Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
In the Motor World
BY Il. ADAMS HOWARD.
INSTALLATION of the first of
the new traffic lights will be


completed this week, accord
4 ing to William H. Harland,
director of traffic. This installa-
ton will be made at the intersec-
ton of Connecticut and Florida
avenues. The lights will be of the
isolated variety and probably will
be five in number, so as to govern
completely the triangle there into
which S street runs. This install
lation will be hailed by all pedes-
TRANS.
For the first time in the de-
velopment of traffic lights here
the director of traffic will employ
a new system. Heretofore. the
three lights--the green. the am
Der and the red-were used sep
arately. AT the above-named in
tersection the amber light will
overlap both the green and red
signals.
New Light System.
This system, Harland believes,
will greatly expedite the flow of
traffic. It will prevent, to large
extent, the crossing on the amber
signal, because the red light will
be seen at the same time. A mo-
toriSt approaching the interSec-
ton will be able to tell what sig
nal will be given next and will be
able to slow down or speed up TO
meet the situation.
AS soon as the other lights are
installed this system will be put
in operation on all the traffic
lights throughout the city. Other
large cities have had this plan in
operation for some time, and, as
It has worked out well in each
case, it should be an effective
method in the National Capital.
The next installation of lights
10 follow will be at Fourteenth, B
and Water streets. Rhode Island
avenue is next on the list. 1t is
the plan to have the lights III
stalled where most needed. Mary
land avenue. where lights are
needed because of the schools.
will come later, because of the
closing of the schools during the
Summer vacation.
10 Eliminate Congestion.
Great difficulty Is experienced
daily in driving up Connecticut
avenue by the Mayfiower Hotel.
Although the street has been wild
ened, the congestion remains be-
cause of the loading platform and
the constant stream of taxicabs.
A veritable bottle-neck passage
exists, and in the late afternoon
the upward flow of traffic is much
impeded. This situation is to be
eliminated by the removal of the
loading platform at this place TO
a different location.
The office of the director of
traffic is delighted with the re-
suits of the new regulation re-
curing the making of left turns
on streets controlled by a police
man. 1t is the opinion of both
the director and the assistant
director that the flow of traffic
has been made smoother and that
greater safety is enhanced.
The new method has been
puzzling at first TO many motor
lists, who, unaware OF violating
any regulation, are at lost to un-
derstand why the traffic police
man is on his way to call them
down.
Mai. Hesse, however, has given
orders that no arrests be made
until a fair time has elapsed for
the motorists to become acquaint-
ed with the regulation. and in a
short time all drivers should have
added to their memory another
ruling on the everincreasing list.
The value of the regulation lies III
its uniformity with the require
ments for turning on traffic
light, and uniformity is expedi-
ton itself. The more uniform
regulations throughout the Ma
ton in regard to traffic the better
conditions would be.
Real Repair Needed.
Massachusetts, avenue these days
seems to be in a constant state
of upheaval, at least TO the north
west of Sheridan Circle. The ex-
cavating for the new British en-
bassy has been one cause. The
placing of new sewer pipes its en-
tire length has been another.
This, of course. cannot be helped.
But the repairing of the roadway
can.
After each new slice is made
some work that looks like repair
Ia made. But at times it hardly
goes that far. While so much
construction work is going on it
may seem unwiSe to make per-
manent job of it. But certainly
enough work should be done TO
allow machines to traverse this
avenue without danger to life and
property. Massachusetts avenue
is one of the city's thoroughfares
and is greatly travelled. It's con-
dition last week was deplorable,
inexcusable and an affront TO the
fair name Of the city. War roads
In France were not worse.
Opposition TO the sites desig-
mated for the 205 hackstands has
been brought before the Commits
sioners. Merchants are protest
ing that the stands TO be SO desig-
mated July will be detrimental
To their business. No action will