Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24
BY WILLIAM S. CANNING,
Engineering Director. American
Motorists Association.


Engineering Director. American
Motorists Association.
IN approaching the subject OF We.
hicular traffic movement one muSI
realize that up to the present time traf-
fic control has developed along the
lines of least eSistance--unrelateo ano
independent--one thing upon the otnei
with short-sighted and local vision
r-hat wav must shortly end The fu-
sure will require scientific development
under the authority Of State and ma
fional vision. This way Is beginning
While the subject of this paper per-
Gains to the substitution of the bouie-
ward stop for traffic control in small
communities, I feel that it is impos-
sible 10 thoroughly discuss the matter
with that limitation We must s.,
: further and consider the theory ana
practice of the through street. It's re-
ruirements and the obligations Ii I'M
: noses upon the traffic at all mtefSect-
Eng streets and highways.
The present ever-increaSing volume
nj traffic carried by the major nigh
BAYS of the country. the speed az Wnictl
sprnsant-dav traffic moves and the high
degree of improvement Of the trunk
highways. all combine TO make obsolete
Rhe old rieht-of-way rule when gave
priority Of movement to the vehicle APP
f. proaching from the right
Contrasted With Railroad.
One might inst as well assert that a
Drain moving on branch line railroad
~, the right of a train on the main
aine railroad should have superior
rights over the train on the main line
SlIch A rule is unthinkable in railroad
nnerstion. The theory of the boulevard
stnr or through traffic highway gives
Are right of way to the vehicle moving
IN the trunk line highway.
The boulevard system OF right OF way
Becomes successful only when the
Fascinated through streets or highways
ARE of sufficient Importance 10 carry
! Through traffic: in that they lead from
: so,,Tre TO a destination. They must
he of such character OF Improvement
and degree of maintenance as to war
rant the expectation of a speed su-
snerior to that of the interesting nigh
way.
II is useless to designate a street or
highway as a through traffic artery
khen the termini of that thoroughfare
hre not traffic breeders. II is equally
useless to make such designation !!
1he highway is not properly constructed
TO sustain high speeds or II II Is not
hermit of travel at speed that, though
reasonable and safe on the main high
wav would be dangerous 10 traftlc ap-
preaching from blind or obscured In
fersections.
Before going further INTO this discus
zion il is well to call attention TO the
riiference between traffic control and
frafic regulation The term trafnc
control" Is applied to devices operated
either uianually or automatically which
by their color or appearance bring
traffic TO q full stop and permit move
fnent on the interesting street. Inc
tern is also applied to the direction OF
franc BY police Officers The term
s.trafic regulation refers to devices for
the direction of trafhc now into special
channels. such as silent policemen,
lighthouses or beacons. pavement marx
PRS buttons and the boulevard stop sign.
Unless traffic on both the through
Highway and the interesting street be
very great and reasonably constant.
trafic control may become irks0me ano
an irritant rather than beneft Con-
lroa devices invariably slow the move
rnent Of traffic and permit the use OF
one street or the other 20 only pof-
fion of its desiened capacity
Sidney J. Williams. b direct0r Of the
National Safety Council, IN addressing
the Convention of the American Road
Builders Association In Cleveland last
January. opened his address by saying
that while driving home after midnight
from q meeting Ia Chicago he was con-
4runted BY red signal light &C subur-
ban corner. The only vehicles N signi
II, any direction we're his own and one
other, going the same way. The other
driver hesitated, then drove through the
red light and only his own conscience as
On ofscer Of q safety organization pre-
gented him from following.
when Light Is Nuisance.
How many of Us have had the same
experience2 The trafic light IN THU
case was merely q nuisance, was OF nc
benefit whatever and certainly should
have been extinglished during the hours
during which the traffic flow for which
It was regulated was not in movement
through the intersection. II Is entirely
probable that a traffic regulating device
such as the boulevard stop would have
been amply sufficient at all times foI
This intersection.
II we we're endowed with the ability
10 hover over the highway as a bird OF
could ny along in an airpIane we would
pee In nearly every instance not contin-
tzosfs streams Of traffic evenly spaced
but series Of groups Of cars. with many
gaps and open spaces between the
groups. All OF us can recall having seer
many times slow-rnoving vehicle fol-
lowed by string Of six or eight cars
ahead Of which there was clear space
in the highway for hundreds Of feet OF
perhaps more.
Sometimes these groups become quite
frequent and consist OF Is or 20 We
hicleS It Is seldom likely In small com.
naunities, and In many cases In cities Of
considerable size, that the trafhc be-
comes so dense and the stream Of foH
% continuous that a vehicle approach.
9ug from an intersection would find il
necessary 10 wait more than 80 or AZ
eeconds before having the opportunity
% enter or cross the main highway. Ir
TACT, a traffic light installed at such ar
intersection would IN all probability de-
lay the driver just as long, Il not longer
and needlessly.
DR. A. ". johnson, dean Of the Col.
tege Of Engineering Of the University oil
Maryland, says that 1T would appeal
that with rate Of trafic up TO ] .00l
vehicles an hour through an intersection
traffic may handle itself without light
Or officer control"
The boulevard stop is extremely dan.
kerous 20 trafic On the trough high
way unless the regulation Is rigidIy en-.
SOAEEL~ 1I9E Ihl1E Oh LIE Ii1tI 1lStt
Nsy has right TO feel that II is pro-
1ecte6 from trafsc entering from sid.
roads and II is likely that a sped vii
be maintained which would rea { In
serious accident unless the sTaflc III
side road comes 10 a full stop ana re-
mains standing until II Is perfectly soft
10 enter or cross the through highwe
The efficiency Of through trait.
atop" signs depends largely upon tEei
location and construction. II they ar
80 placed as 10 be obScured by parkec
cars or by other vehicles approaching tn,
A.nan.-ecr.4A<.Ea anL AEf.tnE Tia skGa