Evening star., 1927-11-20


plished through the achievement of
uniformity of control and the stand
ardization of equipment, according to
progress report of the committee of
the American Engineering Council. of
this city. which is conducting Ma
tion.wide survey of automatic traffic
control systems.
The committee found the automatic
traffic control systems in a state of
expansion. Its findings revealed that
a total of 2.401 additional electric sig
nails will be put into operation in SO
cities now having total of 3,203
signal-controled intersections.
OF particular interest locally is the
finding of the committee in respect to
right and left turn practices. The
method of making turns in use in
Washington, against which criticism
is leveled in some quarters, was
found to be in general favor among
the cities surveyed.
The committee report states that
virtually all cities permit right turns
on the Go" signal only, and adds to
this statement that it is the COM
mittee's belief that all right turns
should be 80 restricted" This method
ia favored by traffic experts on the
the right turn when there is no cross
traffic to be interfered with. When
the turn is made on the red signal. it
is pointed out, cross-traffic is impeded
and positive danger exists.
Confirms Left.turn Practice.
The committee also affirms the
Washington method of making the
left turn by approaching the inter-
section from the right on the go"
signal and proceeding when the signal
changes to green in the cross-direc-
ton.
''The compilation Of records from
most Of the important cities using
electric traffic signals shows that
there are widely varying local condi-
tions indicating that range of
standa rdization rather than the recon-
mendations of specific types of signals,
control devices, etc., should be set
up" says the committee, Of which
William B. Powell of Buffalo is chair
man.
1T should be the intent of recon-
mendations, however, to establish a
uniform meaning. location, etc, of
signals, so that if generally adopted
they will be of great assistance to the
motorist. city officials and manufac-
turers of signal devices.
while the possibilities of the rec
concentrations referred to are made
apparent by the report, it also is
equally apparent that practically no
uniformity as yet has been established
except where cities have chanced to
secure their equipment from the same
manufacturer, and often, even in this
case. the types of equipment vary so
widely that they are in no sense a
standard.
Divided Activities Cited.
"The officials responsible for type,
installation and operation of electric
traffic signals vary widely with the
different cities and it not infreQuently
happens that different officials within
the city are responsible for the differ
ent activities, without unified control
or direction. More uniformity of con-
troll. at least. within a city, doubtless
would be beneficial"
OF 76 cities reporting. 10 indicated
that different official is responsible
for the type, insta llation and opera
ton of electric traffic signals. They
are Albany, n. Y; Allentown, Pa;
Bethlehem, Pa; Birmingham, Ala;
Bridgeport. Conn.,; Evansville, Ind;
Newark. n. j.; New Rochelle. N. Y;
Portland. Oreg.. and st. Louis, Mo.
Twenty-seven cities have one official
In charge Of the type. installation and
operation of signals. They include
Altoona. Pa; Brockton, Mass; Lansing.
Mich; Memphis, Tenn: Miami, Fla:
Milwaukee, Wis; New Orleans, La:
Oakland, Calf; Passaic, n. j.; Roches-
ter. N Y; Rockford, ILL.,: st. Paul.
Minn.; San Diego, Calf; Seattle,
Wash: Sioux City, Iowa; Terre Haute.
Ind: Toledo, Ohio; Troy, N. Y; Utica,
N. Y; Worcester, Mass, and Yonkers,
n. Y.
The remaining cities had one official
in charge of the type of sigma! and
another in charge Of the installation
and operation, or one official or de.
partment in charge Of the type and
installation and another of the opera
tiOn.
Words Used on Lenses.
OF the 79 cities reporting the use
of two or three lens signal systems.
SO declared that they used the words
Go" and stop" respectively on the
green and red lenses, and one city.
Lynn, said that it used the word
stop" on the red lens but nothing
on the green lens. Thirty-four cities
indicated the use of the word eau
ton" on the amber or yellow lens: six
use the word Walk" three the word
Change; and two, the word Ped"
THE great ma jorty of the cities