Evening star., 1941-10-13

streets in sections where traffic is
heaviest, patterned after the plan
adopted in New York and Philadel-
phia.
A synchronized traffic light con-
troll system that would allow We
hicles to move from five to eight
blocks without a stop.
Abolition of parking in the con-
gested areas.
These three concrete suggestions
for relieving traffic congestion and
expediting the movement OF traffic
came today from score OF taxlcab
drivers-men who should know a
great deal about Washington traffic
problems.
Average 125 Miles Day.
These drivers spend their working
life on the traffic -snarled streets,
averaging about l25 miles a day or
approximately 21,000 miles year.
According to Traffic Director Will
lam A. Van Duzer this is about
$4,000 more miles than covered by
the average motorist who uses his
car for pleasure and to go to and
from work.
The taxi men made Known their
views in interviews either While
waiting for a fare on an established
hack stand or while cruising around
the streets with a Star reporter
observing condition at some of the
points they described as "traffic
bottlenecks."
Most outspoken was Michael
Singer of the Diamond Cab Co,
who proudly disclosed he has been
driving a taxi here since 1925 and
had done nothing else
Gives Suggestions.
Il suppose I have been driving
around this town long enough TO
know a little something about the
cause of our traffic troubles" he
said. Il am no traffic expert, but
| am sure if the Commissioners
eliminate parking downtown, estab-
lish a system Of alternate one-way
streets in that section and Mr.. Van
Duzer retimes the lights so a car
can make five blocks or more with
out a stop. some of his headaches
will be over.
When Mr.. Van Duzer came to
Washington as the new traffic di-
rector he called the taxi drivers
to a meeting and asked them for
suggestions for improving traffic
conditions. At that time-and 1t S
been 10 or II years ago-I sug-
gested a longer timing of the lights
to give a driver chance to get
somewhere before being stopped.
He didn't like the idea and said it
would force drivers on intersecting
streets to wait too long to cross.
Now the traffic is so bad and the
lights so improperly timed no one
gets anywhere without a delay. In
rush hours traffic piles up at nearly
every intersection"
Make every policeman that di-
rects traffic go to traffic school, was
another of Mr.. Singers suggestions.
Il have observed, time and time
again" he said, that some Of the
men assigned to traffic duty during
rush periods don't know how to
handle traffic. There is no CO.
ordination between the cop at one
intersection and the one block
away. So what happens? Traffic
piles up unnecessarily"
Other Suggestions Made.
Other drivers who believe that
alternating one-way streets in the
congested sections and synchro-
nized system OF traffic light control
will go a long way toward improv-
ing traffic conditions included John
Otis McSwain and Fred Reich. both
of the Yellow Cab Co, and Harry
S. Kline, who drives for the Amer
ican Cab Co. These. as well as the
other drivers interviewed, made a
number of additional observations
as to some of the seemingly minor
contributory causes of traffic jams.
Prominent among them were:
Buses that head into curb to
take on or discharge passengers,
the rear end projecting into the
street far enough to block a lane
of moving trafic.
Commercial vehicles double parked
while loading and unloading.
Pedestrians walking against q
signal. forcing cars either to slow
down or stop.
Interurban buses parked on the
streets during layover periods.
Failure of motorists to get into
the proper lane for making a left
turn.
Some Block intersections.
Drivers entering an intersection
on a caution light and stopping
in the middle of it when the light
turns red, forcing traffic in both
directions to 60 around the halted
vehicle.
Out-of- town drivers "rubberneck-
ing" while cruising around the city
Drivers engrossed in conversation
giving divided attention to signals
and moving traffic.
Cited by the drivers as some OF
the most congested points in Wash
ington are these:
The entire area surrounding the
Social Security Board Building.
Pennsylvania avenue from Fourth
to Fifteenth streets, particularly
during the rush hours, when extra
buses are put into service for the
accommodation OF Government
workers.
Tenth street from G to H streets
Dupont Circle.
Eighteenth street from Constitu-
ton to Connecticut avenues.
I street from Fifteenth to Sev-
enteenth streets.