Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-25
Advisory Group Disagrees
With Or. McCIintock on
Set-up of Organization.
AGREE THAT CONGRESS
SHOULD PASS d LAWS
Expert and Committee Oppose
Present Method of Making
Left Turns.

The report of the Traffic Advisory
Committee and Council, appointed by
commissioner Herbert B. Crosby last
Summer, was formally presented to the
Commissioners ia their board session
this afternoon. With it went a report
of DR.. Miller McClintock, traffic special
list of Harvard University, employed by
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission to integrate the reports Of
the various subcommittee and submit
findings of his own. The whole makes up
a document of about $4,000 words. DR..
McClintock's recommendation are In
many respects directly the opposite of
those made by the committee. The
meeting this afternoon was specially
called to deal with the reports, but
owing to the immense mass of data,
1t is not expected that any decision will
be reached for some time.
Principal among the conflicting
recommendations now before the city
heads are those dealing with the new
set-up of the various organizations hav-
ing to do with traffic in its many
the committee and council was that
these organizations should be de-
centralized. The theme that runs
through DR.. McClintock's document Is
that they should be severely centralized
Asks New Organization.
DR.. McClintock's view is that a new
organization, to be known as the de-
partment Of vehicles and traffic, be set
up. This would be in charge of a
traffic engineer.
Under this new department will come
the work of issuing operators licenses,
registration of automobiles, registration
OF titles under a proposed automobile
title law, operation of the new financial
law which Is proposed,
and maintenance of signs
and traf1lc signals and the prosecution
Of research and making of engineering
studies and plans.
The committee recommended that
these duties be transferred to the Police
Department, except for the matter OF
of operators permits, which
Is recommended to be in the hands of
a new ofilcer appointed by the Board of
Commissioners and responsible directly
10 them.
Agree on Four New Acts.
Both reports agree that four new acts
should be passed by Congress-one a
motor vehicle registration similar to
the one now in effect, but considerably
amplified and conforming closely to the
standard prescribed by the National
Conference on Motor Vehicle Legisla-
ton: two. motor vehicle title act,
also recommended by the conference
and known in some States as an anti
theft act; three, motor vehicle OPP
orators act dealing with such matters
as the issuance of operators permits
and their revocation, and following The
lines Of the one recommended by the
safety conference: four, the safety re-
sponsibility bill, which provides, in SUBJ
stance, that after conviction for certain
ohenses, or after unsatisfied judgments
rendered against a motor vehicle op-
orator, he may not obtain a new permit
without filing a bond or other evidence
that he can satisfy judgments against
him, and, five, revamping of the traf-
nc act which will give the Commission
ers the power to promulgate traffic reg
ulations on their own initiative. At
present the regulations must be initial
ed by the traffic director.
Conflict on Left Turn.
One Of the conflicts on this point at
the moment relates TO the left turn.
The Commissioners are known to favor
a return to the old left turn system,
but the trafflc director favors the pres
ent rotary system. Both DR.. McClin-
tocks report and that of the Traffic
Committee recommend a return to the
old system of making left turns.
Another important difference between
DR.. McClintock and the committee is
that the former would abolish any fixed
speed limit in the District, and instead
write speed regulation in general
terms His suggestion is: mo person
shall drive vehicle at speed greater
than reasonable and prudent, having
due regard for the traffic, surface and
width of the street, and the hazard at
and any other conditions
then existing" This is referred to as the
basic rule" and second paragraph of
the rule lays down the law that every
car must be driven at such q speed
that its driver can bring it to a stop
in order TO avoid collision with any
person or other vehicle legally on the
road. The following speeds are indi-
Gated in the McClintock report as safe
for certain conditions:
Fifteen miles an hour to pass schools
during recess or opening or closing
hours; for approaching grade or street
(Cnnfin1ied On para Q Noluyo0 0N