STATE WILL FACE HARVARD SQUARE TRAFFIC PROBLEM

To move the subway rotunda out of the center of Harvard square entirely, to reduce it in size, or to do nothing at all, leave traffic problems unsolved, and save the people's money--these will be the three choices before the Committee on Street Railways of the Massachusetts legislature, when the question of Harvard square traffic congestion comes up for a hearing some time within the next two weeks. It is likely that the committee will reach a decision culminating a dispute which has raged ever since the construction of the rotunda fifteen years ago.

Mr. George Wright, president of the Harvard square Business Men's Association, has just filed a petition with the legislature calling for the replacement of the present rotunda by a new exit and entrance on the corner of Dunster street and Massachusetts avenue. This proposal is vigorously opposed by Representative Arthur F. Blanchard '04 of Cambridge, himself a member of the committee which will decide the matter. Mr. Blanchard is sponsor for the less expensive alternative of reducing the size of the station.

Opposed Removal of Structure

"A mess!" was Mr. Blanchard's pungent characterization of the Business Men's Association plan, when a CRIMSON reporter asked his opinion of it. "It leaves no suitable shelter from rain for people who are waiting for cars in the center of the square," he said. "And the proposed exit in front of the Cambridge Trust Co. building would allow no escalator, and only a narrow stairway. The underground structure furthermore is complicated, and people would have to go under the outward bound trains to reach the inward bound. There would also be conflicting lines of traffic in the corridors.

Would Cost $150,000

"Mr. Wright does not state the cost of such a change, but it would be close to $150,000. My plan would cost little more than $25,000. Those in favor of Mr. Wright's plan," he concluded, "are looking at the question through a microscope, in trying to solve it entirely at Harvard square. The congestion could be relieved much more easily by improving the streets from Porter to Kendall squares by way of Beacon street, and Hampshire street so that the northeast Arlington traffic would not need to go through the square at all." Mr. Wright, yesterday, declined to comment either in defense of his own plan or in criticism of Mr. Blanchard's.

Officer Murphy Makes Suggestion

Traffic-Officer Michael J. Murphy, however, offered a third plan costing nothing at all, when he was interviewed while he directed the surging lines of traffic which pour in on Harvard square from all points of the compass.

"It's the people themselves who make it dangerous here," he declared. "If only they would be careful and watch where they go, there would be less trouble. For example, I get all the cars stopped, and none of the pedestrians will look at me when I signal them to cross. And then when the cars get started, they all try to cross in every direction, and I have to wave around like a windmill to watch them." Mr. Murphy, however, admitted that the elimination of the rotunda would help matters.