Drivers, Pedestrians Call for Balance In Traffic Planning

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Ever try to turn a corner in the District at rush hour? Many times you simply can't! Why? Because pedestrians are streaming across the street throughout most of the time that the light is green.

How about having a special light for pedestrians, allowing them to cross any way they want during their turn -- east and west, north and south, or diagonally. But during the green light for cars, no pedestrians would be allowed to step off the curb.

This might require some adjustments to the pattern of lights so traffic doesn't simply back up quickly. But some computer whiz ought to be able to figure it out, and it seems to me it would be worth the effort to improve traffic flow for all concerned.

Alan D. Romberg Bethesda

It's called a Barnes Dance, after Henry A. Barnes, one of the great innovators in American traffic engineering and a traffic commissioner in Baltimore and New York during the 1950s and '60s. Barnes said he didn't invent what's also known as the pedestrian scramble; but he promoted its use early in his career, in Denver.

Longtime residents will remember it in our area. At some community meetings, George Branyan, the District's pedestrian safety coordinator, is asked about returning to pedestrian-only phases. Branyan says the technique might be useful at some intersections, where other measures aren't able to protect pedestrians. For one thing, it protects pedestrians against turning traffic.

But he notes that engineers question whether it's workable at high-volume intersections. One problem is human nature. Creating a green phase for all pedestrians also means that the "Don't Walk" phase is really long. People get impatient and cross when they think they can get away with it, impeding traffic as well as endangering pedestrians.

I saw plenty of that during the past week in downtown Silver Spring. The old bus and taxi hub is now fenced off for two years while the new transit center is built.