Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-06-21
SHARP TURNS ON
STATE HIGHWAYS
ARE NOW MAPPED

now is mapped out far in advance for
night driving motorists by powerful
retro-directive reflection, it is an
nounced by Robert M. Reindollar, as
sistant chief engineer of the State
Roads Commission.
In a statewide installation just com
pleted, the first of it's kind in the ma
ton, 1870 symbols made of new
material that reflects light from as
far as a mile away, have been erect
ed along the highways.
The symbols, mounted on 24-inch-
square plates, are formed with units
of ''Lucite" methyl methacrylate, the
new plastic with strange optical prop
critics which already have been utiliz-
ed for Eight piping" in surgical in
struments and in other devices that
"bend" light around corners.
On all highways included in the in
stallation, Mr.. Reindollar said, SYM
Dol or diagram has been placed at
every point, without exception, where
there is a change in direction of the
route, road intersection, or rail-
road crossing.
Summer vacationists from other
states this summer, as we'll as year
round Maryland residents, will find
night motoring safer and easier as
result of the installation, he said.
"The constant advances warning af-
forded by these symbols definitely
fosters safe driving" Mr.. Reindollar
said. at also promotes the drivers
comfort by relieving him of the ner-
vous tension involved when he is for
ever expecting the road to do strange
things unexpectedly.
The installation involves $4,000 un-
its of "Lucite", each the diameter of
a silver dollar The material, develop
ed in the Du Pint chemical laborator-
les, can be nodded with angular sharp
ness approaching that of cut jewel.
When it is nodded with its back
a grid of pyramidal elements, under a
principle developed by j. G. Stimson,
of Chicago, it has the power to col
lect and concentrate the rays of head
lights into strong beams which can
be seen a mile away and which give
clear definition of the symbols be-
yond 1000 feet. This ability to see
the designs at distance is especially
valuable in letting the night motorist
know whether there is room enough
ahead to pass another slower moving
car.
The plastic is as transparent as the
finest glass but weighs only half as
much and is non-shattering. Its re-
Elective power when properly nodded
is ten times that of glass. Applied at
one end of coiled rod Of "Lucite",
light will travel invisibly through the
transparent rod and emerge at the
other end.
The Maryland reflector installation
covers the arterial highway system
tanning out from Baltimore and reach
ing westward beyond Cumberland.
Mr.. Reindollar, after seeing an in
g stallation of 'Lucite" highway delin-
>~eators between Lanhing and Detroit
in Michigan conceived the idea that
the new type reflector unit would be
very effective as reflectors in symbol
signs. The delineators are units
spaced at regular intervals along the
roadside to outline the route far a.
head. Maryland is using these also
at many points of extreme hazard.
1t was found at first the units gave
so much reflection that an arrowhead
in a symbol tended to become what
Mr.. Reindollar called "a ball of fire"
instead of clear shape. However,
in collaboration with technicians of
the Signal Service Corporation, Eliz-
abeth, N. j., he worked out method
of spacing the units to obtain the de-
sired effect.
A set of IL basic designs which
could be made to cover all possible
road shapes that would be encounter
ed in Maryland also was worked out
For simple right or left changes in
the route, it was found that three de-
grees of directional indication would
be needed-the leads for bends, g
medium amount for curves, and the
greatest amount for turns. These
were expressed with large arrow:
given the corresponding degree of cur
Nature.
A simple ct" design served three
functions depending upon the position
in which it was mounted. Upright, i
indicated dead end", and, sidewise
it indicated right or left feeder roads
Two rs" shape symbols, for RICH
or left. were designed to indicate re