Evening star., 1939-11-28
Van Duzer Defends
'Channelization' Of
vehicuIar Traffic
Declares Revisions
Of Present System
Will Await Survey

Defending current efforts at
"channelization" Of vehicular traffic
In the Capital as the most efficient
possible for the city's complicated
street plan, Traffic Director William
A. Van Duzer said today any large
scale revision Of the present system
would await completion Of the sur
vey now under way in cooperation
with the United States Bureau of
Public Roads.
Mr.. Van Duzer pointed out the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." phase
of the check would make possible
formulation of long-range plans
designed to speed rush-hour traffic
along routes of heaviest flow. The
survey is expected to indicate
whether additional vehicular un-
derpasses, depressed highways or
elevated highway should be con-
structed.
SltCS improvements
Admitting that he had been given
to swearing at the lights" when
In hurry, the traffic director listed
four steps as outstanding improve
ments" in the mthod of handling
traff1c here and urged motorists to
consider the engineering complica-
tions of signal-timing when they
find themselves held up at an in
tersection.
Introduction of the flexible pro-
gressive system" use of triple Off
set" experiment with walk" lights
and introduction of special turning
lights were called important de-
velopments.
The block" signal system, in use
on New York City's Fifth avenue. is
workable there because north-south
streets carry the bulk of the traffic
and east-west streets can be restrict
ed to short periods of flow, Mr.. Van
Duzer said, but this simultaneous
pattern is impracticable here be-
cause OF varying volume in north
south and east-west traffic at differ
ent times and different locations.
The flexible progressive system
makes possible higher average
speed for vehicles moving at the
rate for which the lights are timed
the traffic Official declared.
The triple-offset, employed on
several important thoroughfares,
enables the "favoring" of traffic from
one direction over that from the
other on the same street by changes
m the signal cycle in accordance
with peak flow.
Program Timers Favored.
Although his department has OBJ
tanned three program timers one
OF them now controlling the inter-
section of Massachusetts and Wis
consin avenues, Mr.. Van Duzer said
more of these devices would be
helpful. They are expensive, he
added, and funds have been ex-
hausted through filling demands
for new lights at previously uncon-
trolled intersections. Program tim
ers are alarm-clocklike gadgets
with seven stops" for a day. When
these are set, the signal changes its
timing automatically to fit changes
in traffic flow at different hours.
Answering complaints that the
experimental walk lights at Thir-
teenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. NV. have resulted in slowing
down vehicular traffic, because mo-
torists have become confused by
the tubular lights intended for Pc
destrians, Mr. Van Duzer said checks
by his department indicated traffic
actually has been speeded.
He added changing color of the
walk indicators was under consid-
Grafton, however. and expressed
satisfaction that more than 80 per
cent of pedestrians were obeying
them.
Lists Headaches
The traffic director set forth the
following factors as headaches
not present in many other large
cities where, critics of Washington S
system contend, traffic moves more
smoothly to and from the down.
town area:
/. Two street systems-right-a
streets plus diagonal avenues.
2. Natural and artificial traffic
barriers which force division of flow
over four general routes-between
Potomac River and Rock Greek
Park, between the park and Sol
diers' home, between Soldiers
Home and the railroad tracks en-
tering Union Station and between
the tracks and the Anacostia River.
3. Construction of the Federal
Triangle and Mellon Art Gallery,
leaving only four through streets to
the Southwest section.
4. Long blocks, large downtown
parks and subsidiary streets which
are not particularly broad, leaving
only 23.2 per cent of the available
space in the business district for
roadways, as contrasted with 20 per
cent IN Chicago, Is in Boston, 29.5 5
in Detroit, 395 in Cleveland. 81 in
st. Louis, 34.5 in San Francisco and
Pittsburgh. Only Los Angeles, with
21.5, has less, Mr.. Van Duzer says.
S. More vehicles enter the central
district in Washington between 7
am. and 7 pm. than in Chicago,
Philadelphia, Detroit, st. Louis,
Boston, Pittsburgh or San Fran
cisco.
The traffic director sees in the
extensive survey of transportation
habits now being conducted a hope
for long-range program which will
make possible speeding traffic de-
spite these special problems of the
Nations Capital.
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