Evening star., 1937-02-28
FAILURE Of BLOCK
,L|GHTSHERE CITED
New York Now Adopting D.
c. System, Van Duzer
Says in Interview.

The block traffic light system, SINH
lar to the one used in New York City,
was tried in Washington when the
lights were first installed, William A.
Van Duzer, director of vehicles ana
traffic, revealed yesterday when he was
asked to comment on a proposal to
use the system here to speed up traf-
&c during rush hours.
John H. Thomas, member OF the
Trinidad Citizens Association, made
the suggestion at a recent meeting or
that organization. His proposal was
to have the block traffic light system
used in the area bounded by North
Capitol street on the east, Twenty
second street on the west, @ street on
the north and independence avenue
on the south. The suggestion met with
the approval of the citizens associa-
ton and its president, George j.
Cleary, appointed Thomas, George
Shilling and w. j. Wondrack as
committee to investigate the plan.
Lost Speed Cited.
Van Duzer said when they tried the
adopted the progressive light system.
In pointing out the disadvantages Of
the block system, he continued, Wash
ington has an unusual traffic set-up to
contend with. During the rush hours
most of the traffic is coming down.
town or going uptown and the block
system would slow up and block traffic
when the light changed for two min
utes for the cross-town motorists.
Should the system be adopted and the
speed limit be increased to 80 miles
an hour the motorists would have
what would be equal to a 15-mile-an-
hour speed limit, figuring that you
would travel on the green light for two
minutes at the higher speed and wait
two minutes when the lights changed.
Even as the citizens cite New York
City as an example for the good func-
tioning of the block system, Van Duzer
said, that city is now working to
change their lights to the progressive
system. A number Of the New York
City traffic lights already have been
changed to the Washington system.
The block system of traffic lights
was tried on Michigan Boulevard in
Chicago and found to be unsatisfac-
tory according to Van Duzer. The
only city to his knowledge to have the
block system and found 1t salts
factory is Atlantic City, N. j., because
they have only two main streets run
ning through the city.
Brown Has Plan.
When Mai. Ernest w. Brown, super
tntendent Of the Metropolitan Police
Department, was questioned on the
proposal of the citizens association he
said, the physical set-up Of Wash
ington is different from most of the
other cities in the country and did
not believe it would work to advantage.
He added that this city has three
unusual streets to contend with as
far as traffic goes. They are Four
teenth and Sixteenth streets and Con-
necticut avenue. These streets carry
q great deal Of the rush hour traffic
and the block system would hinder the
traffic more than help it.
MAJ. bIUWl Ilhu d ilIllc SuSScoIiOiI
of his own that might aid in moving
the rush hour traffic more quickly.
It is to have some Of the electricians
of the District to prefect a new type
of timing for the lights. The timing
would have to be changed to give
the up and down town traffic more
time during the rush hours and cut
the time on the lights for the cross
town traffic. If this could be done
automatically it would aid all con-
cerned. he concluded,