Evening star., 1928-05-20
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY

While the little burro is being sup
planted by the automobile in Latin
America, nevertheless the lack of FORE
sightness of city planners in the smaller
urban communities of our neighbors
to the south still gives the little beast
of burden a decided advantage over
the more modern vehicle which re-
quires most space for parking and
turning.
Reports to the Department of Com
merce say the increase in automobile
use there is bringing traffic and park
ing problems which North American
cities have been facing for years. Prac-
tically every Latin American city was
planned and built many years before
the coming of modern motor transpor-
tation. The report says that while some
cities have expanded more rapidly than
others and their officials have con-
structed wide boulevards and streets
affording sufficient space for big city
traffic, the officials Of the smaller cities,
feeling no need for such alteration or
possibly having little money. continue
to use small, narrow streets which were
planned in the days of buggy traffic.
MaraeaibO Cited.
The smaller cities have their share
of people who have become prosperous.
and they naturally desire modern
transportation.
The Government correspondent takes
as an example the city of Maracaibo,
which is located IS miles from the Gulf
of Venezuela and just south of the
narraw entrance into Lake Maracaibo.
Like some other cities of its size IN
Latin America. ii is experiencing dif-
| ficulty In handling its motor traffic.
Owing to the extensive activities OF
some of the worlds largest oil COM
panies in this basin during the past
| five years, the city has experienced
| tremendous increase in population dur
| ing that short space of time, as Vene-
zuelans from other section OF the coun-
| try. together with Americans and
Europeans. have fiocked to the city in
great numbers in search of employment
| or investment.
| This condition has developed all lines
| of business to a great extent and has
| caused such a brisk importation OF
motor vehicles for pleasure and COM
merce that during the last two years
automobiles and trucks have practically
| displaced animal-drawn vehicles. No
| official statistics as to the number OF
| automobiles and trucks in use in Mara
caibo have been published. but several
| of the more important agencies nave
estimated that about $500 we're being
operated in the city during February
of this year.
| Traffic Laws Changed.
| Traffic regulations are being con-
| stantly changed and no law remains
| in force for any great length Of time,
| it is reported, and In this respect they
are not unlike their neighbors TO the
North. This appears to be chronic
condition throughout all countries where
/ the automobile has become an impor-
! tant part Of the transportation system
These regulations in Maraeaibo are left
entirely TO the discretion of the official
| known as the inspector of vehicles. In
attempting to control traffic the in
/ Spector has ordered that practically all
/ streets of the city be classified as one
way streets; he has placed on buildings
at every street corner large red arrows
which point the direction IN which
| traffic may go, and he has ordered that
/ traffic may pass in both directions on
only two or three of the wider streets.
/ There is a national order in the traf-
&c regulations Of Venezuela that each