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WORLD HIGHWAYS(I^RWVTTOWAL ROAD FRDKRa^IOM) V018« NoB 5* Mav 19^?,t>.^-6 V WORLD HIGHWAYS G city street capacity, is now possible. "New tunneling techniques for trans­ portation facilities are being- developed, and the alternative concept of creating another level of streets for pedestrians and light vehicles on second-floor levels is being investigated." —From remarks before the 48th annual con­ vention of Associated General Contractors in \an Diego, California, March 6, 1967. On the problem of urban congestion and how to solve it: Q. "What is the major problem you face as highway administrator?" A. Urban congestion." Q. "How do you solve this problem?" A. "I think a combination of ways. In solving it there will be no point in time where all of the problems of urban con­ gestion are solved, because as fast as solutions are found for particular prob­ lems, other problems will replace them. "So a final solution to urban conges­ tion — I don't expect to see it and I don't expect that it will ever occur—you know it's been with us since the days of the Roman Empire, and I don't know why that would change now." Q. "Is the answer building wider free­ ways?" A. "In some instances, yes. There will be a combination of things we can do. "One, of course, is to build more high- quality highways; and when I talk about high-quality highways, I'm essentially talking about a freeway-type highway— one that is grade-separated — one in which rhe opposing traffic lanes are di­ HAS PRAISE FOR IRF—Francis C. Turner, who became U. S. Director of Public Roads on February vided — one in which access is very 24, 1967, says the International Road Federation is doing an outstanding job in promoting good strictly controlled. roads around the world. He is shown here as he received his commission as Director of Public "I tnin-k, however, that we should right Roads from President Johnson. now be building into our freeway-type highways exclusive lanes for public transportation. As far as I'm concerned, that can be buses. I think that we need, Easing City Traffic Congestion in a very few instances, to build rail rapid transit lines. I don't think there Prime Goal of U.S. Roads Chief is an overwhelming need for these in most cities, but there are a few spe­ The problems of heavily increasing acquired for the freeway, it sometimes cialized places where they are needed." auto traffic in urban areas may be an begins to cost relatively less to acquire —From rcent interi'tew published in the insoluble mess to some, but not to Fran­ title to adjoining property than to pay Suit Diego C man. cis C. Turner, recently named TJ. S. Di­ severance damages for the adjoining land. rector of Public Roads. Another part involves making use of Mr. Turner has solutions both to ease the acquired land for more than just the the stranglehold of rush hour traffic and highway. Town Created In the headaches from dislocated homes and Thus, often the freeway can either be business establishments from new ur­ elevated or depressed, and, underneath ban freeways. or overhead, or immediately adjoining, is Munich Square The man who has made a lifetime space for apartments, community build­ The "Stachus" square in Munich, Ger­ career out of serving with the TJ. S. fed­ ings, churches and business establish­ many, which is officially called Karls- eral road program told a recent inter­ ments. platz, is used every day by 170,000 viewer from World Highways that ex­ vehicles and 500,000 pedestrians. citing progress is being made in solving Better Surroundings Provided Confronted with the rapid traffic evolu­ urban highway problems. Thus, dislocation has given way to ac­ tion in Munich, which is expected to The problem is what to do about the commodation to the dispossessed, often increase even more during the Olympic heavily increasing traffic that is choking in better surroundings and to more peo­ Games of 1972, the municipality recently the streets of the nation's major cities. ple. decided to build a small town of six floors Building freeways is one of the solu­ With understandable pride, Public with shops and garages under this tions, but that brings attendant prob­ Roads Director Turner tells of the long square. lems of what to do about the serious negotiations that went into the recent The first floor will contain the shops dislocations caused by the need for more approval by his bureau of an arrange­ and will be reserved for pedestrians. space to build express highways. ment in downtown Washington, D. C. The second floor will contain the ware- Avoiding Dislocation Attacked whereby a freeway will run for lVs miles buses and the railway booking-offices. under a handsome community develop­ The third floor will comprise railway Although there is no easy answer, ment, complete with churches, stores, stations and a certain number of gar­ there are ways to reduce the cost of apartments and parks. ages, while the fourth floor will be expanding urban highways and at the same time minimize the dislocation. Mr. Turner said the Bureau has given 'ransformed into a large garage with the green light to the District of Co­ 800 parking places. The TJ. S. Bureau of Public Roads has lumbia to go ahead with the project. It In the fourth floor the interchange be­ made an intensive" study of the so-called will represent a milestone in U. S. high­ tween the railway and the underground "multiple use" or "joint development" way development and is expected to be will take place, the latter of which will concept. The study is beginning to pay the foundation for many other such proj­ utilize the fifth and sixth floors. off. ects in urban areas in the future. A part of this concept involves the willingness of expressway highway plan­ Building express highways in the heart In January, a new motorway between ners to acquire larger than usual rights of cities is not the only solution to ur­ Rome and Civitavecchia, Italy, was of way. The economic theory behind this ban traffic congestion. opened to traffic. is that after the bare essential width is (Continued on page fi) 6 IN TEE* NATIONAL ROAD FEDERATION CITY TRAFFIC . Turner Speeches Outline Progress Achieved (Continued from page 5) TOPICS Launched By Bureau In Halt-Century of U. S. Highway Progress Public Roads Chief Turner is also In the half-century since the U. S. fed­ build safety inr,o the new highways £iid proud of what goes by the code name of eral-aid highway program began, it has to remove the accident hazards which TOPICS, start for Traffic Operations to paid a "nultitude of economic and social exist on the 3ld ones It has become a Increase Capacity and Safety. benefits to the America people, and has cliche to say that onr name accident awl This is a era gram designed to speed played an important role in our conn- death toll have become a national the flow of traffic along,- presently avail­ try's well-being." --grace, a modern American tragedy # able streets by increasing their carrying So said Francis C. Turner, recently awesome dimensions. It is all of that capability. named U. S. Director of Public Roads, and more too. Mr. Turner singled out as an -example in a speech in Atlanta, Georgia in May. "While highway accidents and dean* of what might be done along this line by before the Southern Regional High­ stem from many causes, it is cleaxly wn citing Connecticut Avenue in Washing­ way Policy Committee of the Council of responsibility as highway engineers u. ton, D. C, the famous arterial street State Governments. provide the safest, most- foolproof ridag from Wai-hmg"E:mJ3 suburbs in the north­ Mr. Turner ^dded: surface and roadway that is possible west to the "heart of the city. "I am thoroughly convinced this would within our money availability. To do any Connecticut Avenue, he explained, has not have been possible without the co­ less is an abdication of our resuortsibil- a sufficiently wide pavement to enjoy the operative federal-state partnership which !xy."—WASHO Speech, Sun Valley, amissions of a freeway. But because of recognizes that each level of government the many cross streets and traffic lights, has a vital stake in providing our coun­ On multiple-use development program; of highways in urban areas: Connecticut Avenue beeoiY.es a traffic try with the highway transportation it headache during the morning and eve­ must have." "The Bureau of Public Roads has de- ning rush hours. Herewith are other excerpts from that •valo^ed a concept- for the joirrc co3pera' But if, Mr. Turner .suggested, Connec­ and other recent public remarks of U. S. tire development of urban freeways ticut Avenue could be operated much as Puiuc .Roads Director Turner: simultaneously with provision for ff&ir a free-way during the rush hours—with On the safety of the 41.000-mile (65,- needed urban accommodations. green lights on continually for its traf­ 983 km) U. S. Interstate System of high- ''This is a program that could stimu­ fic and red lights the same for the cross ways: late other local programs by which the traffic—the congestion for the arterial "Because of its bujit-in safety fea­ city can meet some of its needs for bator traffic on the femous avenue would be tures, the Interstate System is 2 to iVz housing, parV:?,, playgrounds, open spaw, solved.

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