Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-25
HARLAND PREDICTS
TRAFFIC SOLUTION
Believes Dupont Circle Con-
gestion Will Cure Itself
in Few Days.

Complaint over the traffic confusion
caused by the % new traffic lights in
stalled at Dupont Circle to give both
pedestrians and vehicles an opportunity
to cross the various intersections in
perfect freedom, was made to Traffic
Director William H. Harland today by
G. p. Clark, assistant general manager
of the American Automobile Associa-
ton.
Clark called on Harland at the traffic
department and they exchanged COM
ment on the operation of the new
lights which were turned on yesterday
and attracted more autoists than ever
to the busy circle, the drivers being Gu
riouS TO see the new signals at work
The confusion that resulted also was
prevalent today when the rush hour
traffic headed for downtown.
Clark Predicts Cure"
"How long did it take you to get
around the circle this morning." Mr..
Harland asked Clark.
"Abount an hour and half" was the
reply.
Don't you think the situation will
cure itself in few days?"
Yes. indeed" was the reply. "By
that time we will all find another way
to get to town, and we will use 1t until
they start tearing up the streets
Clark complained that there were no
designated lanes for pedestrians to fol-
low in crossing the circle. Harland said
he omitted them on purpose. The
major reason for the lights at the circle.
he explained, was to allow nurses and
children who use the park inside the
circle as playground to cross the street
safely. If he put in lanes for them to
follow, they would lose time getting to
the lanes, and would probably be caught
in the middle Of the street when the
lights changed to green. he said.
Il think in three of four days, the
novelty will have worn off," Harland
continued, land things will settle down
to normal. l intend to put in another
light where Nineteenth street enters the
circle. I think things will run better
then.
What makes the situation bad at
the circle is that one line of street cars
travels from Connecticut avenue to p
street against the rest of the stream of
traffic. All the lights around the circle
turn green at once. This creates
situation where cars are making left
hand turns out of the circle into P
street against a stream of southbound
traffic. So we have to keep an officer
there to stop the automobile traffic. In
spite of the green light. to let the street
cars get on P street I do not see how
this situation can be remedied except
by relaying the car tracks around the
circle.
Drivers Add to Confusion.
Another thing that makes the situa
ton confusing is that drivers tend to
keep to the outside of the circle. This
shuts off drivers using the inside when
they are trying to turn out of the
circle and get in to one of the inter-
secting streets Drivers should take the
inside of the circle as much as posi-
BILE"
Harlan said the starter for the Wash
ington Railway & Electric Co, who
works at the circle in the traffic rush
hours told him the street cars were
moving faster as a result of installation
of the lights. The main complaint. he
said, came from motorists who often
had to stop two or three times on their
way around the circle. This would only
happen in the rush hours, Harlan said
IS during the rest of the day a car
could make a complete circle around
the light controlled area without
stop. still keeping within the speed
limit.