Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-11-25
CITY TO EXTEND
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
MANY Streets Are Included in
Signal System for
Capital.

OF w 3ShlnCton,
Pedestrians now must cross certain
streets as best they can when frame
flows in an unremittinS stream.
Motorists face similar obstacles when
vehicular movement is heavy in cross
directions. Hazards are created. when
officials believe can be eliminated oniN
hv a more extensive automatic reGua-
ton OF important street intersections.
Thirteen sections OF important
thorouehfares and p isolated cross
inCs are to have the electric signal
lights Several heavily travelled cross
town arteries are to he so regulated.
Fifteenth street northwest Is to ne
placed under automatic control from
downtown to Mount Pleasant. While
enough additional intersections IN the
contested area will he lighted to show
with more precision the effect OF the
electrical system where traffic is un-
usually heavy.
Selection of Locations.
The streets on which the new lights
will be placed have been selected on
the basis of traffic count and study of
accident statistics. Installation of the
electric control system, officials say,
has been followed by an impressive
reduction of the number of accidents.
They accordingly have looked at the
situation on streets where the lights
are not in operation and have found
high accident rates which they are
certain will be lowered when traffic at
more of the troublesome intersections
is under the automatic lights.
Accident figures for the streets on
which the lights will be placed
are significant substantiation of this
view. On 10 thoroughfares selected
for addition to the electric control sNs-
tenn, there have been 1871 accidents
from January, 1926. to and including
August, 1927. OF this number % were
fatalities
In direct contrast is the situation on
Sixteenth street and MasSa Chusetts
avenue where the lights were first in
stalled. Not a single fatality has &C.
Cured during nearly two years of
operation on these thoroushfares.
In general. the extensions will con-
form in outward appearance to the
signals already in use on Sixteenth
street and Massachusetts and Rhode
Island avenues Both the co-ordinated
groups and the isolated intersections
will be of the four-corner type. and
nowhere in the plan proposed will the
center light be used.
Program UutIneu.
While details Of design, material
and actual functioning of the equip
ment which will he installed, neces
sarily must be guarded by traffic Of
ficials until bids are obtained and
accepted, the outstanding features of
operation, being something quite
apart from specifications and bids for
equipment, are outlined by Traffic
ayla ND
somewhat as follows:
The fullest possible f1eXibilitv of OPP
Grafton is the goal of the traffic office
in setting up the extensions. Con
slant progress is being made in the
design of the automatic signal lights
and considera BILE variation in the dura-
ton Of time for each colored light has
been made possible. For example. the
latest type of light permits a varia-
ton of timing Of from 90 seconds
to / minute for traffic in both cross
directions, allowing north and south
traffic from 90 seconds to l minute,
and the same range for east and west
traffic. depending upon the need OF
the particular street or intersection
at different periods in the day.
To achieve further flexibility of the
electric traffic lights, there will be a
wider use of the manual control in
combination with the automatic con-
troll. This combination will exist at all
the isolated intersections and at GER
tain crossings on the streets on which
sections for several brooks are con-
trolled by the lights. In this way
a police officer during the rush hours
NAV switch the lights from automatic
operation to permit him to change
their timing at will and change them
at irregular intervals just as he would
a semaphore.
When installed. the new lights Will
he timed to fit best the traffic condi-
tions existing at the location where
they are placed. Some streets may have
changes every two blocks or every
four blocks, the number of lights
which will show green at one. time
depending upon the traffic conditions.
Pedestrians to Benefit.
The new installations also will dem
onstrate the extent of disability of the
electric signals in conCested areas.
Lights will he placed on f, Sixth and
Tenth streets, all of which carry
large volume of traffic under condi-
tions that will be somewhat different
from the streets on which they have
been placed.
Not only motorists but pedestrians,
traffic officials believe. will benefit
definitely from the new installations
AS traffic increases on streets on
which there now is little or no con
stroll, it becomes increasingly difficult
for pedestrians to cross with any de-
gree of safety. Much of this hazard
will he eliminated. il is asserted, when
the lights are in place.
Ira ffic officials are proceeding in the
belief that Washington definitely
needs more electric control lights.
Automatic handling of traffic is com
ing more and more to be an unques-
toned necessity. in so far as Wash.
ington is concerned, traffic authorities
are ANXIOUS to keep the National
Capital we'll in the forefront of the
movement in the direction of the
automatic system.
The electric control lights on Six
teenth street and Massa chusetts ave
nue., the two thoroughfares on which
motorists first We're given the oppor-
tunity TO experience the beneficial ef
fects of orderly movement of traffic.
are viewed as necessary and advan-
tageous. To vision traffic moving on
Sixteenth street during the rush
hours without the restriction of the
electric lights. IT is believed, is TO
imagine a swelling north and south.
bound stream continuously battling
with cross traffic. with congestion.
hazard, and, at times, total obstruc-
ton resulting.
Placing Follows Survey
animation of the accident figures
and statistics showing the trafiic vol
unoe on nine of the streets portions of
which are 20 he equipped with ira Mic
lights tells n story which the traffic
authorities believe indicates great haz
ard. which must be eliminated as soon
a s possible This elimination. they be.
lieve, will result from the inStallation
of the lights
X street northeast and northwest