Evening star., 1927-10-30
TRAFFIC PROGRAM
|. OPPOSED BY KL0Tz
Extension of Lights Not
Needed, Engineer Tells
Utilities Commission.

The public utilities commission was
urged yesterday by Capt. Il. G. klotZ
its chief engineer, to oppose the
traffic light installation program OF
Traffic Director William II. Iiarland
on the ground that it would delay
the schedules of the public transpor'
tation companies.
The recommendation OF Capt. Klotz
was contained in Il report which de
clared that general traffic conditions
do not now, and probably will not fol
some years to come, justify such eX-
tenSive installations as proposed by
Mr.. Harland. The transportation
companies are in accord with the
recommendations according to letters
which were attached to the report.
The traffic light program. which in
wolves the expenditure of approx
matcly 100000, was referred to the
commission recently by the District
commissioners for the purpose of OBJ
tanning it's views before taking action
In view of the adverse report Of Capt
klotz. joint hearing probably will
he held by the commission and the
commissioners to give the transporta
ton agencies an opportunity to ex
plain their opposition.
Opposition to Plan Urged.
ut is recommended that the pro
posed traffic light installations as out
lined in the attached list submitted
by the director of traffic, be opposed
ON account OF the resultant delay
which will be imposed upon the cars
and vehicles operated by the trans
pOrtation companies under the juris
diction of this commission" said the
report of Capt, klOtZ.
While it is recognized that there
are certain specific locations at
which. on account of peculiarly con
gested or hazardous conditions, the
delays incident to the use of traffic
lights would be commensurate with
the advantages to be gained from
their use, general traffic conditions
here are not now such. and do not
promise for some years to become
such. as to justify extensive installa.
tlons such as are here proposed. Even
where, as above stated, the peculiar
conditions at specific intersections
would Justify the use of such lights,
their installation should be made only
after thorough investigation and con.
sideration by this commission, as rep.
rcsentative of the portion of the pub.
lie much concerned, with the advice
OF the companies by whom that por.
ton of the public is being served.
The recommendation of the di.
rector OF traffic for the approval Of the
list OF lights submitted states that:
In general, the method Of signalling
VIII be the same as that approved for
Rhode Island avenue except as to
time and distance, the division of
total cycle, the speed of vehicles Der
hour. which will vary in accorda nee
with the length of the block, traffic
now and other local conditions
Timing Limits Called High,
From observation of traffice move.
ments under existing Installations. it
would appear that the timing limits
Oh S0 to 80 seconds for the proposed
timers are entirely toe high. There
are rev, II any, intersections included
IN the proposed list at which a period
in excess of 80 seconds would be neces.
sary or desirable. at least under pres.
ent conditions, and the minimum
period obtainable should be at least
as low as 10 seconds" ...
capt. klotz also objected to the
use of the amber light in the traffic
signals. pointing out that the use of
the red and green lights only, with a
snort clear UP" period during which
the red lights are displayed i'm both
directions gives much more definite
and satisfactory control. "The oper.
ators OF all of the utilities do not.
however, agree entirely with that
contention" added Capt. Klotz, "and
| offer it here as a suggestion rather
than definite recommendation.
Capt. Klotz included in his report a
list of the locations for the proposed
installations designed to show the
extent to which the various utilities
are involved. At three Of the inter.
sections-Seventh street and Rhode
island avenue, Vermont avenue and u
street, and Eighteenth street and
Columbia road-the utilities involved,
according to his report. have ten.
tatively agreed to the advisability of
installing traffic lights, but no agree.
ment has been reached, it added, as
to the character. arrangement or
timing of the lights proposed.
Hazards at Other Points. ..
At IL other intersections, however.
Capt. klotZ explained that the neces-
sary street car and bIs movements
are such that operation, except under
some special arrangement for which
no provision appears to have been
made. would be extremely hazardous
because Of conflicting movements
which would normally be made, ON the
same lights"
These II intersections were listed,
as follows: Ninth and r streets,
Eleventh and E streets. Massa achu.
setts avenue. Fourth and III streets;
Maryland avenue. Sixth and C streets
northeast, Maryland avenue, ID and
Seventh streets northeast, Eighth and
pennsylvania avenue southeast; Sew
enth street and Florida avenue. First
and Ii streets southeast, Massachusetts
avenue and North Capitol street,
Massachusetts and New Jersey ave.
nues, Calvert strest and Connecticut
avenue and Park road and New
hampshire avenue.