Evening star., 1927-11-03
Solve the Maze!

Washington is an easy city to ma
and to one in the least degree ac-
uuainted with its geography a fairly
easy city to traverse. But Tor
stranger or an occasional visitor it is,
when once found, extremely hard TO
negotiate. 1t is utterly lacking in d.
rectional signs for the guidance OF
motor tourists leading them on the
through routes or to notable objective
points. 1t needs most urgently sys-
tenn of signboards that will tell the
story of it's highways to all who may
enter its gates.
In another part of The Star today
will be found the first of series of
articles that will set forth the needs OF
the situation with comparative refer
ences TO conditions in other cities,
which are far better equipped than
Washington for the direction of the
stranger. This article shows the sit.
uation clearly. The facts are well
known to local authorities. The mat.
ter has been agitated heretofore, but
without results. There is a disposi'
ton in some quarters to avoid "disflg-
urinS" the streets with directional
signs. There is also a disposition to
wait for the devising of some form OF
artistic highway marker. And there
Is likewise also some indifference on
the subject.
On the score of the Disagreement
of the streets there Is surely no valid
ground of objection to the placement
of route tokens that will tell the road
wise tourist how to trace his course.
which he may know by number or
series of numbers. The streets are
now more or less "disfigured" by stop
signs and one.way signs, all of which
are larger and more conspicuous than
are the street designations themselves.
On most of the streets of this city the
street names or numbers are almost
indistinguishable from midroad. Even
local residents have difficulty in plac'
ing themselves in certain areas. The
present system OF street numbers and
names on the lamp-posts was devised
long ago when traffic was not SO rapid
as it Is now. The figures and letters
are az a rule only about an inch and
half In height. and many OF them are
very feebly illuminated at night. Some
OF them. indeed. are not illuminated
at all by reason of shadows and the
improper placing OF the signs with ref
erence to the street lamps. 1t is
wise motorist. even a Washingtonian.
who can find an unfamiliar street after
dark.
II It is hard for washingtonians
TO t1nd their way about in unfamiliar
sections how difficult 1t is for stran-
gers, visitors and tourists! At the
least there should be a system OF
street designation so plain. both day
and night, that all iterate persons can
know where they are and by deduc-
ton determine their course. But there
should be more than this. The main
routes OF travel connecting with tne
highway inIets should be blazed
With markers that can be seen at all
hours and that will lead as surely az
the thread that. solved the problem Of
the labyrinth III the classic adventure.
Without that thread for guidance
Washington becomes a place OF un'
certainty and apprehension and delay
to all who come into the city seeking
either local detectives or straight
routes to other points.
Let this matter be taken UP earnest
~ this Winter and provision made for
sensible and artistic system Of street
and road markers that will inform all
comers and save Washington from be-
ing known as the worst municipal
maze In the country.