Evening star., 1926-11-28
CONGESTION LAID
TO PARKING RULES
unenforced Regulations Also
Blamed in Survey of Amer
u lean Cities.

Inadequate traffic regulations and
iacx or parking space are the leading
causes of vehicular traffic congestion,
according to a report on such con-
gestion's effect on retail business Is
sued by the United States Department
OF Commerce. The survey made by
department experts took in a large
number of stores In cities of all sizes,
including 33 centers OF more than
100000 population,
Faulty traffic regulations, according
to the survey. consist of unenforced,
rnisfit and insufficient regulations. In
the larger cities unenforced regulation
includes such items as violation OF
parking ordinances "laxity in en-.
forcing traffic regulations" and mot
sufficient traffic policemen.
Misfit regulations reported are
chiefly "one-way traffic" "unneces'
sarily prolonged parking privilege" /"
block traffic control instead of cen
trail control" and left hand turns .
Insufficient regulations include 'in-
ability to stop in front of store to dis
charge passengers" heavy truck
traffic" SLOW traffic" and lack of
through streets"
Many Rules Not Enforced.
Summarized. the survey shows en-.
sorced regulations, misf1tted regula-
tlons and insufficient regulations were
reported by merchants throughout the
country as conspicuous factors in
traff'c congestion, with the greatest
emphasis on unenforced regulations.
These faulty regulations exist to a
lesser degree as cities decrease in
size, but in relation to interference
they constitute about one-half the
problem in all cities, regardless Of
size.
Lack OF parking facilities is the
next important cause of interference
with business by vehicular traffic.
Discussing the effect of this item, the
report says:
In some few of our largest cities
downtown merchants have sensed the
situation and are establishing branch
stores in subcenters. In one city a
subcenter has been deliberately
planned Two Of the citys largest de.
partment stores have bought sites
there for the location of branch stores.
In this way old and well established
business houses are striving to main.
tain trade which they apprehend may
gravitate permanently to subcenter
districts with ample parking facill.
ties"
The possibility Of traffic congestion
developing in these subcenters is
noted and the statement made that
while there Is need for subcenter dis
tr1cts as relief, they alone are not a
sufficient solution.
Hours for Parking.
In the vast majority of cities park.
ing is permitted on city Streets" says
the report. THE length of time of
the parking privilege appears to be
the debatable point"
In the larger group of cities il was
found that of 1875 stores reporting. So
per cent have an average shopping
period of less than one half hour; 20
per cent from one.half hour to one
hour; II per cent. one hour: 4 per
cent. one to two hours, and per cent.
two hours or more. The longer shop.
ping periods are in the larger cities.
Department stores and furniture
stores have the longest shopping
period.
In many retail areas all street on.
portunities for increased parking facil
tiles have been exhausted, the report
says. Parking facilities offered by
merchants have taken the form Of
outdoor parking spaces, garages, bus
service between the store and a park
ing area and chauffeur service which
assumes responsibility of the Gus.
toner's automobile in respect to street
parking regulations