New Britain herald., 1930-07-11
TRAFFIC PROBLEMS
 ALIKEEVERYWHERE
National Conference Recom- mends Means of Ending Evils

districts generally of the United States are similar, it is found by the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, and likewise the problems of the suburban or metro polltan areas are closely alike These ills arise largely from the fact that modern vehicular traffic is being handled on systems of streets or roads that were designed for the requirements of ten, twenty or more years ago
 Uniformity of state traffic laws and municipal ordinances, and the most efficient possible use of exist ing streets and roads, is pointed out by the conference as promising the most effective results in removing serious phases of the traffic troubles. Permanent relief. however requires a systematic study of traffic condi- tions, and in many cases a rear rangement and readjustment of streets and roads.
 The conference favors the forma- ton of local traffic commissions, composed of public officials and cit
 
 ance, for the purpose of making studies of conditions and recon1men- dations for their improvement. These studies and recommendations the conference indicates, should be based on data gained through traf- fife surveys and such surveys should be kept up to date to meet changing conditions.
 Traffic difficulties of the cities. and also of many of the metropoi- tan areas, are found by the confer ence in substance to be due primar- fly to eight general causes:
 1. Lack of a common plan of highway improvement upon which all agencies responsible for road betterments can devote concerted ac- tion.
 2. Absence of centralized author- fly and responsibility for road inn provement, due largely to division of authority. Under these conditions the development of a satisfactory highway system has been found in most communities to be difficult.
 8. Reconstruction of the princi- pal arterial routes which were originally built for light vehicular traffic.
 1. Existing arterial routes be- tween the cities and other expand ing centers of population and traffic in the counties do not provide a suf- ficient number of main thorough fares for the proper distribution of traffic.
 5. Tendency of main travelled roads to converge and unite as they approach the central sections of cities. and creating serious problems of congestion.
 6 Narrow surfaces on various sections of main arterial highways, and other Instructions to the free movement of traffic, such as grade crossings, bridges, and double park ing.
 [. Inadeouately improved sec . tions of main arterial highways, and absence of improved connections on important routes, resulting in par tially disconnected systems of high ways. and uneconomic, indirect movements of traffic.
 s. Physical Instructions. such as rivers, railroad yards and industrial plants, which prevent direct routes and connections
 Almost every city in the country 1t is found, is faced with a problem of dealing with a traffic condition within their own bounds and of se- curing attention to the question in the nearby suburban areas, fre- quently in another political Jurisdlc- ton. For this reason it is pointed out that the governmental agencies in the cities and their surrounding suburban districts that have Juris- diCtion over highways and highway traffic can with advantage cooper ate in the establishment of gen eral highway development plan, and in carrying the plan into execution :, when finished.
 In it's consideration of the matter the conference has found that an adequate study of a municipal area and it's suburban districts requires period of years and engineering guidance in order to observe the eff feet that the execution of a plan has on the distribution of traffic, and the efficiency with which it is serv- ed by a modern highway system.
 Regulation alone will not solve the traffic problem, in the view of the conference, but long range plan ming is necessary to relieve existing conditions of congestion and prevent future ones
 A sound city plan is not a hap hazard performance of designing streets, parks and other necessities but a coordinated design adjusted to the requirements of future eXpan- sion. In most cities new sub-divis- ions are springng up and crowding closer together. With the annual in- crease in the number of automobiles in use, the parking question is wor- rying the cities and towns more and more every year But traffic regula- tions, essential as they are, do not, 1t is pointed out, produce more and wider streets, and do not stop the increase in the number of automo- piles.
 Of 4,000,000 passenger automo- piles registered in 1929, about 1S,- 100000 were centered in and around cities. The conference estimates that the blockade of congestion is costing in time and business lost a sum of s2,000,00 000 a year.
 cooperation of state, county and city authorities in making thorough studies of traffic conditions, and planning to prevent fresh traffic troubles and congestion in the fu- ture, is pointed out by the confer ence as a pressing need. Traffic commissions, acting under official direction, and composed where necessary of representatives