Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-02
Dupont Circle.


cessful operation of the new traffic lights
at Dupont Circle is the thoughtless
driving of motorists themselves. While
the street cars have been complained
about, with reason, and the timing OF
the signals is scored by motorists, the
drivers entirely lose sight Of the fact
that their own failure to keep in the
proper lines when rounding the circle
is responsible for some of the most irri-
tating and dangerous delays to traffic.
This habit of keeping to the outside
of the circle when logic suggests the
inside, or on the inside when common
sense points to the outside, is not new
one as far as Dupont Circle or any
other circle is concerned. But with the
installation Of the lights it is glaringly
apparent that this driving practice of
criss-crossing lines Of high speed travel
on the green light is dangerous. 1t re-
quires only modicum of intelligence to
realize that a motorist driving south on
Connecticut avenue and intending to
keep on down Connecticut avenue
should stay on the outside, where, ex-
cept for the ordinary ingress from the
other streets. he will have to cross no
lanes of traffic. Almost invariably,
however, this motorist will Immediately
proceed to the inside of the circle and,
held up by street cars and by other
drivers who are attempting to get into
the proper lane. will cause congestion
when he tries to turn into Connecticut
avenue at the south side.
The street cars not only routed around
the wrong side Of the circle. but max
ing a left turn in the face Of green
light traffic, are a difficult problem. Free
quently, in rush hours they run so close
together that the motorist finds it al
most impossible to make any progress
at all even on the supposedly clear
traffic" green light. Adding to the bad
driving habits of motorists the large
number Of balky street cars, and then
distributing a hundred or so scurrying
pedestrians at all points, who, although
the lights were put In for their sole
benefit, refuse to allow even free green
light travel, and Dupont Circle becomes
scene of confusion.
The traffic Office has consistently held
that the lights were installed for the
protection of pedestrians. No one can
possibly submit valid argument against
protection for the walker. Many Wash
ington pedestrians. however, seem to be
unwilling to do their share to solve the
traffic problem. At Dupont Circle. for
instance, although traffic is delayed
purposely for the walker on the amber
and the red lights. he goes ahead willy
nilly across the street when motor traf-
fic is moving on the green light, and
thereby adds to an already confusing
situation.
The traffic office attacked the Dupont
Circle problem hindside foremost. Far
more than the need Of lights at this
point is the absolute necessity for the
routing of street cars around the circle
in the proper direction. The present
tracks are archaic and dangerous and
would be permitted in no other COM
mun!ty comparable in size to the Ma
tional Capital. Their rerouting should
have been ordered as the first step and
then, If found necessary, lights might
have been installed at later date. AS
far as the lights are concerned at the
present time all that can be said for
them is that they offer some slight pro-
lection to the pedestrians protection
Of which he seldom avails himself and
one that is just as dangerous as no pro-
lection at all because serious accidents
are likely to occur on green light trafic.
No policemen have been relieved Of
duty because Of the installation Of the
lights, In fact almost as many police
men are on duty at the circle as there
are lights at the present time. Besides
the regular men others have been re-
1uired to assist In untangling the traf-
fic snarls that the street cars, motor
lists, pedestrians and lights succeed In
creating. The trouble with Dupont Cir
Gle is still In the routing of the street
cars and even If twenty-five more lights
we're installed conditions will not be i'm
proved until the proper direction is
taken by the public utility vehicles.
Arv oraot financial enterprise should