Street Report

Barnes changed the face of the streets of Baltimore. According to Tom Chalkley of the City Paper, "As Baltimore's traffic commissioner, Barnes rerouted not only Charles but also Calvert, St. Paul, and any number of lesser streets in the mid-'50s, upsetting centuries-old traditions in the process." (Source:City Paper). One of the first changes was creating one-way streets in Baltimore. According to Bill Cady of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, "His 172-page report identified a gamut of problems: the out-of-date master controller of traffic signals, "the lack of one-way streets, the free-for-all truck routes, the menacing monuments that cluttered up the avenues, the busses and cabs that operated as though they were fueled with high-octane Bourbon, and the pedestrians who just didn’t give a damn. But, worst of all, was the Baltimore Traffic Commission" whose meetings reminded him of "the Marx Brothers in 'A Night at the Opera'." And, of course, Baltimore still had streetcars, which, he said, he "didn't mind … except for the fact they ran on streets." (Source:Enoch Pratt Free Library)The first picture above is a picture of the Baltimore City Sign Shop "gearing up" for one way roads. In the photo is Henry Barnes and the sign shop supervisor (Photo Source:Time Magazine).

His report showed outdated and dangerous intersections with in Baltimore. An example would the second picture of Harford Road and Walther Boulevard (Photo Source:Enoch Pratt Free Library) According to the accompanying report, "This intersection has a wide expanse of open area, which permits uncontrolled vehicle paths thus creating a high accident potential." (Source:Enoch Pratt Free Library) The report also highlighted outdated equipement such as older signals pole mounted that are obscured or hard to see. An example would be Eager St. & Fallsway intersection pictured below. (Source:Enoch Pratt Free Library)