Evening star., 1925-08-08
The Traffic Boulevard System.

Observations conducted along Wash
ington's new boulevard highways
show that only about so per cent of
the rSotorists are obeying the stop"
signs printed prominently on inter
secting streets. This is an astonish-
ingly low percentage, and not one that
Washingtonians should be proud to
acknowledge as their contribution to
better traffic conditions.
On account of the newness OF the
regulation there are undoubtedly
many of the delinquents who violate
the law unconsciously. Although the
signs are painted in large letters they
are not readily visible if a driver is
behind a line of cars or while driving
at night under Washington s deplora'
BILE street-lighting system. The opera.
tor of this class, however, will soon
fall into step when he becomes thor
oughly accustomed to recognizing the
boulevard stop streets as he ap-
proaches them.
The other class, notorious for Vlo-
latins every traffic regulation and for
ignoring signs and signals of all kinds,
is evidently making no exception In
favor of the new boulevard stop high
ways. Drivers of this type will go
along their merry way until misfor-
tune overtakes them, which it certain
ly will if they try to crowd through
fast boulevard traffic. If they do not
land in Jail on reckless driving con-
victions they will get bumped good
and hard by cars travelling at thirty
miles an hour and will be able to re-
pent at leisure in hospital.
The thing that should be clearly un-
derstood in connection with streets OF
this type is that they are essentially
fast-traffic highways with the right Of
way over all cross travel. This right
of way is not to be confused with the
right of way of pedestrians at cross
walks or the customary right-hand
right of way. 1t might be called
sort of de luxe right of way, because
all cross travel is compelled to stop
and must not start up again until the
intersection can be traversed with no
interference to boulevard travel.
In other words, the mere stopping of
a car is not enough if the driver starts
up again with cars approaching him
on the boulevard street. The stopped
car must stay stopped. 1t must not
move again until it can be driven
across the highway without causing
delay to those having the right OF
way.
This fact will be brought home to
the doubters when the higher speed
limit goes into effect. If the new speed
is made thirty miles an hour, which
is the generally accepted figure, it can
easily be seen that there will be some
heavy crashes if cross-street travel
does not keep out Of the way. With
the present right-hand right of way
there is a good deal Of road hogging,
and it is generally the more daring
driver who succeeds in getting it, but
with the boulevard streets the daring
driver, if he tries the same tactics,
will find that his car is not made of
ca st iron and is unable to withstand a
thirty -mile-an-hour broadside.
The new limit Of thirty miles an
hour will mean thirty miles an hour
at intersections as well as the middle
of the block. That is why the stop
signs have been painted. And that Is
why a clear understanding of the
why's and wherefors of the system
is essential.
When a motorist approaches a
boulevard highway that is deserted his
stop need be but momentary. If, on
the contrary, there is travel on the
fast street he may have to wait at the
intersection as much as five minutes
before ne is able to get through.
Boulevard streets are the progressive
method of speeding up traffic, and
although there are some who may feel
| impatience at seeing their brother
motorists flash by, their feeling will
be reversed when they themselves are
driving on a boulevard and are able
| to enjoy a quick and safe trip from
the suburbs to downtown Washington
In of