Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
TWO-CO[OR SIGNAL
GAINING IN FAVOR
Amber Traffic Light Seems
Doomed-0nce Hailed as
Great Boon.

vi cat 1UOIIs
Once hailed as great boon to auto
lists. the amber traffic light seems
doomed to grace the Nations scrap
heap. Perfected to protect the lowly
pedestrian and to prevent collisions at
intersections, the yellow rays Of the
automatic signals are now classed by
many traffic experts as a nuisance"
| and a hindrance to the rapid move
| ment of vehicles.
| New York, Albany and Buffalo are
among some of the cities that have dis
| carded the amber light in preference
| to the combination of red and green,
and automotive officials have reported
the new method success. These cities
have drawn the conclusion that drivers
fail to interpret correctly the yellow
light and have therefore placed 1t under
| municipal ban. And they feel it will
stay there
This still leaves the majority Of cities
employing the amber light In connec-
| ton with the red and green. but 1t Is
apparent there is a widespread diver
gence of opinion among officials and
| drivers as to the meaning of the amber
signal, and similar difference as to
the combinations in which the lights
are used. The experts reason thuSly:
If the yellow lights chief purpose is
; to warn of a change in the traffic flow
| 1t should be abolished, as the average
| autoist tends to start his car while the
amber rays are showing. This results
In unnecessary trafic jams and col
lisions. and increased danger to pedes-
%Y{a wexxaa TaAe Mkr. A. n
GRAFTON or trafdc signals contend the
red and green combination IS more
ef6cient.
Survey Ys Conducted.
In an effort to decide Just what are
the chief dyawbacks to use of the am
| Der light, the American Engineering
Council has conducted a survey Of the
large cities Of the country. The results
Of this study show
That % cities using the three-Iight
combination interpret the amber rays
as caution signal; ~ interpret 1t as
warning to change; IT to clear the
intersection Of traffic, and II to give the
rtght-of-way to the pedestrians.
The three-light combination Is now
In use in IS cities, out Of which 76 en-
ploy the amber light after the red and
green have flashed. Eight cities have
done away with the use Of the amber,
after the red signal and employ it only
after the green. The amber light in
connection with the red and green is
used in 18 cities.
The employment Of the yellow signal
In conjunction with the red, as in
Washington, is condemned by ma
!ority OF the experts and they ask that
1t be discontinued. They contend that
the amber rays are interpreted as a sir-
nal to start the fiow Of trafic, with the
result that the intersection Is not
cleared when the change Of lights oc-
ours.
In Defense Of Amber.
In defense of the amber signal when
used in combination with the green
automotive authorities contend it tends
to halt moving traffic in preparation for
a change, thereby clearing the inter-
section. They declare this system gives
more protection to the pedestrian by
tending to eliminate confusion on the
part OF the latter as to when the street
Is safe for crossing.
And the advocates Of the two-color
plan, the red and green only, ask for
the adjustment of the amber light as
unnecessary and confusing to both pc
destrian and driver. They hold that
motorists driving in a city which en-
forces such a traffic light combination
rapidly become accustomed to only the
Two colors and by their own precautions
eliminate much Of the congestion at
intersections, with resultant decrease
IN peril TO the pedestrian.
In the Nation at the present three
Clues nave instituted the red and green
color combination, with q short period
OF darkness to clear the intersection for
the change In the flow of traffic. How
ever, this system has come in for its
share OF criticism from those who
maintain that the period of darkness
merely replaces the amber light and
neither speeds traffic nor protects the
man on the street.
Trying out still another method, nine
cities have inaugurated the use of over
tapping red and green lights In all
directions.
Drafting Set Of Rules.
With the results of the survey at
hand, a committee Of the American
Engineering Council Is now engaged la
| drafting set of rules for presentation
to cities which feel that the present sys-
tenn OF trafhc signals Is Sorely in need
| OF correction and improvement. It is
Lne nope OF the committee to provide a
uniform code that will clear the air in
regard to the motorists understanding
and observance of traffic signs all over
the country. The committee hopes that
some time. in the not far distant future.
1t viii be possible for an autoist to tour
from one coast to another without meet
ing the present vdivergences in traffic
light rules which present themselves
when a driver goes from one city to
another.
The report and its accompanying set
OF tentative rules will be issued by the
committee Of traffic experts as soon as
they agree upon the details of the rec
concentrations. In the meantime. the
committee has called attention to two
fundamental errors in the use of traffic
signals, as shown by the engineering
councils survey. These are:
The placing of signals at intersections
before comprehensive study has been
made of traffic conditions at the par
tlcular point which the lights are in
tended to rectify; and the evils resulting
at one intersection from attempts made
to facilitate the flow of traffic at another
street crossing. The council holds that
many traffic signals are placed In opera
ton at places which do not justify in
Stallation.
The committee has this to say: ''The
inevitable result will be public recogni-
ton or these two errors and a conse-
quent disregard OF all trafic signs and
devices. Such fundamental errors can
be avoided bV obtaining aYnert erCinaaT