Evening star., 1937-10-28
Offers Suggestions for
Traffic improvements
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
A stranger, because of his impersonal
viewpoint, can sometimes make help
full suggestion which interested parties
fail to visualize because of an intense
concentration on the problem at hand.
Perhaps some of the following sugges-
tions may appear sufficiently refreshing
in this phase of Washingtons traffic
campaign to warrant The Star bringing
them to the communitys attention.
Cd Transform some of our centrally
located parks and open spaces into park
ing facilities and have them supervised
by the CITY, Thousands of vehicles
would then be removed from the city
streets and traffic could move in unham-
pered style. Most motorists, and espe-
cially Government employees, would
gladly pay small daily charge Of 5
or 10 cents to park their automobiles in
such an area, and would find it well
come relief from current exhorbitant
parking fees. This small charge would
more than pay for the cost of supervis-
ing the parking and keeping the area in
proper trim. Shoppers would have bet
ter access to downtown shopping CEN
ters Perhaps this Is not considered a
civic thought because our parks are
famed far and wide; but 1t is humane
thought when we read of the increasing
toll which traffic takes today. And
parking area can be just AS beautiful as
we want it to be. How many thousands
OF automobiles could be taken from our
city streets and parked in an orderly
fashion in the Mall between the Capitol
and the Monument? Is such thought
revolving to the civic minded? The
humane interest, after all, is the civic
interest, and the sight Of hundred
thousand shining vehicles would make
me think Of progress, commerce, and the
strength of our Government.
(2) Revise the existing traffic code to
fit our present-day needs. Much is now
wanting in regard to regulations govern
ing not so much the speed OF vehicles
as the vehicles themselves, and whether
they are safe and fit to move in heavy
traffic. Comfortable speed is far prefer
able to unsafe, Observation-Disclosures
slow-moving vehicles Also, 1t seems
the biggest requirement for an operators
license is the knowledge of how to Shift
gears. We should not issue an operators
license unless the applicant is capable
driver. because an unskilled novice is
potential menace to pedestrians ana
other motorists.
90 Regulate our traffic lights SO the
pedestrian has d chance. Too many
have been caught lin the middle"
between changing lights for present reg
ulations to be effective. Pedestrians will
always take a chance. and, indeed, have
got TO take chance TO cross some inter-
sections under the present signals. To
facilitate through vehicle traffic. the
lights on all streets should be timed for
a certain Speeds miles an hour Is
good speed-and this will permit a more
rapid exit Of cars from the city when
offices close.
a. Do something about the circles.
Here is one thought l have: Using
Dupont Circle as an example, let Con-
necticut avenue cut through as main
thoroughfare, but lower the roadway in
the center of the circle 10 or Is
feet; let New Hampshire avenue cut
through as a main thoroughfare, but
raise the roadway at the center of the
circle lover Connecticut avenue) 10 or
Is feet; let the other streets which
now border the circle run into either
New Hampshire or Connecticut. traffic
to enter these two streets on lights only.
60 For second -offense drunken driv-
ing, revoke operators license for five
years. For third -offense reckless driv-
ing, revoke for two years. Put some sort
of sticker, which will not be removed
except by the Traffic Bureau. on all
trafric offenders so the public may see
and beware. Several speeding stickers
will not only embarrass the driver, but
will point out to police the man they
should watch. H. c. WILLIAMS.