Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-15
NEW TURN TO LEFT
EXPEDITES TRAFFIC
WITHOUT ACCIDENT
Continued From First Page.)

the city said that the services Of their
men were required infrequently.
Inspector Ernest w. Brown and Traf-
fic Director Van DuZer cruised through
the city for two hours from Z to 9
o'clock, observing the result Of the
change from the outside to inside turns
They said they noticed only 10 cars
making the incorrect turn.
officials said that intensive efforts
will be made by policemen to educate
the driving public as to the new right
of-way rules which accompany the in
side turn. 1t was due to disregard Of
right of way regulations that the great
est difficulty occurred, Inspector Brown
asserted. He said the tendency was for
through traffic to fail to allow turning
vehicles to pass through the lane at
their left. The regulations require mo-
torists who have not entered an inter-
section to permit turning cars to pass in
front of them.
More than 100 arrows painted at
controlled intersections throughout the
city last night facilitated the change
from the old to the new turn. At mid
night Van DuZer sent out so men in
District Highway Department trucks to
mark the paths for turning traffic.
The traffic director said these arrows
probably will not be reprinted until the
George Washington Bicentennial Cele-
| bration, when thousands of visitors will
| flock to the city.
At a few intersections, regulations re-
garding the turn were varied slightly
due to unusual conditions. Chief among
these was Fourteenth street and Penn
| sylvania avenue, said to be the worst
corner in the city. Here Southbound
traffic passed to the right instead of to
| the left of the policeman on duty.
| Inspector Brown explained that the
variance was neceSSitated by the safety
zone on the right side of Fourteenth
street, just north Of the Avenue. which
would make it awkward for traffic turn
ing to the left to 60 to the left Of the
| officer.
Speed Record Claimed.
! He said that no congestion was no.
| ticed either at Fourteenth street or at
Thirteenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. although an average number Of
vehicles passed through these intersec-
tons.
Van Duzer said a record speed for
handling traffic was reported by Capt.
Ray Montgomery, commander of the
| park police, at Seventeenth street and
Constitution avenue.
Here go vehicles cleared the inter-
section in 35 seconds. Nine extra park
policemen were assigned to traffic duty
at the intersections of Constitution ave-
nue. and Fifteenth. Sixteenth and
Seventeenth streets. Capt Montgomery
said
His men reported to him that traffic
moved with greater speed and safety this
morning throughout the park area than
when the outside left turn was in effect.
Traffic Director Van Duzer had ex-
pected, he said, that it would be nee
essary to ban left turns at Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue, but
that the smoothneSs of the traffic flow
under the new regulations made this
step unnecessary.
Danger to Pedestrians.
Inspector Brown saw the greatest
danger from the inside turn in the pos
sibility Of cars turning to the left COL
liding with pedestrians crossing the
street on green signal light. He said
that the pedestrians had the right of
way over the automobiles under these
| circumstances.
| Taxi drivers were particularly quick
| to catch on to the new turn, Inspector