Evening star., 1926-05-23


conferred on Washington motordom
are, first. a noteworthy decrease in ac-
ridents on one of the most heavily
Travelled streets in the city. and sec
ondly, the possibility of ncrea sing
both the speed and safety of driving
on the Avenue of the Presidents.
Only 10 Accidents i'm March.
The first consideration in traffic con-
frol measures of any sort is, of course
protection OF human life. With this
as norm of success. the Sixteenth
street signal system has survived
four month trial period with credita BILE
results, according to accident tabula-
lions. During November, 1925, there
were" accidents on Sixteenth street.
in the following month there were 30
Of which 13 caused injury to persons
Involved. One of these ended fatally
Sinre that time the number has de-
creased steadily. January accidents
numbered IS; February. 10, and the
March total was 10 minor accidents.
There stall may he some faultfinders
who refuse to be shown the merits of
the silent cop" but figures once more
are against them. Ii is possible now to
drive from Lafayette Square TO
Florida avenue, the signal light zone
Of Sixteenth street, in just about half
the time it required before the in
etallation of the electric control
evstem. This is demonstrated in the
results of tests quoted by Lieut.. Col.
!. &. Moller, assistant traffic director.
Before the lights began blinking at
regular intervals on Sixteenth street
the average time of the drive down
that throughfare was minutes from
Florida avenue. The time varied from
6L minutes when traffic was thinned
out to Sl2 minutes during the rush
hours. And this timing was the best
that could be done with due regard to
the safety of all concerned. With
reasonable care, the trip called for
constant tanning on of brakes and
occasional hea t-throbs as a tagging
pedestrian was barely missed.
Now the minimum time has been
reduced TO 312 minutes for the
entire 1000 feet, maintaining a rate
cf 90 miles an hour. Col. Moller
states that recently he started out
Sixteenth street shortly before pm.
when traffic is extra heavy. and made
tho run to Florida avenue in five
minutes.
Speeding Is Hampered.
An interesting fact developed In
connection with the automatic control
system is that the rate of speed can
he regulated to within two miles
an hour above or below the speed
limit fixed. This is pointed TO by Col.
Moller as a definite step in the direc-
tion of safety. since reckless speeding
on electrically controlled streets Is
not only made Impossible If the lights
are obeyed, but hinders rather than
helps one to get through the zone
eXpeditiously
Timing of the Sixteenth street lights
was for the most part the cause
OF the widespread dissatisfaction with
which they met at first. The intervals
were long enough to cause noticeable
delays and much chatting on the part
of the motorist who was trying TO
hurry along. Shortening of the in
tervalS. however has reduced objec-
tton to a minimum.
When first installed, the lights
Were varied uniformly over the en-
tire street. This was another cause
for many delays for the motorists
svho started into the controlled zone
o. short while after the lights had
changed. Signal lights now are
Chsnged on Sixteenth street accord
ing to block system.
An imaginary auto ride for few
blocks under conditions existing on
this drawing may serve to illustrate
the advantage of the present block
system. As he turns from n street
into sixteenth street. the north and