Traffic Big Brother

Motor traffic in U.S cities is rapidly going automatic, with electronic computers presiding over its flow. Latest system to go into operation is at Atlanta (pop. 470,000), where Ponce de Leon Avenue has a new-type, all-seeing Big Brother to do the thinking for its traffic cops.

Ponce de Leon Avenue is Atlanta's main thoroughfare from the east, and it carries heavy traffic during the rush hours. A time clock system has long been used to favor incoming movement in the morning and outgoing movement in the late afternoon, but unexpected bursts of traffic from the ballpark, churches and stores often jam the avenue. Designed to forestall such traffic emergencies, the new system, made by Eastern Industries, Inc., has proved remarkably successful.

At intervals along 1.9 miles of Ponce de Leon Avenue are rubber inserts in the pavement that respond to each vehicle passing over them. They report to a 2-by-3-ft. aluminum box packed with electronic equipment. The box is essentially an analogue computer whose electronic intelligence forms a detailed picture of traffic on the avenue. When the Atlanta Crackers' ball game ends, the computer knows it immediately from traffic flow, and tells secondary control boxes at the traffic lights to clear the way for homebound fans. The master control box allows for the side streets too, and does not hold up their traffic more than necessary. While doing all this, it jots down a record of the traffic and what was done to speed it.

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