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Photo of the Day: November 27, 2009
The District Department of Transportation is hosting a city-wide public meeting tonight on the final draft of the District Draft Pedestrian Master Plan. If you still haven't had a gander at the plan itself, you can read it here.
The plan includes a mix of efforts, including things like restriping crosswalks, changing signal timings, installing more Rapid Flash Beacons, and other tactics that target 61 "high hazard" traffic intersections. Some of the dangerous intersections and crossings that will be targeted include Howard Road SE near the Anacostia Metro station, the area around Verizon Center in Chinatown, 14th and U streets NW, and Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue NE. With primary goals stated as being to reduce the number of pedestrians killed and injured in crashes with motor vehicles, and to increase pedestrian activity by making walking more attractive, the Pedestrian Master Plan will be implemented over the next 10 years at a cost of over $18 million.
The meeting will be held tonight at the UDC/Van Ness Campus, Building 46 East, 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Photo by Dan_DC
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Is anyone else curious why on earth they would hold the meeting at Van Ness rather than somewhere more accessible to the majority of DC residents - like, I dunno, downtown?
I've heard there's a library down there (you might know it, it was designed by some famous architect with a funny name) that's easily accessible via four Metro lines and a whole bunch of bus lines AND it has meeting rooms. Okay, I admit the meeting rooms are pretty dismal, but there have to be options that are more centrally located than Van Ness for Christ's sake.
esmerelda - this spot is literally right on top of a metro station. Believe it or not, there's a fair amoutn of people who live up that way. And maybe they even take attendance and determine where most people live that come to the meetings and then host things near them? Just saying :)
and FOR GODS SAKE PLEASE FIX THE INTERSECTION AT 18TH/U/FLORIDA! i fear for my life crossing 18th onto U street. And that intersection needs to severely change the time for the lights.
"increase pedestrian activity by making walking more attractive"
hehehe I can see the metro posters now.
Hot sexy late teens/early twenties white/asian woman slowly and sexily slipping on her walking shoes and winking at the camera like she has a secret.
"Walking is half the fun when you go downtown!"
It's only on top of the red line and it only has 2 crosstown bus routes (the H2 and the N8) that go anywhere near it - incredibly inconvenient for residents who live between Rock Creek Park and, say, North Capitol Street. It's also not very convenient for those who live more than about 1/4 mile west of the Metro stations on the red line. That's ALOT of people.
And yes, we could drive. But as someone who works in urban planning and has done public meetings in the District, we usually try to make sure a location is easily accessible by transit. And if it is the ONLY meeting you're going to have for a city-wide project, the general ideal is to choose a location that is as convenient as possible for the majority of the population.
Number one suggestion: Ban Maryland drivers from the streets.
I have an idea on how to improve pedestrian safety... enforce traffic laws. Yesterday at the corner of 17th and S NW, a red VW going east on S stopped at the intersection to let an old lady cross. A car pulled up behind the red VW, a BMW X5 with NC tags starting with AH7 (you know who you are), and instead of waiting just went around the stopped car, almost hitting the lady in the crosswalk (as well as another car going down 17th). If that BMW hadn't slammed on the gas and taken off down S, I would've totally written down the rest of the license plate and called the cops.
It was another one of those moments when I wish were Samantha from Bewitched and could blow out the guy's tires.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they also already have a series of ward meetings about this?
I think those 10,000 watt Strobe Flash Beacons would really improve crosswalks. It gives pedestrians that retro disco look.
I know this is going to get at least one 'yes' vote. Construct connecting rope bridges above every intersection, manned by trained monkeys with laser guns who will take aim at driving, walking, AND cycling traffic offenders. Problem solved, plus we get all those unemployed simians off the government dole. It's a win-win situation.
I wish they would repaint the cross walks at the intersections that they paved over prior to the Pope's visit...like the intersection of 17th and Penn NW.
ces12 - They're already working on it, or at least thinking about it.
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=898
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they also already have a series of ward meetings about this?
You are correct. Or at least partly. There were definitely ward meetings. I don't recall if they were specifically about the report or to help with its preparation. But the Post article about the report last month mentions the ward meetings and/or safety workshops in recent months.
Oh and thank God they're looking at 18th and U. That intersection is messed up in so many ways I can't keep track.
See, I read the words "Pedestrian Master Plan" and I thought, "OMG, they really ARE out to get all of the pedestrians!"
But then again, maybe I've just been in DC and hearing about "The Plan" for way too long now.
My recommendation: cite, ticket, and revoke the licenses of idiots who threaten or strike pedetrians.
"My recommendation: cite, ticket, and revoke the licenses of idiots who threaten or strike pedetrians."
Agreed, but only if we cite, ticket, and fine the idiots that stroll out into the middle of traffic. Out of control pedestrians are just as big a problem as out of control drivers. Triple the fine if the pedestrian is on a cell phone.
As for having the meeting in the downtown library..... silly folks, don't you know that you can't plan meetings there, as it interrupts the sleeping and defecation habits of the transients that live in the library...