The Washington times., 1930-01-08
new State Law
CONT Rolls
SIGNALS
by J. LEO sUGRUE
Times Automobile Edltor

jurisdiction over all traffic signal
light installations within its bor-
ders. Whether q light .sl=all be
placed at all, the type of light,
! how it shall operate, everything
about 1t now must conform to
what the state, rather than the
municipality, thinks about it.
Michigan has assumed juriSdic-
ton over all light installations
over the entire length Of all State
highways, even where they pass
through towns and cities.
A prominent figure in the traf-
fic world has gone before q COM
inittee of the United States Sen.
ate and declared that ell the
automatic traffic lights In the Ma
sional Capital should be scrapped.
Thus does the traffic light
seem to be acquiring the lime
light. The two points Of view
concerning signal lights. are re-
flected in the actions referred to
previously. One is for stricter
control-the other, less temper
ate because it is entirely out of
patience, Is for abolition. No one
doubts but that the former will
prevail, because, as much as it
has been abused, most observers
recognize the traffic light as a
decidedly vital prop on the stage
over which traffic flows.
Bound to Come
That the reaction against the
evils which have been practiced
in the form of traffic light in
stallationS was bound to come
many traffic authorities saw sew
eral years ago. 1t il, the storm
that will clear the air, they be-
1ieve.
The charges against the traffic
lights come under two broad
headings, namely:
That smaller towns have gone
on an orgy Of unnecessary light
installations.
That larger cities have gone
On an orgy Of misusing automatic
signals, through improper tim
ing, or over-uSing them by keep
ing them operative at hours
when traffic volume does not
justify their use.
The inevitable effect, accord
ing to all authorities, has been
to slow up traffic. Anything
that slows up traffic sooner or
later. arouseS tremendous
storm. Hence the storm that
now swirls around automatic
traffic signals - one that they
undoubtedly will weather, but on
. more temperate scale.
The problems Of the traffic
tights In the small town and
the larger city are regarded as
entirely different and naturally
calling for different solutions.
The solutions indicated at the
moment are, in the case Of the
first, State jurisdiction over all
light installations. The juriSdic-
ton, of course, to be complete
and rigorous.
Radically Improved
AS to the solution most likely
IN the cities, it probably is most
accurately implied by one of the
most powerful individuals in the
automotive field, who says:
Traffic light use must be radi'
cally improved. There are two
ways by which it may be done.
One of these is the immedia e
application of the progressive tim
ing system whereby traffic will be
kept moving continually. The
other is the shutting off Of the
lights except during the hours Of
greatest congestion, especially in
residential sections"
In connection with the first
problem, that Of the light in the
small town, the Massachusetts, ac-
ton is entirely original, a venture
that is being watched with inter
est in every State in the Union.
Beyond deciding whether the light
is absolutely essential to traffic
movement, the Bay State Is go
ing to see that every installation
is uniform in every respect.
Hereafter the State department
OF public works viii check every
light installation application. It
must be shown that 500 vehicles
pass the intersection hourly, 125
using the lesser thorcughfare. Fur
thermore, at least $50 pedestrians
must pass the intersection hourly.
Guessing won't go. TIE volume
OF traffic specified must he shown
BY actual count.
Complete Uniformity
After installation has been
approved, it must conform, in 10
cation, number Of lights used, ar
rangemen' Of the lights, timing,
and hours of usage to what the
State specifies as correct. rhe
object, of course, is complete uni.
formity thro .ghout the State. AS
tc the number Of lights, 1t is
specified that there must be red,
yellow, and green. with the red al.
ways at the top and the green
at the bottom In order that the
color blind persons may never be
confused. The lights must always
be located on the far right cor.
ller of the intersection and as near
the curb as possible.
It is set forth that the lights
may not be used between the
hours OF IL p. m. and Z a. M,
save as continuous warning flash.
ers. 1t Is further required that
signals within given area be CO.
crdinated in such a way that a
vehicle entering that area will
be able to proceed at a definite
speed without stopping-the pro.