Evening star., 1941-10-18
Burton Calls for More
Federal Interest in
DC. Traffic Problem
Senator Who Raised
CIeveIond's Sofety Urges
Scientific Treatment

A demand that the Federal Gov
ernment take a greater interest in
curing the traffic ills that beset
Washington was voiced yesterday
by man who played a major role
in lifting another large city to top
place in traffic safety.
Senator Burton, Republican, of
Ohio, who was Mayor of Cleveland
when that city established the best
traffic safety record among cities of
its population class, said in an ad-
dress that the Government should
give concrete aid in improving
traffic conditions here because of
Washington's position as the Ma
tons Capital and as. mecca for
tourists from all over the country.
Speaking before the District of
Columbia Advisory Board of the
American Automobile Association at
its first fall meeting at the May
flower Hotel, the chairman of the
Traffic Subcommittee of the Senate
District Committee described Wash
ington's traffic problem as a national
one in which the entire country is
interested.
Urges Scientific Treatment.
Declaring that Federal interest
Should back up the citys scientific
studies and long-term planning"
Senator Burton said the Districts
traffic problem is continuing. ever
lasting and permanent" and one
which cannot be solved by amateurs,
but only by scientific analyses and
treatment.
Drawing from his experience in
traffic work as Mayor of Cleveland,
Senator Burton said study should
be made of the organization of
traffic control work here to deter
mine the caliber of its leadership
and scientific ability A definite,
authoritative" leadership is neces-
sary TO solution of such a continu-
ing problem. There will never be
an end to the problem because
something or other always will need
to be improved
He praised the highway survey
report submitted early this year by
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, the Dis
trict's highway director, as indicat-
i've of the kind of expert and scien-
tific" approach needed. He pointed
out that the District has asked for
an increase in the gas tax to
finance the engineering projects
deemed vital to traffic improvement.
In the engineering and enforce
ment field, Senator Burton said,
the city needs more accomplish
ments and less publicity. BY that.
the Senator said he meant that
city cannot constantly publicize
every step of an engineering project
or an enforcement move and gain
the public support needed to insure
their success. He advocated better
training of policemen so that they
can understand traffic work and
be able to act in emergencies.
Advocate of "Freeways."
Senator Burton said he is an ad-
vocate of "freeways." arteries by
means of which vehicular traffic
can be moved swiftly around a city,
but said Washington has no fringe"
to which such freeways can be at
tached This is "criss-cross, grid
iron city, with over-laid avenues"
he said.
Urging uniform signs which can
be readily recognized and under
Stood" and better street lighting,
the Ohio Senator said an obvious
need of the city was space to build
garages. The downtown parking
problem might be improved by use
of more parking meters, he said,
pointing out that Cleveland has
about 1000 meters on its streets.
In response to a question, Senator
Burton said that, from a traffic
point of view, there would be a
distinct advantage in having a uni
fed control over park roads and
city streets, such as Cleveland has.
However, he said, the problem is
different here because of Federal
ownership of park roads.
He told the A. A. A. advisory
board the District has made much
progress in traffic education, but
emphasized that this, too, Is a con-
tinuing job requiring constant at
| tention.