A persistent resident of Upper Northwest convinced the city to study interactions between pedestrians and automobile traffic on Connecticut Avenue near her Chevy Chase Circle home. Their solution was something called “Safe Steps,” where the city provides bright orange flags to pedestrians to use to signal to motorists.

The Washington Post reporter found at least one pedestrian whose flagging was ignored by a “company van” which refused to yield. However, this new attention to pedestrians may result in more substantive changes:

D.C. Council Member Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4) has introduced legislation that would require drivers to come to a complete stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk and would levy a fine of $100 for failure to do so.

Now, motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Fenty said he expects the council to change the law by the end of the year.

DCist supports such a law and would like city officials to install more upright crosswalk markers to subtly remind motorists about pedestrian rights-of-way.