Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-02
CIEING up Of right-hand turn
traffic at light-controlled
CROSSINGS by the blocking

traffic at light-controllec
crossings by the blocking
of the intersection by carr
awaiting the time to make a de-
sired left turn is receiving the
serious consideration of Director
of Traffic w. H. Harland, to whose
attention it was brought during
the week. The situation is par
ticularly annoying at many of the
streets where there are traffic
lights not part of general sys-
TEN, for instance at Thirteenth
street and Park road, and Thir-
teenth and Monroe streets.
The way the situation works out
is this: When a car going north
on Thirteenth street desires TO
make left turn west into either
Park road or Monroe street, it
blocks any vehicles whose drivers
desire to make a right-hand turn.
The result is that a whole line of
cars is tied up, for they cannot
make the right-hand turn until
the lights again show green. At
the Park road corner the buses
also make right turn and they
are invariably held up by the
right-hand traffic.
Of course, the restoration of the
practice of making left-hand
turnc4from the center point of the
intersection would Obviate all of
this, but Director Harland said
that he was going to discuss the
91aaftnY xTyifl1 f1bo o13ni1,oor InrOo ri
1nent of the District with a view
of changing the radius of the
curves there; that is, by cutting off
a section of the sidewalk. Should
this be decided upon, it, of course,
will involve another cost of re-
placing the lights which are right
on the corner.
Director Harland also is giving
consideration to the matter of
prohibiting left-hand turns at this
section, but this is aggravated by
the fact that the BUSES are re-
quired to make left-hand turn
here. He also suggests that traffic
desiring to reach Fourteenth
street from Thirteenth should
turn left at Kenyon street, and
owing to the fact that Park road
is a diagonal street they would
reach the same destination as
they would by the blocking of the
traffic on the lights at Park road.
Matter Held Serious.
Observers have pointed out that
the matter is a serious one, and
should be corrected promptly III
order to move traffic and obviate
the necessity of long delays.
This complete blocking Of the
crossing by left-hand traffic at
Park road may have been re-
SponsihIe to some extent for the
traffic fatality there early in the
week. A. car was waiting to make
the left-hand turn. It blocked the
view of, the cross walk behind.
When the lights changed car
going east got started quickly on
the green light and when it
reached the opposite crosSwalk
hit a pedestrian who had been
totally obScured up to the time OF
the accident by the car making
the left turn.
Many letters have been received
by Mr.. Harland, he said, praising
the installation of the. lights on
Rhode Island avenue, and added
that no changes had been made,
except in the installation Of
shields, as a result of some pro-
tests which had been made con-
cerning the lights at certain inter-
sections made by streets that
cross the avenue diagonally.
Mr.. Harland pointed out very
strongly that the lights were in
tended primarily to provide safe
crossing at the intersection, and
are not designed to provide a
means for an automobile driver
to make a quick croSS-town run.
He added that they are principal
1y for the protection of the pedes-
TRAN, who found it difficult to get
across these main arteries in
safety.
Prior to the installation of the
lights automobiles found it diff
cult to cross Rhode Island avenue
during the morning and evening
hours when traffic was at it's peak,
because those running along the
fhoroughfare, in most instances,
refused to stop. The driver at
tempting to make the crossing
from north or south was forced,
under the regulations, to await
until some kind motorist gave him
the right of way, because the stop
signs required this.
Director Harland has received a
letter from the Mid-City Citizens
Association praising the new
lights. It was stated that whereas
before the installation of the
lights there was serious conges-
tion and delay, now the dangers
of personal injury were greatly
diminished and vehicles reach
their destination more promptly.
Conflict of Opinion.
There appears to be a conflict of
opinion between the Police Court
and the traffic directors Office as
to whether cowl lights are legal
on streets that are we'll lighted.
In a case before Judge Isaac r.
Hit in Traffic Court last week he
found a defendant guilty for not
having proper lights when it
was proved in the hearing that
the driver did have on cowl lights
and also that the new high
powered street lights had been in
stalled on the street where the
driver was charged with using i'm
proper lights. It was called to the
attention Of the court that cowl
lights were permitted under such
circumstances, but the other view
was taken.
Judge Hit even went so far as
Il. 4 L. 49, l. L.