Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
HIGHWAY DANGER
POINTS SHOULD CO
Engineers Seek to Eliminate
Railroad Grade Crossing
Motor Dangers.
BY JAMES w. BROOKS.


Director American Highway Educational
Bureau.
The reduction of danger points In
highway travel b to be one of the
outstanding detectives in highway engi-
neering during 1890.
Highway officials realize that what
ever else may be done toward impress
ing upon the public the necessity for
more careful driving as a protection
against loss of life and limb, a large
measure of responsibility rests upon
their engineering departments in the
elimination of railroad grade crossings.
Aside from securing dependability
under wheel through substantially built
road surfaces, they are keenly alive
to the fact that safety In movement
must also be assured.
Maximum Safety Sought.
The work OF providing for nniximum
OF safety in motor vehicle operation is
to be carried forward through more
aggressive effort in overpass and under
pass construction, and, where possible,
through the relocation Of roadways at
danger points.
For the elimination of grade cross
tngs more capital Is needed. Within
a few weeks it Is expected that the
New Jersey Legislature will take the
1880 lead by adding cent to the
present 2-cent gasoline tax rate in that
State and apply the additional / cent
wholly to the Embarrassing problem.
New York Votes Bonds.
New York has already taken steps
toward the same objective in the pas
sage of $S00,000,000 bond issue for
oYerpaSS and underpasS construction,
During 1928 approximately ] 900 of
these extreme danger points in highway
travel were eliminated. OF the total
amount nearly 800 were removed by
overpass and underpaSs construction,
while slightly over TOO were eliminated
by relocation of roads.
Arkansas led with the elimination
OF SO death traps, 81 of which were
accomplished through relocation and
the remaining through underpass
and overpaSS construction.
Missouri followed with SO death-trap
removals, so of which were accom-
plished through relocation.
pennsylvania came next with 81 safe
ty achievements of this character, fol-
lowed by South Carolina with 81 and
Alabama with SIS.
Maryland reported three grade cross
reported a total of az.
Vermont, Tennessee, Rhode Island
and Louisiana each reported one, while
oregon, New Hampshire and Connecti-
cut reported none.
1929 Showing Progress.
Reports now coming in for 1929 al
ready indicate a considerable advance
over 1923 in the reduction Of grade.
crossing danger points.
Notwithstanding the fact that lives
are to be saved through the elimination
OF these death traps, highway officials
are still confronted with disheartening
opposition from property holders who
oppose the relocation of roads for selfish
reasons, forgetting that such relocation
would lessen the dangers of accident or
death in their own families. To prevent
their front gates from being isolated, as
IT were, through a more logical routing
OF the roadway, all Of the political pow
er they can possibly muster Is often
brought to bear against relocation prof.
ectS which common sense dictates as
the right thing to do.
1t is the old story over again of per-
sonal interest In opposition to the gen.
eral public good, and because of this
TACT highway ofIlcials and their en-
gineers have a great deal more to con-
tend with than their ordinary engineer
ing problems.