Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-25
Proposals to Help Solve
Speedway Traffic Problem

10 the Editor OF the star:
Your recent editorial on the Hams
Point trafnc was very timely. After
reading it I went down and observed
the Speedway's Easter trafic snarl.
While there are many little engineer
ing features that need very badly to
be adjusted, think that II two simple
things were done the traff1c from Hams
Point would -un SO per cent more
smoothly.
First, when trafic starts TO running
heavy, stop all westbound traffic from
passing the Speedway's exit. Divert
this Westbound Virginia trafhc around
that drive by the old bathing beach,
wide, we'll paved, splendid drive only
about 10 steps longer than the drive
used.
BY doing this when traffic IS run
ming heavy and becoming congested,
the westbound Virginia traffic would
not have to stop for the Speedway's
traffic and the SpeedwayS traffic COM
ing from under the railroad would not
have to stop for the westbound Viz
ginia traffic. The Virginia Westbound
traffic would not have to stop or De
held UP anywhere between Water street
and Alexandria. OF course the drive
up on the approach to the bridge would
be quite mean, but even so traff1c could
keep moving.
AS only the eastbound traffic from
Virginia would be passing the exit from
the Speedway, this traffic could pull
over and give more room for the auto
mobiles coming out from underneath
the railroad into Fourteenth street.
The other suggestion is that the left
turn from Fourteenth street into the
first park drive east of the Outlet Bridge
should not be allowed.
Those desiring to make that turn
when traffic Is running heavy should
be directed to 60 on out to Water
street, pull over to the right, out Of
the way of the other cars, and wait
for their right of way to be cleared for
them.
AS 1t is at present there are two
or three long lanes of eaStbound trafdc
and two long lanes of westbound Vir-
ginia traffic, both moving and impa-
tient, so the driver trying to make o
left turn at that point, Of course,
can't break through that westbound
out waiting, which holds UP the east
bound lane Of traffic all the way back.
After this automobile turns to the left
and the eastbound and westbound traf-
nc has begun to move again, then an
other driver signals for a left turn
and so he holds up the long lane Of
eastbound traff1c again. BY that time
Water street traffic stops all Of them.
So, you see, the eastbound traffic Is
being held up almost continuously at
those two places, although Fourteenth
street Is open and traffic going east
can run on unimpeded after 1t passes
Water street.
That left turn just east of the outlet
Bridge should be stopped when trafic
Is running heavy.
To humor the individual in trafic
Is seldom to the individuals own good.
Whatever moves the mass of trafnc
speeds on the individual driver.
These two simple changes will cause
the Speedway and Virginia traf1c to
move much more smoothly.
The prime cause for the congestion
on the Speedway and also on Four
tenth street Is the lack Of an. easy
approach TO the Highway Bridge. 1t
was built for wagons and buggteS and
has not been adjusted to automobiles
running at 80 miles an hour.
Since the Speedway Is our Riverside
drive, where we love to strut our stuff
when our cousins come TO town, !
think 1t was very appropriate in you
to call attention to It's pronenesS to
be congested at the very time when we
would wish 1t were at its best.
TACK SPRATT.