Evening star., 1942-03-12
|New Traffic Signal Liqht Tested Here

A new type OF traffic signal light,
featuring "directional" units which
show layout of the intersection the
motorist is about to enter and in
dicate where and where not to go,
is being installed today at Twelfth
street and Constitution avenue NV.
Described by Traffic Director Will
liam A. Van Duzer as q possible
answer to the worrisome problem
of traffic control at multiple" in
tersections, the new signals will be
tried out for an experimental period
before the District decides whether
they can be used effectively here.
Has Directional Device.
The conventional stop" (redl
and caution" (yellow) lights are
retained in this signal, but in the
place of the ordinary go" or green
light is the directional device-a a.
inch-square box made Of aluminium
casting. On the door, or front, Of
the box is plan of the intersection,
and in this diagram are directing
arrows which show which streets
may be entered, and bars which
indicate streets that should not
be turned into. The unit is syn
chronized with the green lights.
Illumination comes from regu-
lar signal lamp and large reflector
inside the box. The openings
through the plates show the shape
of the arrows (green) and the
bars Ted) when lighted. Each
design or plate has a separate re-
fector and lamp, and since the de-
signs are interchangeable, traffic
may be switched to other directions
by changing the door designs.
Twelfth and Constitution.
Eight of these directional units
are being used for the setup ct
Twelfth and Constitution. The
present movement of traffic there
will not be altered except for south
bound traffic on Twelfth street.
Under the present operation, traf-
fic moving south on Twelfth Is gov
erned only by red and green lights,
with no directional arrows. Three
directional units are being installed
to direct this traffic. One will op-
crate from $50 to $50 am, and
during these hours no left turns will
be permitted, just through traffic
and right turns. From $50 am. to
$3.50 pm. the second unit will be
used, and all turns will be permitted
during these hours. The third unit
will be in operation from $3.50 to
6 80 pm, permitting right turns,
but prohibiting left turns and
through traffic. Then, for the re-
mainder of the night, all turns will
be permitted.
Left-Turn Phase.
Two directional units will be in
stalled at the southeast corner for
traffic eastbound on Constitutional
avenue, and two others for traffic |
going west on Constitution avenue.
The extra units are needed to handle
the left-turn phase of the cycle for
both movements OF Constitution
avenue traffic.
The eighth directional signal will |
De placed on the northeast corner
and will direct" traffic going north .
On Twelfth street. 1t provides right |
and left turns and through traffic at
Ill times, as at present.
80 Seconds Per Cycle.
The time required for the entire
,ycle at the intersection will be the
same as at present-80 seconds.
The signal device was developed
by R. c. Ferguson, vice president OF
the Arroway Traffic Signal Corp, of
Va. Mr.. Ferguson and G.
Hagan Minnich, president Of the
firm, gave a demonstration at the
sign shop yesterday for a
group that included Engineer Com
missioner Charles w. Kutz, Highway
Director H. C. Whitehurst and Traf-
fc Director Van DuZer.
Mr.. Minnich said the directional
units have been used at Bristol for |
more than three years, and that
during that time the city had not
had a single traffic fatality.