Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-22
VAN DUzER PLANS
UNIFORM TRAFFIC
Rules Like Those of States
Would Save Police Time,
He Declares.

Making of Washington's traffic regu-
lations uniform with those of the States
and other municipalities will be the
keynote of the administration of Will
liam A. Van Duzer when he becomes
Washington's Traffic Director July /,
next The goal will not be possible of
complete achievement, since the regu-
lations are not now uniform In all
States. But AZ Of the 48 States adhere
to a set of model traffic ordinances, and
Mr.. Van Duzer will endeavor to put the
regulations of the AZ States into effect
here, in so far as they are applicable
to Washington's conditions.
Every day in the year." Mr.. Van
DuZer said yesterday, I'VE have visitors
coming to Washington from the various
States on business or fer pleasure. It is
only fair that they should not be ex-
pected to encounter any strange regula-
lions here which would make their
driving difficult and cause the traffic
officers to lose time explaining the local
wrinkles to our guests.
Routes to Be Indicated.
ct plan also to have signs placed
throughout the city indicating the va
rious routes to be followed by visitors
who intend to pass through Washington
on their way to other cities. There is
a uniform type of sign for this purpose,
black lettering on a white background,
which is used in the States to mark the
various national and other highways.
II must say that my first impression
of Washington traffic, after receiving
news of my appointment, was very I'M
fortunate. I happened to come into
town last Sunday, when the cherry
blossom traffic was at its peak. 1t took
me one hour to drive Mrs. van Duzer
on Fourteenth street from B street 10
Water street But I realize that that Is
only seasonal"
Mr.. Van Duzer believes traft1c lights, as
a general proposition, are overdone, and
would prefer a system of having lights
every four blocks to having string OF
them at every intersection. This, he
said, would break up the traffic into
longer waves, making travel both along
the main travelled streets and also Tor
the cross streets possible, with fewer
halts for changing lights. He IS in
favor of flashing amber signals to warn
motorists of an approach to busy
intersection, even where there is no
traffic light of the usual red-green type.
Traffic lights should be turned OF at
night sooner after the evening rush.
hour traffic is over, he believes. Leav-
ing them burning until midnight, as
is the practice here, does no particular
good and slows down traffic unneces-
sarily by making automobiles wait for
a green light when there is no cross
street traffic.
Against All-Night Parking Ban.
He is not in favor of ban on all
night parking at this time in Washing
ton. The time to have put such ban
into effect was 10 or is years ago, he
said. Now we have many cars and
little garage space and an all-night ban
would mean too great e. hardship on
the automobile owner Of small means.
One of his first tasks on taking Of
flee here will be to organize the work
of registration of title to automobiles
in the District, work with which he is
familiar from his experience in Penn
sylvania. It Is possible to obtain ac-
curate statistics as to the number of
cars in operation from the registration
of titles, he said, something not possible
with the system of simply registering
the car for tax-paying purposes. as is
done now. These statistics will be sup
plemented by those obtained by traffic
checks at the entrances to the Dis
trict on out-of-town automobiles using
Washingtons streets, and it will be
possible to plan control for the ex-
pected density of traffic in advance.