Evening star., 1945-12-16
Traffic Engineer Unit
Proposes Changes
lin Van Duzer Plan

The Review Committe of the
Washington section, Institute OF
Traffic Engineers, has taken apart
Traffic Director William H. Van
Duzer's recently announced 5-year
traffic improvement program and
put it back together with recon-
mendations as to how it could be
improved.
In a nine-page critique made
public yesterday, the committee has
incorporated a 10-point program by
which, in its opinion, the five-year
program could be bettered.
The committe recommends:
Traffic Signals-To streets and
areas which the program proposes
to tie into a central traffic signal
control system should be. added M
street west of Twenty-third street
NV, Connecticut avenue north of
Taft Bridge and Thirteenth, Four
teenth and Sixteenth streets near
Florida avenue N. w. First priority
on installation of additional signal
faces at intersections should be ac-
corded congested, hazardous and
heavy pedestrian intersections.
Reversible Streets Hazardous"
Sign Improvement-Signs should
be simplified not only by using bet
ter and fewer signs, but through
simpler parking regulations.
Flashing Neon Arrows-Use of ad-
dititonal arrows should not result
necessarily in adding to the num-
ber of reversible one-way streets,
i. e., morning one way and evening
the other; since reversible streets
"cause undue confusion and hazard
to the motorist."
Pedestrian Barricades - Use of
barricades should be determined on
the basis of count of pedestrian
violations and the accident records
Of locations. They should be made
long enough to prevent "end runs"
and should be made visible day and
night.
Pavement Marking Selection of
markers for lane line, center lines
and crosswalks by means of expert
ment should be continued, but final
choice should be based mainly on
day and night visibility, annual
maintenance, installation cost and
durability.
Parking Agency.-The District
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency
should take full advantage of un-
official parking studies which have
been or are being made.
Another Testing Station.
Traffic Department Personnel
Not only should the personnel of the
Department of Vehicles and Traffic
be increased but proposed salary
ranges should be increased to at
tract the quality of professional
services required.
Car Inspecition.-An additional
testing station with two inspection
lanes should be erected in the North
west section in addition to improv-
ing the efficiency of the present sta
tion.
I Permit ISsue.-To improvements
in the issuance of operators permits
should be added re-examination of
persons after they reach a certain
age, more thorough examination of
all persons involved in accidents and
appointment of person with
psychological and statistical training
to make more thorough eveluation
OF tests, standards and procedures.
Safety Education.-General traffic
safety publicity should be augmented
by more individual contact work with
individual drivers; more time should
be taken during permit examination
to point out individual errors in
driving; motion pictures, brief talks
and safety posters should be used as
part of examination procedure; more
comprehensive written tests should
be given and schooling for drivers
and pedestrians who have been in
accidents should be undertaken. In
other words, more emphasis should
be placed on the "few individuals
who cause the trouble"
The critique which highly COM
mends, in general" Mr.. Van Duzer's
proposals, was sent to him over the
signatures of Earl L. Allgaier, traf1ic
research specialist of the American
Automobile Association; Wilfred w.