Evening star., 1928-11-18
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

able. The traffic director contem-
plates a unique system which will
stop all traffic periodically and
give pedestrians an opportunity to
cross. Because of the complica-
tions involved it may take several
weeks to develops a practical and
satisfactory plan for the operation
of these lights.
While on the subject of traffic
lights, Mr.. Harland revealed that
several pedestrians complained
recently that they were unable to
cross intersections controlled by
the automatic signals without be-
ing caught in the middle Of the
street by automobiles. In this
connection Mr.. Harland said:
Many pedestrians who ap-
proach intersections controlled by
lights and who are confronted by
the green light, step off the curb
and start crossing the street with
out knowing how long the green
light has been burning.
Should Wait for Green.
"All of the lights thus far in
stalled are so timed as to permit
pedestrians to cross the street
leisurely on the green light, pro-
vided they start promptly on the
display of the light. If they wait
several seconds after the light is
first displayed they are liable TO
find themselves in the middle of
the street when traffic is released
in the opposite direction. If
pedestrians desire to secure full
protection from traffic lights they
should start promptly on the dis
play of the green. and if they do
not know how long the green has
been displayed they should wait
on the curb until the green Is
again displayed, which is only a
portion of minute.
Even though the pedestrian
does not start promptly with the
light, the courts have ruled that
a pedestrian is within his rights
if he has started to cross on a
green light. Motorists should
look out for pedestrians who have
started on the green light and
who have been unable to reach
the opposite curb before traffic is
released in the opposite direction. -
The District Commissioners are
giving serious consideration to
recommendations for restoration
of parallel parking on certain
downtown streets, particularly
Eigth street between PennSyl-
vania avenue and F street. and
Fifteenth street in the vicinity Of
the Treasury. New York avenue
between Ninth and Fifteenth
streets also should be included in
the list. With a tree-lined park
ing paralleling the car tracks
between Ninth and Thirteenth
streets. angle parking, which now
prevails. permits only a narrow
lane for traffic and creates seri-
ouS congestion every time q
parker backs into the street.
Virginia Motorists Kick.
The condition is not as bad be-
tween Thirteenth and Fifteenth
streets, as the absence of the trees
and parking leaves a wider road
way. But at the same time traffic
is so heavy in this section that
the few additional feet of width
parallel parking will provide
would undoubtedly reduce the
potential accident hazard ever
present in angle parking.
TTiVs~iY%f1 Saan+ANiCfc xn1nA AnFY4
their livelihood in Washington
are complaining bitterly over the
seeming delay in the completion
of the new roadway on Highway
Bridge and the widening and re-
surfacing of Lee Highway between
RoSslyn and Cherrydale. There
is little likelihood that either
project will be finished before De-
cember /.
District officials had planned
originally to complete the High
way Bridge work by November Is.
and their latest announcement
indicates that December 10 likely
will be the finishing date.
No word has come from the Vir-
ginia authorities as to when the
residents of Park Lane. Lyon Vii
lage, Thrifton Village. Cherrydale
and beyond can expect to run
their vehicles over the recondi-
toned Lee Highway instead of
over long and rough detour routes.
The concrete shoulder has been
finished and the top surface is
now being applied to the road,
but it appears that several weeks,
or perhaps months. may be re-
ouired to complete the work.