Show r f 1 Must Analyze And Count Vehicles To Effectively Control Street Traffic By the Albert Russel Runel Er Bureau for Street Traffic Research University of California Lo Los Angeles Angelel There aro few does cities that have more than the most elementary knowledge Of o the tha character or volume of ot traffic which flows through the th streetS This Is a marked contrast to the tho practice of ot even o the smallest railways of o the country country- Common carriers carriers base their schedules and methods of ot very care care- care lully luJ upon a study of ot traffic rev re requirements DEVELOP SYSTEM One of o the flut steps there there- therefore therefore therefore fore In n the development of o a systematic and ind modern system of ostreet street traffic control should be the collection and analysis of ot accurate facts regarding all an types of o street use The necessity and value of o the traffic survey surrey Is witnessed by the tact fact that such a study Is now being carried on In la New York City under the supervision of o the Russell Sage Foundation and In Chicago through the tho co cooperation of the city council and nd the Chi Chi- Chicago Chi Chicago cago of ot Commerce The need for an accurate traffic fic nc survey 1 Is just as Important In small cities clUes as In the larger ones An annual analysis Of o traffic re- re requirements requirements re requirements serves as an accurate basis not only for the drafting of suitable traffic regulations but bul al- al so EO as s a basis bula bail for planning Work street development and business location It will pay for Itself many limes times over jn lD these lages Incidental to traffic con con- control control trot CLASSIFY VEHICLES A traffic survey In a city elly of average a size should Include the followIng a count of ot all nil vehicles entering and leaving the city b by bythe bytho the principal highways Vehicles may be classified as passenger automobiles trucks horse horse- drawn vehicles street cars and motor busses The count should be kept by 15 15 minute Intervals durIng an a average day In order that the tho period of bea heaviest de de- demands demands demands mands may be ho determined In addition to the Iho count of ot traffic tic fic entering and leaving the city bY the principal highways the larger cities will rind find It useful to tomake tomake tomake make counts of or traffic entering tho central business district The amount of o parking in the ih prIncipal business district Is an factor In traffic con con- control control control and therefore a II study should be made or ot the number of cars and the average length of ol time they are aro parked STUDY SPEED ROUTE In the larger cities titles It will ot of course be necessary to makE more complicated studies Of ot the types of o traffic the tho movements of various Intersections the speed of vehicles on different routes and similar factors The survey suney of the street acci acci- accident accident dent situation Is one which should be carried on continuously There Is no city elty too small to find value In the keeping of accurate records regarding the location of ot causes or of street traffic accidents Forms and Instructions tor for this work can be obtained from the National Safety SafelY Council in Chicago The census of o vehicular traffic Is neither difficult nor costly In Inthe Inthe Inthe the smaller cities cilles It can easily be directed by some member of the engineering department and high school boys or ur members of the bo boy scouts can be used as observers ob- ob servers |