Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24
WIDER USE OF BOULEVARD STOP
I'M TRAFFIC CONTROL ANALYZED
Train Trunk Lines Never Yield to
Branches, So Why Another Rule for
Autos, Is Query.

! lighting system If power is locally avail
aple. Many locations do not have such
| facilities and in this case gas fiashers or
| iashers operated by dry batteries may
/ be used, 1t is even possible to attach a
sun valve" which win turn the light on
/ when darkness falls and turn it of
/ when daylight comes again.
Style in San Francisco.
San Francisco now uses sign bear
| ing the stop" on the face and on the
reverse gives the name of the intersect-
irg streets These signs are brilliantly
| illuminated and continuously flashing
! day and night.
Stop signs in rural communities
should be placed at height of approx
;mately So inches above the crown of the
road III suburban or built-up sections
the height should never be less than
seven feet above the road surface. OF
course the location on the right of the
road at the curb line or at the back Of
the ditch, is the logical place and not
more than Is feet from the actual driv-
ing edge of the through highway. This
is important, in order to permit the
driver to observe from his seat the traf-
fic movement in both directions on the
main highway.
''pimples" placed on the roadway at
stop signs. These buttons bear very
small rejecting devices, not easily OBJ
served. The entire device is not readily
seen by a driver and may cause damage
to the tires of the vehicle or even
serious wreck. We would not tolerate
a hole in the street of the diameter
of such button and of depth equal
to the height of the button; yet we are
using for traffic regulating device
something that is practically the hole
turned upside down"
Another feature of the boulevard stop
is that il gives to the vehicle operator
the opportunity to observe conditions on
the thoroughfare and make his decision
definitely as to what he is going to do.
The time and place to make decisions
about movement in an intersection IS
before entering and while still on the
approaching street The timid or
nervous driver has time to decide upon
the course of procedure and to await
favorable opportunity for carrying IT
out.
there are six times as many perIectiy
normal movements possible within an
intersection as there are on straight
stretch of highway. On the straight
highway two movements are normally
taking place. one in each direction In
an intersection every driver approach
ing the cross roads from each OF four
directions. has the choice OF three
alternatives - move straight through,
turn to the right, or turn to the lett.
Twelve movements may take place
within an intersection at one ana the
same time. Certainly the place to DE-
eide upon ones actions IS not the center
of the nlaelstorna. but while stopped at
the entrance thereto.
n is entirely probable that during the
early stages of the Inauguration OF the
boulevard stop some warning should
b. given to motorists that they are APP
preaching a stop sign. Railroads md
such signals essential. II they, with
their highly trained personnel. use sucn
a warning device. the motorist also
should find 1t useful.
Use Of Advance Warning.
While not general in practice now.
the advance warning Is being considered
for use in Pennsylvania under certain
conditions. This warning win no doubt
take the form of sign bearing the one
success of the boulevard stop can be
attained only by thorough and COM
plete system of sign posting.
The boulevard stop was first inaugu-.
rated in Milwaukee some 10 or IA years
ago. following shortly In Chicago. ana
has from there spread TO nearly all sec
tons Of the country. Massachusetts
has had it on one State highway near
Boston for the past six years. Terre
Haute has operated under these signs
for about eight years: st. Louis for II
wears. washington for 18 months, ana
some of the Western cities Tor greater
or less periods Of time.
Reports from many cities indicate
that it Is effective in reducing acci-
dents. Only In Massachusetts, Is the
boulevard stop reported as unsatisfac-
tory. This IS apparently due 70 lack
of education and enforcement. Reports
indicate that while the need for con-
troll by officers and lights Is reduced,
naturally the need for them Is not en-
tirely eliminated.
Again, excepting Massachusetts,, It
appears that the signs are generally
obeved by motorists, and that only oc-
casionally are drastic measures OF en-