Evening star., 1932-11-27

~ ONGESTION is a bad thing
whether it is in the lungs or
on the streets. In either case
~ serious results may follow.
With the increasing number
of traffic fatalities in this city 1t would
seem wise to relieve congestion as much
as it is possible. Cars are much less
likely to collide If the streets are kept
omen. and pedestrians will be more
protected. .. $3.50
made into one-way thoroughiareS: inns
was done upon the recommendation OF
William A. Van Duzer. director of the
Department Of Motor Vehicles and
Traffic. 1t was wise move, and has
resulted In eliminating much congestlon.
Similar Plan Wise.
Bv the same token, 1t would seem
again wise to work out a similar plan
on two north and south bound streets:
AS suggestion, TWenty-flrSt ana
Twenty would appear the oeSE
designations. Twenty-flrst street couIo
be made one-way north ana twenty
second one-way south, or wee versa;
traffic then could move much freer and
with greater safety.
If has been ascertained that Wiscon-
Gin avenue and N street intersection has
the greatest traffic during the rush
hours of any place in the city. BY
actual count it was found that an
average of more than 1000 cars pass
there within an hour. This IS largely
due from the great number OF autos
coming over the Key Bridge from
Nov M street before it converges
into Pennsylvania avenue IS not very
wide. The street cars narrow It's aVal4-
ability for vehicuIar traffic. On Up OF
that, cars are parked along the Sloe-
walks continuously. Thsre is a parking
limit it is true, but that does not help
matters at all. 1t would certainly be
better if the parking Of cars were re-
stricted from parking at all on the ruSn
side. In other words, parking IN tne
mornings should be prohibited on the
south side of the street and In the eve
ninrs on the north side. Such q pro-
cedIlre has been in effect on many other
main arteries of the city.
Trle. many merchants would object,
but traffic laws should be made Tor the
benefit of the greatest number ana noI
a preferred few. The benet1t. IN tnlS
case. is in the interests OF safety, ana
that thought should be paramount 10
everything else. -
this most congested place would require
the spending of little money. However,
the spending of a little money that
would put men to work and eXped1te
our citys traffic surely would be Wortn
while.
The plan is to build a ramp or run
way down from the Key Bridge to
water street. which would enable Vir-
pinia drivers to come over the Key
Bridge. get down to Water street, pro-
ceed into K street and from thence INTO
Pennsylvania avenue. or, turning r1ght'
get on the approach to the Speedway.
It was thought that when the Airing
ton Memorial Bridge was completed
it would eliminate many cars from
fhe Kew Bridge and aid traffic condl-
fjors in lower Georgetown. That, how
ever, is not the case, for some reason
or other. Building ramp would un-
ouestionably do this very thing ana
drivers and merchants of Georgetown
would both be satisfied.
Bridge Speed Limits.
Until this is dcne cars should be
prohibited from cumming up Vra1nc Dy
their marking. When the ramp is built
these restrictions could be removed. A
few paragraphs above the Arlington
Bridre was mentioned. Does any one
know vhy the speed over this wide,
thoroughly modern span has been cut
down to % miles an hour? 1t was
originally 80 miles an hour, conforming
to the limit on the Virginia side before
As is permitted. ..
Perhaps it is to get drivers accustom-
ed to the city's speed requirements.
Possibly it is to prevent them from
running into the Lincoln Memorial. Or
maybe it is to keep from disturbing the
4ish that might be swimming below.
Foolish as these possibilities seem they
are not more foolish than the 22-mile
limit itself.
Highway Design Old.
Highway design and construction
which have the objective of reducing