Evening star., 1951-01-11
Il Plans Ready
To Speed Traffic
In Mall Area
Joint Report Calls
For ReoIignment Of
Fifteenth Street

Fifteenth Street
Eleven proposals for smoothing
the traffic flow in the Fourteenth
street Mall area, particularly to
and from the Highway Bridges.
are ready for submission to the
Commissioners.
A joint report of the Highway
and Traffic Departments includes
to realign Fifteenth
street between Independence and
Constitution avenues, widen parts
of Fourteenth street and Danish
the controversial traffic lights at
Fourteenth and D streets S.W.
1t was the storm of criticism
aroused by the traffic lights that
focused attention on traffic con-
ditions in the whole area. The
signals were turned off last
October 9. pending completion of
the studies resulting in the joint
report, and are off still.
Real Problem Emphasized.
Traffic officials, maintained,
however. that speed runs failed
to establish that the lights were .
chiefly responsible for traffic de-
lays and congestion in the area.
The report emphasized that the
real problem in the area is lack
OF street capacity.
Real and permanent relief, it
said, could be expected only by
construction of other highway
facilities to disperse traffic over
"a large area around the northern
approaches of the bridge or by
future construction of other Po-
tomac River bridges.
The moves suggested are as fol-
lows:
/. A plan to permit no vehicu-
lar or pedestrian crossing of Four
teenth street at D street, and
removal Of the traffic signals.
This would require extension of
the middle strip in Fourteenth
street south across D street, among
other measures.
Left Turn Restrictions.
2. Prohibition of left turns in
peak hours from northbound to
westbound at Fourteenth street
and Jefferson drive, and provi-
sion of special left-turn signal
to accommodate the movement
from northbound to westbound at
Fourteenth and Madison drive.
3. Prohibition of left turns at
Fourteenth street and Independ-
ence avenue from eastbound to
northbound during peak hours and
provision of a special left-turn
signal at Twelfth street and In
dependence avenue from east
bound to northbound.
4. Changing the trafic regula-
tions to permit free-wheel traffic
to drive on either side of all
streetcar loading platforms on
Fourteenth street between Inde-
pendence avenue and F street.
Removal of the two loading plat
forms on the east and west sides
of Fourteenth between jefferson
drive and Independence avenue.
Ban on Parking.
5. Abolition of parking from
the south side of c street between
Twelfth and Fourteenth streets
and realignment of the street to
provide four lanes of traffic west
bound and two eastbound. Also
prohibition of parking on the
south side of c street between
Ninth and Twelfth streets during
rush periods, to provide three
lanes of moving traffic.
6. Prohibition of left turns from
westbound on Maine avenue at
Eleventh and Twelfth streets into
the Fish Market Wharf during
peak periods, eliminating inter-
ference with through movement
on Maine avenue.
Z. Realignment by the National
Capital Parks Service Of Fifteenth
street between Constitution and
Independence avenues to provide
a direct connection.
1t suggested installation of .traf-
fic signals at the intersection Of
Fifteenth street and independence
avenue and prohibition Of parking
on the west side of Fifteenth in
the evening rush hour between
independence avenue and East
Basin drive.
Widening of 14th Street.
8. Widening of parts of Four
teenth street between 1ndepend-
ence and Constitution avenues to
provide more traffic lanes between
those points and to allow greater
ease of left-turn movements for
both north and south bound traf-
fic from Fourteenth street.
8. Removal of the old Liberty
Loan Building. or at least the arm
of the a. extending along Four
teenth street, to permit compile
ton of the cloverleaf connection
to accommodate the turn from
westbound on Maine avenue to
south on Fourteenth over the
Highway Bridge. Meanwhile, in
stallation of traffic signals at the
intersection of Maine avenue and
East Basin drive.
10. Provision by the Depart
ment of Agriculture of an under
ground connection from it's south
building basement to the street.
car terminal at Fourteenth and
c streets.
II. Study by the Public Utili-
ties Commission of the possibility
of terminating part of the in
bound service of Virginia bus
lines in the vicinity of the Agri-
culture Department, rather than
continuing every bus to the pres
ent terminal at Twelfth street
and Pennsylvania avenue NV.
A AIexnndrin phveirinne