Evening star., 1925-07-30
CAR LINES OPPOSE
MANDATORY STOPS
Formal Protest on New Rul-
ing Is LikeIy-See Handi-
cap to Traffic.

A letter announcing the tentative
ruling of the Public Utilities Cominis-
sion that stop" signs on minor traffic
streets where boulevards intersect
must be obeyed by street ears as
well as by all other vehicles was dis
patched last night, and today woro
had reached the commission that
street car companies probably would
protest this ruling.
A meeting of the Utilities Commits
sion this afternoon is expected to con-
slider the situation with regard 10
the street car companies. A showing
that street car traffic may be seri-
uusly disconnected, it was admitted
by officials at the District Building,
may bring revision OF the ruling.
At present. however, both in the
opinion of Traffic Director Eldridge
and of officials of the Utilities Com
strictly obeycd by the street cars to
avoid confusion aud eliminate possi-
bilitics OF accidents.
-Four Affected Now.
Thus far only four streets have
been placarded with stop" signs on
the asphaIt-Connecticu avenue,
Eighteenth street. Rhode Island
avenue and Massachusetts, avenue.
1t is planned in the immediate future
10 put the boulevard system into
effect on Tenth street and Sixth
street.
Already a minor accident has re-
suited from failure OF a street car to
obey the stop" sign at a boulevard
intersection, it was said today. On
Connecticut avenue, few days ago, II
was explained, a street car failed to
stop at the sign just north of Eight
eenth street. An automobile on the
street car tracks in front OF the car
obeyed the sign. The result was 4
rear end collision. AT this point two
boulevards intersect and Eighteenth
street was made the chief boulevard
route, requiring a stop on -he lesser
boulevard, Connecticut avenue.
President w. F. Ham of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
had indicated at noon today that he
would protest the stop ruling on the
ground that some stops will cause
serious complications and delay in
traction traffic.
When Tenth street and Sixth street
boulevards are made effective, addi-
tfonal stops for street cars will result
because of the many lines intersecting
these streets. Street cars on f street,
G. street, New York avenue and Massa-
chusetts avenue would be affected.
EIdridge Explains Plan.
"what we want TO do" explained
Traffic Director Eldridge, "is to pro-
vide a system that will do the great
est good to the greatest number. Our
regulations are based on traffic survey
and the streets showing the greatest
volume of traffic are given preference.
If it can be shown, however, by the
street car companies that the greatest
number is being injured by these regu-
lations, it will be found that we will
welcome the opportunity to remedy
the situation"
Paragraph "f' of section Q of ar
ticle 2 of the traffic regulations, eff
fective last May 8, and amended June
"a, distinctly provides that upon
approaching any boulevard highway
a vehicle or street car on an inter
secting street shall come to COM
plete stop before crossing"
The District Commissioners ap-
proved this section when they ap-
proved the regulations as a whole.
The District Commissioners are the
Public Utilities Commission, IL Is
pointed out, and their individual judg-
ments would be the same while sit
ting as the Utilities Commission. Ac-
cordingly, a special order by the Utili-
ties Commission was issued last night
TO compel street car companies, which
had been disregarding this regulation,
to obey the rule.
"Obey it tentatively and protest
later" is the apparent maxim of the
commission.
After protests, it is assured, changes
will be made if they are merited.