Evening star., 1928-11-20
TRAFFIC LIGHTING
SYSTEM DEFENDED
Director Opposes Removal
and Suggests Additional
Light Be Installed.

Traffic Director william II. Earland
today came to the defense OF the traffic
lights recently installed on Rhode Is.
land avenue east of Iowa Circle and
not only opposed removal Of any of
them. but suggested the installation of
an additional light Ia a report to Com
missioner Proctor l.. Dougherty.
The confusion caused to motorists at
the intersections of Rhode island ave.
niue with q. r. 8 and r streets due TO
the signal indications for these streets
being visible to moving traffic on Rhode
Island avenue has been remedied, Har-
land reported, by moving the signal
bodies and their visors to a different
angle. A sheet metal side shield was
placed on the signal, which entirely
reinedled the condition referred to" ac-
cording to the report. Proper visors
are expected to replace these As soon
as they can be obtained.
MIR. Harland stated he had decided
to make 8 street between New Jersey
avenue and Florida avenue one Way
westbound The additional signal viii
be placed on the south side Of Rhode
Island avenue at the intersection of I
street for eastbound Rhode island ave-
niue traffic.
The Rhode Island avenue signal sys-
tenn came In for fire from Police In
speutors e. Il. Brown and william 8
Shelby in q report submitted by them
| TO Maj. Edwin B. Hesge, superintendent
of the Police Department., which claimed
, that the light installation led to "con-
fusion" and might cause serious aoci-
| dents.
Another Defender Found.
Meanwhile the traffic lights on Rhode
| Island avenue found another defender
In Robert q. Mcclure. whose letter.
head describes him as graduate em-
balmer and i1iortician, at Ninth and
Westminster streets. MIR. MCGUIRE
wrote to Commissioner Dougherty In
part as follows;
"When the new traffc lights were
turned on last Tuesday morning east
of Iowa Circle on Rhode Island avenue
was, indeed, as proud as Mr.. Harland
| for, to my mind, the intersections oil
| @, r, 8 and r streets had been made
safe for motorists as well as those on
foot.
II was much surprised when I read
in the columns of the newspapers a
| few evenings ago recommendation to
| remove these new signals from the
above-nained crossings.
ANY one who has at least one eye
could not mistake these signals. TO
make those streets lone way" as has
been suggested, causes an unnecessary
loss OF time on the part Of motorists
continuing along the streets east or west
OF Rhode Island avenue.
The confusion which reigned around
the new traffic signal lights installed on
Connecticut avenue at Woodley road,
Calvert street, and Cathedral avenue
during the rush hours yesterday was
blamed on yesterdays rainstorm BY In
speutor Brown.
Inspector Brown said the storm had
delayed hundreds OF automobiles which
would normally have reached the trafflc
lights around 4:S0 pm, and had ~aused
on unusual stream of traffic at pm.
The fact that the lights had been in
operation for only one day also was
blamed by Inspector Brown.
THE situation is all right now" he
added, II was out on the scene during
the rush hour this morning and every
thing worked very smoothly. have
no fear about these lights. They will
prove efflcient."
Traffic light signals will be turned
ON for the first time today at Vermont
avenue and U strN Net.