Evening star., 1940-03-15
Underpass a Boon
Today, but Record
Jam Marks Debut
Thomas Circle Project
Speeds 'Mornine-After'
Troffic With Eose

After q debut marked by one OF
the worst traffic jams the city has
ever experienced, Thomas Circle,
with its new underpass, handled the
morning after" rush-hour traffic
with ease today.
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer stood by his pet project and
smiled with satisfaction as street
cars and automobiles, which here
tofore have been banked for blocks
up Fourteenth street during the
morning rush, moved smoothly
through the surface lanes of the
circle.
: And underneath traffic sped un-
ampeded through the tunnel east
ward on Massachusetts, avenue.
''Why, she could handle a so per
cent greater load without any trou-
bic at ALL" Mr.. Van Duzer explained
.gleefully.
The first accident since the circle
had its face lifted occurred today
when a driver, unaccustomed to the
new signals, overdrove a stop line
and crashed into another car pro-
ceeding through green light on the
surface.
The dubious honor of participating
in the first crackup went to Alfred
Hojnacki, "a, of 2722 Central avenue
NE. and Sanford Thiessen, % of
Bradbury Heights, Md. Neither was
injured. but tenders were crumpled
and paint SCARED.
Mr.. Van Duzer, who witnessed the
crash, observed with a stroke of his
chin: yep, little light trouble
They'll soon catch on
Pedestrians provided the mornings
only headache by wandering aim
lessly in the traffic lanes instead of
passing along the wide walkways
provided for their safety at the rim
Of the circle.
Mr.. Van Duzer said he felt, how
, ever. that the pedestrian problem
would be cleared up when the
walk" lights are turned on.
The traffic director said the
pedestrian lights would be given a
try Sunday.
The underpass itself was more
than adequate to care for the swarm
OF cars that tangled in the big jam
late yesterday but little Scott Cir
Gle, with its two-lane drives, was
not.
The heavy flow along Massa-
chusetts avenue moved unimpeded
apparently through the tunnel to
Fifteenth street, but from there to
the smaller circle the jam rapidly
developed.
Between and $50 pm. stalled
cars piled up from Scott Circle on
the west, down Massachusetts, as far
as Eleventh street. The taxicab traf-
fic was exceptionally heavy due to
the rainy weather, with homebound
workers who ordinarily would ride
streetcars or walk catching cabs to
avoid the downpour.
Feeder streets, too. were choked,
particularly Rhode Island avenue,
which poured steady stream of
vehicles into Scott Circle on top
Of the extra heavy flow from Mas
sachusetts avenue on the east and
, Sixteenth street on the south.
Highway Officials Scratch Heads.
Extra details of traffic policemen
had more than their hands full,
while District highway officials
looked on, scratching their heads.
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director
Of highways, was of the opinion that
the unfamiiarity of motorists to the
new set-up was partially responsible
for the congestion.
This area always had been CEN
ter of traffic congestion peaks dur
ing transforms, Mr.. Van Duzer said,
adding that many of the cars in the
snarl carried curious motorists who
merely wanted ito give the new un-
derpass try" and unfortunately
picked rush hour to do it.
Drivers who took the route to get
somewhere, however, soon became
impatient with the tangle and be-
gan blasting away with their horns.
A serenade of horn n-tooting followed
for several minutes, the volume
swelling to deafening proportions
In the walls of the underpass.
"S53O,000 for a JAM"
Police soon had to divert traffic
away from the tunnel, routing cars
north on principal intersecting
arteries. Many drivers became ex-
tremely exasperated. One taxicab
driver was heard to remark from
his unwanted parking spot in the
shadow of the underpass- $3.50, 900
to get us in this jam!"
Through it all, however, surface
, traffic at Thomas Circle flowed
without a hitch, unaware of the
distressing tangle below.
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