Evening star., 1948-09-03
"a Letters to The Star aaaAsfss aassf4s
= Speeding Up Traffic

Speeding Up Traffic
To the Editor of The Star:
1t is my belief that our Washington traffic
is like Mark Twain weather"-every one talks
about it, but no one does anything about it.
My business is such that spend a good
portion of each day in an automobile in diff
ferent sections of Washington, and I think
that know some Of the details of the problem.
l. Safety Zone markers In most sections
the reflector supports at the ends of the con-
crete zones are not high enough to be seen
over the top of the car ahead. Other cities
have the indicators high and electrically
lighted. The situation created here is that at
present it is possible to turn out to pass car
ahead and be faced suddenly with a safety
zone. Wisconsin avenue Is an example of this
hazardous condition.
2. Virginia buses turn south at Tenth and
x streets NV 1t is impossible for them to
turn without encroaching on the east side of
Tenth street. I suggest double line on Tenth
street, south of K street, forcing north-bound
traffic to keep in one right hand lane while
waiting for the light to change. This is simple
and would avoid cars having to back up un-
scramble, etc., in order to let the buses swing
the corner.
3. The first street west of the Munitions
Building leading south from Constitution ave-
nue. to the Lincoln Memorial Circle carries
very heavy traffic during the evening rush
hour. A traffic officer at the Memorial end
is very essential. I have seen it tried once or
twice, and it is most effective in expediting
traffic, compared to the times when cars just
snsrl up without control.
4. The Fourteenth Street or Highway Bridge
Is bottleneck at morning and evening rush
hours, and there is no real excuse for this
he nSfr tha
are wide open without cross traffic. Here is
what I believe is necessary:
(a) Increase in the allowable limit OF speed
to IS mp.h. from the bridge to the Department
of Agriculture. That would be on the east
side Of Fourteenth street
(b) Increase in the allowable limit on the
bridge to 80 m.ph
(c) Put signs up on the bridge urging people
to keep moving at 80 mp.h. I would suggest
signs such as: Keep In line" Keep moving at
30 mph.," Don't block traffic" and at the ends
of the bridge the signs should say: "Step OIL
It," I realize this is unusual but you cannot
break traffic jams with the cars up front
moving Is m phi. on a 40 mph. limit highway.
s. Hand signals I maintain that not one
driver in 100 knows how to make hand signal.
Every one have seen has his arm out just
before and during the turn. Obviously, he
has only one hand on the wheel in this
maneuver, which is a grave error Signals
should be made prior to the turn, and during
the turn, both hands should be on the wheel
where they belong so that the turn can be
made faster and under full control.
s. Lee boulevard in Arlington:
(a) Traffic jams here are due only to slow
drivers. This is dual highway, IS mph.
limit, and one quarter Of the cars are going
Is m.p.h. I would suggest this be cured by
signs along the highway such as: IF you're
driving under IS mp.h., you are blocking
traffic"
(b) would suggest that the section of Lee
boulevard between Fillmore street and Carlyn
Springs road be made three lanes west and
one lane east in the evening rush hours.
Greater use of this method of relieving traffic
Jams should be made all over the city.
7. Speedometers: During car inspection,
speedometers should be checked, as I am con-
vinced many of them read higher than actual
speed, which, results in slower traffic than the
law allows I was in q car recently on IS
mph. highway and I thought the driver was
pokey. His speedometer read So m.p.h while
the car alongside reported that his read %
mp.h.
8. Green lights: humbly implore the drivers
Of Washington to move just little quicker
when the light ahead is green, or at least If
they must crawl along, please get well over to
the right, as I want to race by at Is mp.h.
W1LFRED L. DOMINY.