The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-08
WALKERS
CON 7 ROL
PL. AIMED
Test Will Be Made at Four
teenth Street and Penn
sylvania Avenue

Washlngton'S first serious at
tempt to control pedestrian traffic
will be made beginning Tuesday,
to plans completed today
by Colonel I. G. Moller, acting di-
rector of traffic, and Inspector E.
w. Brown, chief of the Traffic
Bureau.
The intersection of Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue
northwest has been selected for
the trial and five policemen will
be stationed there Tuesday to pre-
vent jaywalking and to instruct
pedestrians in the proper method
of crossing congested streets.
If Tuesdays attempt is success
full the system will be extended,
as rapidly as possible, to all other
important intersections in down.
town Washington.
Safety Zones Planned
The plan to be inaugurated Tues
day includes a new system of
semaphore and whistle signals for
combined control of both foot and
vehicular traffic.
Safety zones for pedestrians will
be established in Pennsylvania
avenue on either side of the street
car tracks for the use of pedestrians
caught near the middle of the wide
when the direction of
traffic changes. These safety zones
will be designated by painted lines.
The present crossing traffic
policeman will continue on duty at
the center of the intersection and
will control all traffic, both pedes-
trian and vehicular. The other
four policemen will be stationed,
one at each corner Of the intersec-
ton to direct pedestrian traffic
crossing Fourteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue.
Method of Control
The traffic policeman will stop all
motor and vehicular traffic by
blasts on his whistle. First, a
warning blast will be given on the
whistle On this signal all automo.
biles which have crossed the build
ing lines in accordance with the
signal will continue
across the intersection. All vehicles
behind the line will stop. After all
motor traffic Is clear of the inter
section the semaphore will be
turned, but vehicles will be held
until pedestrians are within the
safety zones or have reached the
when two whistle blasts
will be given as a signal for auto
mobile traffic to move.
Pedestrians will cross the inter-
section in accordance with the
traffic semaphore. When the sin
gle whistle blows they are expected
to proceed Immediately to the
nearest safety zone or the nearest
curb and remain there until the
semaphore is again turned for the
direction in which they are going
and the signal given by two blasts
Of the whistle for them to proceed
Automobiles on the single whistle
blast, will either stop behind the
building line or, If already across
the line, will continue across the
No vehicles will be per-
blast on the whistle.
Will Control Pedestrians
The four corner policemen. for
the first few days the system is
In operation, will control both pc
lestrians and automobiles at their
in accordance with the
signals of the crossing policeman
The corner policemen will be kept
on duty at this intersection for as
many days as may be necessary to
educate the motorists and Pc
destrians. The system. if success
full, according to Colonel Moller will
be maintained permanently.
Colonel Moller Today issued an
appeal to all Washington motorists
md pedestrians tc, give the Traffic
Bureau the most complete co-Opera-
ion possible in indugurating the
new system. He believes that it
will result in the successful solution
IF one Of WashinEtom's most serious
traffic problems II the public CO.
operation is given.
For Benefit OF Pedestrians
The system is famed with the
rights and comfort of pedestrians
in mind and. at the same
time. to afford ire minimum DOS
sible delay in handling vehicular
traffic.
Until the walking public can be
thoroughly educated in the proper
method of CROSSING busy intersec-
lions it will be useless to attempt
of Iaywalking ordi.
nance, Colonel Mollcr believes.