Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-05
TRAFFIC EXPERTS
OPEN SESSION HERE
Model Plan for Country Is Aim
of Representatives of
National Groups.

Improvement In Nationwide traffic
conditions was the objective sought Of
representatives of 10 national organiza
tons that have supported the work of
the National Conference on Street and
Highway Safety, under the chairman
ship of Secretary Hoover, who met to-
day at the Chamber Of Commerce of
the United States. A series OF three
day meetings will be held by the inter-
ested groups and Secretary Hoover has
been invited to participate IN the delib-
erations tomorrow at the Department Of
Commerce.
The drafting committee Of the ordi-
nance committee studied the tentative
draft of the model municipal traffic Or
dinance n the light Of suggestions re-
ceived from all over the country. Arthur
A. Thomas, Providence, r. l., chairman,
announced tfsat although 10000 copies
of the code has been distributed. few
criticisms had been made against it.
these being constructive and not We
hement. t~..
Seek Model Plan.
The steering committee of the con-
ference is scheduled to meet at S O'Clock
this afternoon.
The basis of the proposed Nation
wide model traffic system Is the uniform
State motor vehicle code and the model
municipal traffic ordinance.
During the sessions the traffic experts
will put the model ordinance In final
form and consider three additional
model ordinances-fo the appointment
of a traffic commission, for the creation
of a division of trafiic engineering and
for the control of roadway and side
walk obstruction.
The conference Is scheduled TO con-
slider the extent to which the designa-
ton Of through and one-way streets and
park restrictions and prohibitions shall
be incorporated In the ordinance. the
working Of right-of-way rules at in
tersections, the control of pedestrian
trafiic and the meaning of differently
colored lights In traffic signal systems.
A. B. Barber, director Of the confer
ence. pointed out that 1.-THE first phase
of the work of the National Conference
on Street and Highway Safety Is near
ing completion"
Accident Rate Gaining.
THE importance of the problem Is
evident" Mr. Barber said. I'm the last
Is years 200. 900 persons have met death
on our streets and highways. Since
1920 the accident rate has gone up
practically 10 per cent every year. The
present annual death toll Is 25,000
Beyond these appalling losses we find q
long list of human and material wastes.
realignments of business conditions and
the necessity for radical reimbursement
which demand unceasing attention.
Only by concerted effort and syste-
matte, organized control can this
stupendous traffic problem be met"
The ten participating organizations:
American Automobile Association,
American Electric Railway Association,
American Mutual Alliance. American
Railway Association. Chamber of Com
merce of the United States, National
Association OF Taxicab Owners, Nation
al Automobile Chamber of Commerce,
Maternal Bureau Of Casualty a. Surety
Underwriters. National Research Coun-
Gil and National Safety Council.
Members OF the committee present
today included: william T. Metzrer.
chairman, Detroit, Mich; Howard D.
Brown. attorney Detroit Automobile
Club. Detroit: william Butler, general
counsel United States Casualty Co,
New York City: w. w. Cloud, president
Yellow Cab Co.. Baltimore; j. Allen
Davis. associate counsel Automobile
Club Of Southern California, Los. An4
geles: D. c. Fenner. manager public
works department, Mack Trucks. Inc,
New York City: Thomas Fitzgerald
vice president Pittsburgh Railways Co.,
Pittsburgh: DR.. A. NJ. johnson, dean
College Of Engineering. University Of
Maryland, College Park. Md: Mai. r..
r. Kelker, IT,. Kelker. De Lseuw 81 Co.,
Chicago: John G. Long, secretary traf-
fic planning and safety committee,
National Automobile Chamber OF Com
merce. New York City: Burton w.
Marsh. traffic engineer. Pittsburgh; B.
j. McIlraith. staff engineer. Chicago
Surface Lines, Chicago: Prof. l.. w. Nc
Intyre, consulting street traffic special
list. University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh:
Lucius S. St0rrs. managing director,
American Electric Railway Association,
New York City: Arthur A. Thomas,
chairman ordinance committee, City
Council, Providence, r. T.: Sidney j.
Williams. director. Public Safety Di-
vision, National Safety Council. Chica-
go: also present. Maj. Joseph w. Ehir-
ley. City Plan Commission. Baltimore:
j. q. Williams. secretary, National Asso-
citation Of Taxicab Owners. Chicago: M.
O. Eldridge, assistant director of traf-
flc. Washington. D. c.: A. II. Ring and
Howard Startling. American Automobile
Association; Harold Young. secretary
National Dry Goods Association. WASH
ington: G. d. Palmer, Pittsburgh Rail-
Ways Co. Pittsburgh