Evening star., 1925-12-30
AUTOMATIC LIGHTS
CHANGED At PLAZA
No Left-Hand Turns on Red
Signal Under Newly
Adopted System.

Convinced that the Washington
is instinctively afraid to run
st red signal lights. even when told
to do so BY traffic officers assigned tn
a Ssist motorists 10 make left -hand
turns on red lights at the two inter
sections on the Capitol Plaza control-
ed by automatic signal posts, DAVID
Lynn, architect of the ca pitol, TODAY
ordered that stumbling block 10 easy.
flowing traffic there abandoned.
A new system of traffic regulation
by the two automatic lights Is being
installed today and will be in full oper-
alton by tomorrow morning.
Herea II or red flashes from the wink
ing eyes of the signal posts will mean
stop, and nothing hut stop, Mr.. Ivnn
said with empha sIs today. The nerves
of the drivers. jumpy from many fall
ures To negotiate the newly invoked
traffic devices throughout the District.
would not support them sufficiently to
make left turns against red lights, the
demonstrat tion at the Capitol appar-
entity showed.
Confusion Result of Trial.
Though two traffic officers. both Of
whom were blessed with a good sense
of humOr. tried for week TO teach the
thousa nds of motorists who sweep
past the Capitol during rush hours
that they must make left turns on
red signals, confusion resulted. with
traffic on the Hin .iammed and giving
rise to much ill-temper.
Under The new system however
through traffi will he given ma inr
consideration. left-hand turns will he
made only on special white light .
the usual green lights will mean Co
red lights will 'Stnn'' nd cicD
explaining left -ha nd turns will he
posted in fun view OF motorists he.
fore they reach the signal posts The
new system Will he the last word in
automatic control for the situation
which exists a the intersection on tho
Capitol Plaza, and Senators. Repre-
sentativeS, Government officials and
humber folks using the streets there
Will find the sailing smooth. It Is con
f1dentlN predicted.
AT the south post ears going east
up the hill. are 10 go either straight
ahead and out OF the grounds on the
one-way street, or To turn left on the
plaza road in front Of the Capitol
on the green light They may also
make right-hand turns out Of the
grounds on New Jersey avenue. The
green light will be on for 80 seconds
In the meantime, cars on New
Jersey avenue which are To make q
left-ha nd turn down The hill are to
pull up along the right curb and
make the turn on white light. which
will he on 10 seconds. ON the white
light will he printed: Turn Left &c
All other traffic will he stopped by red
lights when the white is on.
The signal again will change. show
ing red on the east and west and
green on the north and south sides
Thus. traffic will 60 from in front of
the Capitol down the hill or out New
Jersey avenue and into the plaza road
from New Jersey avenue. or. makinC
a rieht-hand turn from New Jersey
avenue out the one-way east-bound
street leading from the traffic post.
Following this north and south rrsf
fic movement. the white signal again
will so on for 10 seconds. to permit
machines to make left.hand turns
down the hill road. while all other
movement is blocked hy red lights.
The same general system is 70 he
employed at the north post.
Other Lights Green.
When the red light faces south
bound motorists lined up in Della ware
avenue. all three lights facing other
intersectine streets will he green. Thus.
traffic coming up he hill will turn right
on the CAPITAL Plaza and AZ the same
time cars on the plaza will go either
down the hill road toward Peace Mon
ument or north on Delaware avenue
ont of the grounds. Also. on he same
signal. cars will emerge from the west
bound one-way street, which inter
Sects the plaza at the signal post. and
go either west down the hill or north
ont Of the grounds.
Then the lights will change to white
to permit left hand turns from the hill
road onto Delaw ware avenue north
hound. All other traffic movements
will he stopped Al the time. This
signal. like the ARA nsement At the
other post. will shine hut for 10 sec
onds.
The third change will throw green
lights on the north and west of the
post and red on the west and sout h
lights. Thus traffic again will move
up the Hill and onto the plaza. and
Southhound motorists on Delaware
avenue may either continue ahead or
make right hand turn down the
hill 10 the west.
These arrangements. Mr.. Lynn
sa id. will stop traffic up hoth sides
Of the hill roads but for 10 seconds
at a time and for hui % seconds
through cycle Of the four changes.
Through traffic. on the other hand.
will run on each of the two signals
for 30 seconds each.
The new scheme was worked out
hv r. !. Wade of the Grouse Hind
CO.. which has installed all Of the
automatic lights here.