Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-11
Cole Is Named
interim Chief Of
New Agency
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star stan Writer

vehicles mas Deen eSCaDllSneo
by the District under the tenn
porary direction of Herman S.
Cole. until yesterday assistant
traffic director.
At the same time, former
Acting Director Walter l.
Braun prepared to move With
the 23-man engineering divi-
sion to the old Vehicles and
Traffic Department to the
Highway Department.
Engineer Commissioner Alvin
c. yelling announced plans for
an early reorganization of the
Highway Department. A re-
vamping plan, generally in line
with recent proposals by the
Automotive Safety Foundation.
is to be submitted by Highway
Director John w. Robertson
by next month.
Col. yelling also said he
expects by next month to
recommend a permanent ap-
pointee from within the Dis
trict government for the motor
vehicles dictatorship. Mr.. Cole
is one of those under consid-
GRAFTON.
Braun Role Undecided
Mr.. Braun will move to the
District Building tomorrow.
His future status under Mr..
Robertson has not been settled.
1t has been expected that he
might become a deputy high
way director, but Col. yelling
said Mr.. Robertson has not
yet made any proposals on
personnel assignments.
Today's announcements fol-
lowed a decision yesterday by
the Commissioners to CONSOLE
date traffic engineering in the
Highway Department.
Col. yelling and Commits
sioner David B. Karrick joined
in voting for the revamping.
Commissioner Robert E. Nc
Laughlin dissented.
Mr.. Mclaughlin said after
wards he feels the city should
have set up a new ''co-ordinator
of transportation" to deal with
traff1c problems on a broader
scale. His dissent from Col.
Welling's position already had
been known. Mr.. Braun also
had submitted a dissent.
The city beads last week were
advised against the move by
Henry A. Barnes, Baltimore
traffic director who conferred
with the Commissioners at Mr..
McLaughlin's request.
Electrical Unit
Col. yelling disclosed today
that one of the features of the
Highway Department revamp-
ing is likely to be the as
sjgnment of the departments
electrical division to the new
traffic engineering Office.
The electrical unit, headed by
Herbert A. Friede, carries out
traffic signal and street light
installations and does some
engineering work.
The Safety Foundation pro-
posed merging electrical and
traffic engineering activities.
1t also suggested recognizing
the Highway Department into
three principal Offices for de-
sign and engineering. construc-
ton and maintenance and
traffic operations. This is the
pattern. Col. yelling indicated.
which he plans to follow.
The Engineer Commissioner
said traffic engineering is TO be
given increased Importance UNI
der the reorganization.
In effect, the Commissioners
order appears to eliminate the
post of an independent traffic
director in the District govern
ment.
This post. occupied until his
recent death by George E.
Keneipp, was the target Of
city management officers in a
reorganization carried out sew
eral years ago. These officers
Joined Col. yelling in recon-
mending yesterdays decision.
Col. yelling had asked for
advice on the subject from the
Automotive Safety Founda-
ton. a national professional
group. This organization also
recommended the revamping
now decided upon. The Com
missioners' Traffic Advisory
Board. which has worked
closely with traffic officials,
also Endorsed the move.
% Persons Affected
Twenty-three p e RS ons, not
counting Mr.. Braun, are af-
fected Immediately by the new
order. They are in the trafflc
engineering division, which UNI
til yesterday was headed by
John H. Milton. Mr.. Milton
viii accompany Mr.. Braun to
the highway department. MIR.
Braun and Mr.. Milton are
trained traffic engineers.
The division, which plans
street channeling and marking
and trafflc signal installations,
is expected to be merged physl-
cally with the highway depart
ment eventually. But plans for
this have not yet been settled.
Mr.. Braun now is in the Mu-
nicipal Center. Mr.. Milton and
his staff are at 499 Pennsyl-
vania avenue. and Mr.. Robert
son and his chief aides have
Offices in the District Building.
The new motor vehicles de-
partment, which will handle
automobile and driver testing
and licensing and administrs-
ton Of the city's safety respon-
sioility law, has 1876 employees.