Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-19
TRAFFIC OFFICIALS
HIT CONTROL SNAG
SWAY Intersection at Geor-
gia and New Hampshire Is
Tangled Up by Lights.

In their effort to bring the danger
Gus three-way street intersection at
Georgia and New Hampshire avenues
under signal light control traffic author
tiles have encountered difficulties which
make the unraveling of the legendary
Gordian knot seem like nursery room
problem.
At 8 o'clock this morning, less than
"a hours after the light control system
at the intersection had been started,
TRAFFIC Director William H. Harland Or
dered the lights turned of and called
in a trafiE policeman to straighten out
the tangle Of automobiles, trucks and
street cars.
The difficulties to be disposed before
the light control system can work sat
isfactorily are many, but Mr.. Harland
believes that with some changes in
streets and lights q solution can be
found by adherence to the trial and
error system.
''WhlrIpOol' Results
At this point on Georgia avenue both
New Hampshire avenue and Rock Greek
Church road intersect, the two latter
streets crossing each other at the inter
section. This complicated arrangement,
Mr.. Harland said, results in highly
dangerous whirlpool" of traffic during
rush hours as the motorists on one of
the streets try to steer their cars into
either of the others, and makes It i'm
perative, that some system of signal
control be worked out.
One Of the complicating factors, the
trafic director pointed out, Is that the
street car loading platform on Georgia
avenue projects into the intersection,
leaving insufficient room for the east
bound trafnc on New Hampshire ave-
nue. to pull out to await the left turn
I'D Georgia avenue. Mr.. Harland has
conferred with ofilcials of the Washing
ton Railway 81 Electric Co., but these
officials say 1t will be highly difncult for
them to move the platforms back more
than six or eight feet. Mr.. Harland,
however, feels that the platforms must
be put farther back or removed en-
tirely.
Fire Exits Add to Tangle.
Another dificulty is In leaving suf-
ficient exit room for the fire apparatus
in No. "a Engine House, at the north
east corner of Georgia avenue and Rock
Creek Church road. Before the lights
were turned out this morning trafnc
was at a standstill on Georgia avenue
for three blocks north Of the intersec-
ton, hopelessly blocking the fire house.
To combat this, the trafilc director
plans tentatively to install o double
light system for trafflc Southbound on
Georgia avenue. He would leave the
one light already in place at the south
west corner of the intersection and IN
stall an additional one just south OF the
fire house. These two would operate
simultaneously. The first light encoun-
tered would check southbound tramc
at cross walks just north OF the engine
house, leaving the exit and intersection
clear, while the second light would take
care of automobiles waiting to turn
south from the intersecting. streets.
Mr.. Harland will ask the DlStrlct
| Commissioners to make sock creek
| Church road one way west ana one
way east, Georgia avenue being the
dividing line. Traffic then would turn
| from the two main streets into ROCK
Greek Church road, but would not
empty from it into the intersection.
Traffic westbound on the road would be
! detuured up Seventh street 10 new
| Hampshire avenue, and then contlnuS
across Georgia avenue into the one-way
street westbound.
Light Complicates Crossing.
Another dificulty has been that some
motorists southbound on Georgia ave-
nue. turn off into New Hampshire ave-
nue. and then stop at the red light de-
signed to halt cross trafflc, under the
mistaken belief that it is against them
1t is proposed to move this light little
further north and to equip 1t with q
binder, so southbound motorists will moi
see it.
| Although approaching the magnitude
Of the dificulties involved, Mr. Harlanc
believes a proper solution can be worked
out in time. In the meantime, ne urge
full co-operation from the motorists, 81
that the various schemes to be teStet
can be given q fair trial.