Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05
UNIFORM TRAFFIC i
SIGNS ARE URGED
AboliShing Needless Lights
Also Favored in Reports to
Committee.

Abolition Of unnecessary traffic lights
and adoption of uniform traf1lc signs
are among a series of recommendation
contained in reports completed yester-
day by three of the subcommittee of
the Traffic Advisory Committee appoint
ed by the District Commissioners to
study Washington's traff1c ailments.
These three reports, together with
nine others, are to be discussed by the
Executive Committee of advisory group
at meeting tomorrow afternoon with
the chairman, Capt. Il. c. Whitehurst,
chief highway engineer OF the District.
The Executive Committee plans to pre-
pare the reports for presentation to the
full committee, which is to meet FRI
day night in the District Building TO
act on the recommendations OF the
various subcommittee.
All phases of traffic regulation and
control are to be covered in the reports
Of the ommittees-speed. mechani-
cal condition of vehicles, parking condi-
tons, traffic signals. traffic distractions,
even down to proposal for the re-
organization of the Traffic Department.
Details of some of the proposed changes
already have leaked out, but for the
most part the recommendations of the
subcommittee have been wrapped in
secrecy, and will not come to light I'M
til the full committee meeting. when the
reports are to be presented and dis
cuSSed.
Work of subcommittee.
The three completed reports are those
OF the subcommittee which studied
the traf1c-light problem, the parking
situation and the left-turn regulation.
Capt. Whitehurst has given the nine
other subcommittee until noon tomor-
row to complete their reports.
The report on the traffic lights, 1t
was said, recommends the elimination
of certain signals, particularly those at
So-called Isolated intersections, which
serve to create congestion rather thssl
expedite 1t. There are a number OF
such lights in the District which the
committee Is said to regard as UNI
necessary.
The same subcommittee also has in
cluded in It's report recommendation
for adoption of uniform signs and traffic
markers in lieu Of the present hap
hazard system of tying signs to trees
and lamp posts. Standards are sug-
gested for such signs.
The Parking Committee urges a re-
arrangement of the car-stop loading
platforms and a prohibition against all
parking within 80 feet of the approach
side Of the platforms. In some in
stances now, it explains, vehicles are
permitted to park UP to point within
a few feet of the loading platforms,
thus creating a serious trafic bottle
neck near street intersections. This
committee also makes number OF other
recommendations, one of which Is said
to provide a more liberal policy with
respect to the reservation of space in
the business section for shipping en-
frances.
Standard Turn Favored.
The committee which studied the
left-turn regulation urges abolition of
the present rotary turn and the sub
stitution of the standard turn prescribed
by the Hoover Highway Conference and
which has been generally adopted
throughout the United States. M. o.
Eldridge, assistant director of trafic,
who is a member of this committee, re-
fused to sign the report, however, and
submitted to Capt. Whitehurst a mi
noritv report, setting forth his reasons
for favoring retention of the present
method of making left turns. 80
Aside from the recommendations of
the subcommittee, the executive COM
mittee also is planning to prepare q
report urging creation of special COM
mittee of District officials to survey
trafic conditions and determine how
the proposals of the advisory commit
tee can best be carried out. Such q
committee probably would be composed
of highway engineer, an engineer Of
the Public Utilities Commission, a rep
resentative of the TRAFFIC Department
and representative of the Police De-
partment.
The recommendations Of the vari-
Gus subcommittee, it was pointed out,
probably will be general in scope, and
only through survey, can conditions
be found that should be remedied.
This would be true, it was explained,
particularly in the case of traffic lights
recommended for abolition, and car stop
zones suggested for relocation.
Students of traffic who have followed
the activities of the subcommittee
throughout the Summer believe that
their recommendations will constitute
one of the greatest forward steps for
improvement of traffic conditions in
Washington since the creation of the
traffic department. Adoption by the
Commissioners of the recommendations
of their traffic advisors, it was said, will
bring Washington's traffic regulations
into closer conformity with the stand
ard code of the Hoover highway con-
ference, modified of course, to meet pc
culiar local conditions.