THE SCIENCE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC REGULATION 1.899-1920 WILLIAM PHELPS ENO F.,.,,rIv Ch.ir... of the Citi eis Street Taffi' C.m.itt" of New York City, H.n.,ary President of thl, HiZllw.y Traffi,, Ass.6ati.n of the State of N- Yrk, Chaim- of th Adis.ry C..mfitt- for tile Hizhway, Tansp.rt C..mitte of tile U. S. C .... il f N.ti... I D6-,e -d Chai-al, of th Local C.mmittl,c for the Distil,t of C.Iu.bi. of tile Higima s Transport C.Mmitte,, of tile U. S. C.u.cil f Nath,,,al Mensl,' Et, It can be set down as a traffc axionz that jainifiarity by the Public with the General Highwa-v Traffe Regulations is the Ke-v to & ctive and economical traffc management. There I.S no substitute. It is easy to control a trained arrive,, but next to impossible to regulate a inob. BRENTANO'S '"TASHINGTON NEW YORK PARIS April 1920 An annua] pnrade of Hie Mounted Traffic Sqimcl of New Yuri;. Copyright 1920, by WILLIAM PHELPS ENO PRESS OF BYRON S. ADAMS. WASHINGTON, D. C. TO THE MEMORY OF MY FRIEND gailtmanb lurtfilligton %jutitnalt Major and Superintendent of Police of the District of Columbia 1915-1920 A man of the highest ideals who was cut off by untimely death in the midst of usefulness and in the prime of life I DEDICATE THIS BOOK AS DIRECTOR AND ORGANIZER OF THE HOME DEFENSE LEAGUE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA It was my privilege to serve under Major Pullman, as the head of the I.eague, a second line of Police De­ fense, during the Great World War, 1917 -1920 WM. PHELps ENO CONTENTS Page Part I-General Highway Traffic Regulation I Chap. I-A Standard Traffic Act .............................................. I 2-The Code of General Highway Traffic Regulations...................... 2 (Necessity for Standardization. The Secret of successful traffic Begulations is in Educating the Public in the Regulations which they are expected to follow.) Part II-Traffic Guides 10 (Newt in importance to familiarity with the Regulations by the Public are the Lines, Signs, Standards, Bwntpers, Dummy Cops, Semaphores, Crows- nests, Lights etc., which can be economically and should be extensively employed to guide the activities of both pesdestrians and drivers.) Chap. I- L ines .............................................................. 10 2- Signs .............................................................. 10 3-Waffic Standards ............................................... ... 1.3 4-Traffic Bumpers or -Mushroortis......................................... 14 5-Dummy Cops ....................................................... 14 6-Semaphores ......................................................... 15 7-Traffic Crownsnests ................................................. 1.6 8-Traffic Regulation Lights ................. .......................... 19 PART III-The Role of the Police in Traffic Management 20 Chap. 1-Police Duties in Regulating Traffic .................................... 20 2-Traffic Branch of a Police Department................................. 21 3-Traffie Courts ....................................................... 22 4-Police Horses, Equipment and Uniforms ............................... 22 Part IV-Special Highway Traffic Regulation 25 (Special Ki 'gliway Traffic Regulation is that vhich is brought about by the application of certain, prineiples to the control of vehicles and pedes­ trimis on the highway.) Chap. I-The ]Block System ................................................... 25 2-The Rotary or Gyratory Traffic Systein ................................ 26 The most important invention in relation to traffic problems so far made. 3-One-Way Traffic Streets ............................................. 39 4-Elimination. of the Left-Hand Turn ................................... 43 5-Segregated Traffic .................................................. 45 6-Ranking and Parking ......................... ..................... 46 7-Cab, Hack, Truck and Sight Seeing Vehicle Stands .................... 49 S-Street Car and Bus Stops ........ :. - ................................. 49 9-Regulation of Vehicles at Large Gatherings, such as the Theaters, Opera and B alls ....................... ................................. 51 Part V-Highways and Their Principal Component Parts Page Chap. I- R oadways .......................................................... 5.5 2- Sidewalks ........................................................... 56 3- Crosswalks .......................................................... 56 Part VI-Zones of Safety and other Restricted Zones 58i Part VII-Minor Physical Changes to Assist the Movement of Traffic O Clint). I-Cutting Back Corners ......................... ..................... 60 2-Changes in Curl) Lines and Car Tracks ................................ 6 0 Part VIII-Major Physical Changes to Assist the Movement of Traffic 62 Chap. I.-Wideniug Roadways, including Arcading of Sidewalks ................. 62 2- N ew Streets ........................................................ 63 3-Plan of City where no Three Streets Cross at the Same Point .......... 63 4-Plan for Cutting through Blocks for Cit'v Railwa 'vs .................... 6.5 5-Plan Suggested for Greater Central Rqilwa.v Station above Harlem River, Utilizing the Subway undei- Ri-oadwaN , Fourth and Park Avenues for a. F eedei. .......................................................... 66 6-Corkscrew Railway connecting botli Rivers through East and West ...... 66 Part IX-Miscellaneous Articles on and Connected with Traffic 67 Cliap. I-Einergency Traffic Repair Vehicles .................................... 67 2- P arades ...................................................... ...... (37 3-Trees on Highways .................................................. 67 4-Higbwa.v Traffic Engineering as a Profession........................... 68 5-Tlie R61e of Traffic Regulation in the Reconstruction in France .......... 69 6-Traffic Regulations and-Their Value. (Reprint front "Good Roads," F ebruary, 1919.) .................................................. 70 7-Stiggestions for Snow Removal and Managentent .................... 73 Part X-Historical 71 Part XI-Letters, etc., of Endorsement 83 Part XII-List of Books, Pamphlets, Articles and Addresses on Highway Traffic Regulation, (A) by the Author, (B) by others 97 Plan for Distribution 1(0 FOREWORD "Street Traffic Regulation," the first book on the subject, published in 1909-nine years after actual work was begun and-six fears after the General Police Traffic Regulation-, were officially adopted in New York-led to immedi­ ate international interest on account of what thev had accomplished in this country. - In the autumn of the same year the work was well started in Paris, but unforseen interference necessitated a return in 1910 and a-ain in 1912, when "Le Probl me de la Circulation" was issued in the French language, 10,200 copies being distributed to officials and drivers. This book put the matter in simple and concrete form, resulting in the Regulations being officially adopted in Paris on July 10, 1.912, followed by practically all of the recoin­ mendations contained in the book being put into effect. In 1913-14, it was very generally reported that Traffic Regulation was better in Paris than in any city in the world. The war, unfortunately, lias largely undone what had been accomplished. This, however, can be easily and should be speedily remedied. The Council of National Defense, U. S. A.. through its Highways Trams- port Committee, has devoted itself duripg the past eighteen months towards ,'-e s ai,-Iardization of General Ilighway Traffic Regulations. "The Science of Highway Traffic Regulation" brings the subject up to date, and if its precepts are followed will result in much saving of life, time and money. I take this opporl unity to correct a rather connuon misapprehension in regard to what the French papers have seen fit to call "Le Syst6me Eno." This system consists primarily in the education of the public in the Regula­ tions which thev are expected to follow. It is because of this basic principle that the system has been successful -wherever -iven a fair trial. Secondarily, the system comprises the adoption of all. the plans, methods and principles contained in "The Science of Highway Traffic Regulation which will have accomplished its errand if it can drive its'lesson home. My sincere thanks are due to the nianv organizations, committees, indi­ viduals and publications which have -iven valuable assistance in the work. Without such help. success would not have been possible. April 3, 1920. PART I General Highway Traffic Regulations CHAPTERI A. STANDARD TRAFFic ACT The importance of Transportation war- tions for Drivers and Pedestrians" com­ rants the creation of a new department of piled for standardization and adopted by the United States Government under a Sec- the Highways Transport Committee of The retary of Transportation. The Department Council of National Defense, U. S. A., and should have three great subdivisions under approved by The National Highway Traffic the headings, Land, Water and Air, each Association. It should also contain ampli­ being under an Assistant Secretary. These fications of some of the provisions, as for- great subdivisions should again be sub- instance, that on Lights and Sound Signals, divided as follows: Land into Railways (11,Tote 2) -which should be more explicit in. and Highways; Water into Inland, Coast- the Act than is required in the brief Regula­ wise and Foreign; Air into such sub-divi- tions for distribution. sions as further experience may dictate. The Act should