Evening star., 1941-10-15
Bicycle Tags
10 Be Required
In Arlington
Safety Rules for
Operation Adopted
BY County Board

An ordinance requiring licensing
of bicycles and prescribing certain
safety regulations for them was ap-
proved today by the Arlington
County Board and will become ef-
fective the first of next year.
The board also took steps lead
ing to the development of that por-
ton of the proposed Fairfax boule-
ward extending through two blocks
of the business section of Clarendon.
Chairman F. Freeland Chew was
the author of the new bicycle regu-
lation, which received unanimous
Endorsement of other members and
was praised for its safety features
by Clifton Stoneburner, chairman
of the Arlington County Safety
Council.
After January l, all bicyclists will
be required to obtain from the Po-
lice Department license tag for
20 cents, which must be attached
TO the vehicle. Through records Of
the owner, make and serial numbers
to be maintained by the Police De-
partment, police expect to speed re.
coVery OF stolen property.
Lights to Be Required.
The ordinance prohibits bicycle
riders from riding faster than is
reasonable and proper" with due
regard for the safety of the opera
tor and all other persons on the
streets and sidewalks. Headlights
visible for 300 feet and tail lights
or ref1ectors visible for 200 feet will
be required. 1t will be made un-
lawful for more than two riders to
travel the streets abreast. Police
are authorized TO confiscate BIZ
cycles of violators until the court
determines proper disposition Of
charges.
A petition from the Clarendon
Retail Merchants Association asked
the highway improvement. The
project consists of two blocks which
lie in the path of the proposed
Fairfax boulevard which will event.
ually connect Lee boulevard with
Falls Church as recommended in a
master thoroughfares plan recently
presented to the board.
Robert Hawthorne presented the
petition from the businessmen and
pointed out the area sought for
improvement has been blocked of
with barricades erected by a rail-
road company which owns q part
of the right-of-way in the path Of
the proposed street connection. The
businessmen contended the barri-
cades prevent entrance to the rear
of Clarendon business houses and
constitute dangerous fire hazard
because on equipment could be
driven into the two-plock area.
Tells of New Barriers.
Ellis Block. one of the merchants,
told the board additional barriers
have been erected within the past
/ three days and said that a portion
OF the blocked-off area had been used
by the county as highway for more
than 80 years until the railroad
ceased to operate about two years
ago.
County Engineer C. L. Kinnier
said the county has been negotiat.
ing with the State TO take over
Fairfax boulevard in exchange for
the county's acceptance of mainte.
nance of North Washington boule-
ward, now a State thoroughfare.
He said legislation probably would
be necessary for this exchange.
Mr.. Chew said he thought the
merchants request that the county
condemn the land and immediately
open a thoroughfare had merit,
Board Member Leo Lloyd intro
duced a resolution carrying out Mr..
Chew's suggestion that a special
committee composed of the county
manager, county zoning adminis-
traitor, planning engineer and COM
monwealth's attorney report on the
matter one month from today.
Board Member Edmund D. Cannp-
bell said he would be disqualified
from acting on the matter because
he represented the owners of the
railroad before he became a mem.
ber Of the board. He added, how
ever, he would like to see the right
of way cleared up and the street
opened.