Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31
TRAFFIC DEMANDS
OF FUTURE ACUTE
Cities Must Provide In
creased Parking Needs for
Next Ten Years.

Increasing use of motor vehicles
has brought the best minds of the
United States face to face with 4 gi
gantic problem-a problem that Is
ciamoring for solution at the earliest
possible moment. This conviction is
voiced by John n. WHY'S, president
OF the Willys-Overland Co., who de
clares that the unprecedented popu
larity of the automobile is taking
drastic action in this connection daily
more paramount.
With automobile production in the
United States totalinG more than
3,243.000 in 1924, as compared with
2.694,237 and 2.40O 900 in 1923 and
1922, respectively, and 1925 showing a
production of approximately $780,
600" says Mr.. WHY'S. lit Is plain that
cities must provide for increased traf-
fic and parking needs for the next 10
years.
Demands Immediate Relief.
THE need for increased traffic ia
cities has been especially apparent
in the last three wears due to the I'M
precedented increase in pleasure We
hicles and motor trucks. That this
situation demands immediate relief is
the consensus of opinion Of all city
officials. Traffic studies and experts
have been employed to analyZe local
conditions and to make recommends
tions for relief. while thousands of
dollars are spent monthly toward re-
n1oval of city traffic hazards.
Two facts are apparent. Our city
streets are entirely inadequate and
our parking facilities too limited to
care for even present traffic. While
q freely moving stream of traffic IS
essential to a we'll regulated city. APP
proXimately 10000, 900 automobiles
are today traversins our highways
and streets and nearly 100000 motor
trucks materially increase our traffic
snarls. 1t is illogical to ask that a
street system. designed and adequate
for the traffic of 1914, with a total
OF only 1926 900 automobiles and
3D. 500 motor trucks, stand the ter
rifle strain of 10000. 900 automobiles
and the hundreds of thousands of
tons Of freight being carried by mo-
tor trucks.
Certain Measures Paramount
Various suggestions have been
made toward the Improvement Of
present conditions. but certain relief
. measures are paramount. The elm.
tnation of grade crossings is being
accomplished in all parts of the cuun-
try. removing n major traffic hazard.
In many communities experiments
are being conducted with the So
called 'super-highWay' systems, un-
derground automobile tunnels and
other means of eliminating death
traps In city traffic. In 1924 % out
of 6S cities with populations Of 100, 900
or more reduced their fatal traffic
accidents approximately 20 Ter cent,
while cities from $4,000 10 100000 in
habitants succeeded in reducing their
traffic fatalities by 4 larger margin.
This was accomplished by proper ST.
pervision of traffic and elimination of
danger hazards, together with the
education of the public toward traffic
rules.
II believe. then. that our cities may
control their individual traffic prob
lens with definite program. This
will include widening Of city thor
oughfares, elimination Of traffic bot
tle-necks and dead-end streets, and
the education of the present genera
ton, through the newspapers, motor
clubs and schools, to abide by traffic
regulations. The elimination Of grade
crossings and punishment Of those
traffic violators who persist in endan-
gering life and property by their mis-
demeanors will also be helpful. Like
wise. success has attended the intro
duction Of overhead ramps and drive
way systems in the larger city ga.