Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1926-08-15 | Page 10 | Automatic Traffic Signal is Great Development in Control of Vehicles

Automatic Traffic Signal Signa Is Great Development In Control of Vehicles ST ay Albert RUS ErskIne Bureau for Street Traffic Research I UniversIty of ot California Los Angeles The most striking change In street traffic control In the past pastI I few development years year ean has hu been the develop develop- ment and wide adoption of auto auto- automatic automatic matic matlo signals The asi In tn congestion the rising number of ot accidents accident and the heavier demand placed upon the police pollee departments have caused cities large and small to Install signal devices This automatic method or regu- regu lation regulation regu has a very Important part to ItIs Itts play In traffic control and It ts Is desirable that commIttees should thoroughly understand under tand the utility and limitation ot of o this meth moth method method od 04 before they make mako costly in- in installations in installations A good food traffic sIgnal Bignal Is valuable valuable valuable able for tor a a number of ot reasons In the first place It Is always alwa's on dut duty Properly regulated It does not depend upon the con con- continued continued con continued presence of ot an officer In Inthe Inthe the second place It gives when hen properly designed a a clear ite signal al In which there Is less danger danier of confusIon contusion than In the direction ot of o many officers An added advantage of uniformity Is Isto isto Isto to be found when all of the devIces Installed In a a city are of Identical design A third benefit and one of importance In both large And small cities titles Is that a signal In- In Installation In Installation reduces the demand up- up upon upon up upon on tho the personnel of the tho police pollee department and provides a more economical method of regulation Many Intersections can be con con- controlled controlled con controlled trolled exclusively by these auto auto- automatic matic matto devices device They always give an officer on duty dUh- greater freater free free- freedom freedom freedom dom for tor services other than those directly connected with the stop stop- stoppIng stopping stop pine pIng and operating of traffic Notwithstanding the merits of good traffic signals It should be noted that they have their limita limita- limitations limitations lions They are In no sense a panacea for street traffic difficulties difficulties nor can they ever be expected ex- ex expected ex expected to make mako personal super super- supervIsIon supervision supervision vision of traffic by officers en- en entirely entirely en entirely unnecessary Signaling devices de may be moro more