commissioners.
The signals, each comprising a set
of red. amber and green lights Verti-
cally placed one above the other OF d
10-foot iron post. will start and stop
simultaneously all vehicular traffic af-
fected, the entire length of Sixteenth
street.
All Cross Traffic Stopped.
When the green signal flashes on.
north and south traffic on Sixteenth
street will move forward, secure from
interference by cross traffic on in
tersecting streets, which has been
halted by a red stop signal The
Sixteenth street motoriSt, during
morning and afternoon rush hours.
Will be permitted 10 continue under
the green signal for about one min
ute, enabling him to traverse several
blocks, 1t is estimated, before an
amber light is flashed as a warning
of an impending signal change
The amber light will remain for
five seconds, permitting automobiles
in the intersection TO finish crossing
the street and then the stop light
Will appear halting Sixteenth street
ira ffic. At the same time the sigma Is
facing motorists on the east and
west cross streets have been chang
ing from red to amber and finally
to green. With the go" sign on.
proceed across Sixteenth street. The
cross traffic signal will remain light
ed about % or 80 seconds
Sub-COntrol Systems.
Special sub-control systems will be
installed around La Fayette Square
and at Sixteenth and u streets. SO
that traffic officers on duty may. if
the congestion of traffic warrants.
operate the stop and go signals man
ually. The signals will be placed
completely around La Fayette
Square.
A new system of making right and
left hand turns will be put into prac-
tice with the installation of the new
signals. All turns, right or left, must
be made only on the green signal.
Under present methods motorists may
make a right-hand turn when a stop
signal faces them.
The new rules will require a mo-
torist desiring to turn left at an in
tersection to pull to the right out of
the flow of traffic and swing around
In front of automobiles halted back
of the building line on the cross
street. When the cross street go
signal flashes these waiting cars will
be given right of way to complete
their turn, and the backed UP
through" vehicles then will follow.
In case of fire alarms there will
be a manually controlled switch at
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