Transit on Thursday: Techno Geek
According to D.C. officials, about 700 pedestrians a year are hit by cars in the District, which factors out to about two a day. Wikipedia says there are currently about 580,000 of us living here, so that means the next time you step outside your door you have about a 1 in 83,000 chance of getting hit by that idiot who always runs the red light down the block.
Given those rather grim odds, we were excited to learn via WTOP that DDOT is moving forward with its pedestrian master plan.
This plan aims to coordinate a series of safety proposals including new signals, completed sidewalks and a focus on what the department calls “priority study areas” to protect us from being the next victims.
Photo by DottieboBottie
Fantastic.
We are geeks for technology here at Transit on Thursdays, so we’d be lying if we said this business doesn’t intrigue us. According to WTOP, at least two new types of pedestrian oriented signals could be in the works, including a system that would allow the person walking to stop traffic.
Do you feel the power yet?
Look for further updates from DDOT on their progress in the coming months. They say they will have a final plan ready sometime between this coming December and February.
HOT enough for you?
Speaking of transit technology, The Post reports on a plan officials are contemplating for regulating the area’s planned HOT lanes.
Now the beauty of these high occupancy toll lanes, at least in theory, is that true carpoolers can avoid congestion for free while those of who us who hate traffic but have lots of money can buy our way around.
But to make that work, officials are going to need a way to regulate commuters without stopping every car to look for cheaters. The answer? Infrared scanners that count heads in cars by bouncing light off skin and then notify waiting patrol officers when someone cheats.
The questions surrounding this system are many. How much would this technology cost the region? What about the costs associated with standby law enforcement officers? Privacy advocates already aren't keen on the area’s red light, speeding and law enforcement cameras –- are what basically boils down to infrared head-counters any better?
Go forth and discuss.
Holidays and annoying road closures
Metro plans to operate on a modified holiday schedule Monday in honor of Columbus Day, in an apparent total disregard to the fact that many of us will be chained to our desks anyway.
This means that trains will run at the same time intervals as on a Saturday, with stations opening at 5 a.m. as usual. Parking at stations will, however, be free, and Metrobus and MetroAccess will continue to operate as normal.
Meanwhile, the Army 10-Miler will screw driving up royally Sunday morning. For details on road closures, visit The Post.
As for track work:
Just like last weekend, Red Line trains will share a track between Ft. Totten and Takoma stations thanks to track maintenance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Add up to 20 minutes of travel time to your trip.
Delays yet again this weekend on the Green Line thanks to continued new railcar testing. Trains will single track between Greenbelt and College Park from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. You should add 10 to 15 minutes of time to your trip.