The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1936-07-18
JUNEAU'S TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Juneau is growing up 1t is acquiring the grief
of the metropolitan centers-the traffic problem.
Chief of Police Roy Hoffman, appearing at the meet
ing of the City Council last night estimated there
are approximately 900 automobiles and trucks oper
ating in and around Juneau every day Substance of
his remarks that something had to be done about
clearing the streets of parked machines in order to
keep traffic moving. Any who has driven or rid
den much about the main streets will appreciate the
weight of his reasoning.
There are occasions when any driver, something
less than Houdini would have considerable diff
Guilty traversing the block between Seward and
Franklin on Front Street Always busy section, a
couple dozen parked along each side of the street
and few parked for few moments in the street
while the occupant is shopping makes the situation
comparable to Third and Pike in Seattle along about
the noon on Saturday with the exception that we
herd our traffic in Juneau while they steer it in
given direction in Seattle.
1t is unfortunate that we can't go along herding
it. 1t is nice convenient easy system. But Juneau
is growing up. We get a few more cars every year,
but the streets stay the width Net result:
Something has to be done about the traffic problem
if machines to move about the streets with a
degree of safety and dispatch.
Chief Hoffman has for one thing, decided to
enforce one-hour parking limit the principal
streets 1t is the first natural STEP and good one
IT. may prove a Little announcement TO some atAlneS,
but on the whole should not work any particular
hardship The fact is such action may develop the
thing that juneau needs most in solving the traffic
problem That is parking lots There number
of vacant lots adjacent to the business district which,
it would appear could be fixed up parking places.
The owners might raise their tax money by
charging a small monthly or daily fee. downtown
motor ramp such as are found in many OF the larger
cities of the States, is not impossible outgrowh of
the condition Those things will work themselves out
But it is imperative that something be done to
clear our streets of congested traffic 1t
is a safety measure both for car and pedes-
TRANS No one is at fault. 1t is merely condition
arising from increase in automobile traffic Full
cooperation of every with the authorities in
solving the problem is the surest and quickest way
out
There is something to think about in another
matter brought before the City Council last night
Mayor Goldstein called attention to the large num-
Der of liquor dispensing places in the city Casually
counting up without the record the officials learned
that there are between 80 and 40 establishments in
Juneau dispensing liquor including restaurants serv-
ing beer and wine with meals 1t was the Mayors
thought that there were plenty of them. In fact
he expressed himself of the opinion that there pro-
badly are than enough; that the situation might
only be offensive of the citizens of Juneau
but that outsiders prone to remark about the
multitude of liquor places they see in the city when
they ashore from the boats.
Other members of the Council brought up the
other side of the question; that after all, they are
legitimate businesses and limiting the number might
be in effect restraint of trade.
There is degree of logic in both arguments
We not prepared to dwell on the merits of either