Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-12

The so-called revolt of the pedestrians" is on in
the large Eastern cities, where motor vehicle conges-
ton of the streets and highways has reached the point
where present facilities and laws are wholly made
auate 20 cope with the situation. The general condi-
ton of traffic, which has been growing more unsatis-
factory each year, is being aggravated by those who
apparently ignore all law, regulations or the demands
Of courtesy. The rapid increase in the casualty list,
and the stupendous proportions that list has attained,
is largely responsible for the demands which are now
becoming insistent that the rights Of pedestrians be
restored.
Governor Fuller Of Massachusetts, in a recent ad-
dress made the suggestion that in Boston between
10 a. m. and 5 p. m. all pleasure cars be barred from
the downtown area, with elimination OF the present
marking privileges. He also suggested that downtown
motor traffic at the noon hour be prohibited. He add
ed that to him it seemed ridiculous to see hundreds
Of people jammed on the street corners waiting an OPP
portanity to cross while an interminable line Of auto
mobiles went sailing by with no more than one or two
passengers in each. AMI he held that if people desire
20 go pleasure riding under such circumstances, their
way should be made as tedious as possible by hold
ing them up and giving the right Of way to people
who are compelled 70 90 about their business on foot
Governor Fuller is himself in the automobile bust
ness, and he asserts it is good business to make the
motoring public realize that pedestrians have greater
FIGHTS to the streets or highways than the motor We
hicle. He insists that human society is rapidly Great
ing for itself an utterly impossible situation, one
which If not REQUIRED db Iuc outSclt hHl NeAbua4A
become q national menace instead of a mere problem
New York has Experimental with two-deck streets
and subways, but these could not be completed as fasc
as the volume of motor traffic increased. In parts
of the city the traffic has increased over 200 per cent
in three years, and traffic experts contend that a large
mart of this increase is due to pleasure cars which
could and should be kept off the many arteries OF
traffic during tn rush business hours. Subway and
viaduct crossings handle the pedestrian traffic in some
PARTS Of the city, but the congestion is rapidly Great
~ a condition which in addition to constituting a
y .nace to human life has proved q decided deterrent
ii business. Many Of the stores which two or three
Years ago were rated as the greatest in the city have
leen virtually cut off by the traffic congestion which
preyents customers from entering. The fact that in
large cities the shopper can no longer find q parking
space in the business section and that the constant
stream of traffic makes walking unsafe has resulted
!, customers demanding deliveries Of merchandise,
thereby further increasing the congestion and adding
TO the traffic problem.
Traffic experts frankly admit they do not know
row the problem OF the large cities will be solved.
Apparently tas -One recourse is TO prohibit the use Of