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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Westwood Barnes Dance

Henry Barnes
As you enter UCLA from the south on Westwood Boulevard, you come across this pedestrian crossing in which all traffic lights turn red for cars and pedestrians can walk diagonally as well as straight across the street.  (There is another such crossing a few blocks away also in Westwood.)  The system is called a "Barnes Dance" after the traffic engineer who pushed for its use, Henry Barnes. 

Yours truly can remember when the Barnes Dance was introduced in New York City in the 1950s (where apparently now there is only one such intersection left).  In any event, a history of these traffic devices can be found at:
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/12/brief-history-barnes-dance/4189/

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