Press Release: Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Introduces Bill to Standardize Raised Crosswalks in DC
News Release — Ward 1 DC Council member Brianne Nadeau
For Immediate Release: December 13, 2021
Contact: Luz Martinez, Communications Director
WASHINGTON, DC To directly address an unabated crisis of pedestrian fatalities, especially among children, Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau has introduced the Walk Without Worry Amendment Act of 2021 to standardize the design and installation raised crosswalks and intersections in the District of Columbia. Councilmember Nadeau is joined by Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George, Mary Cheh, Elissa Silverman, Christina Henderson, Brooke Pinto, Charles Allen, Robert White, and Kenyan McDuffie. This includes all five members of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment.
The legislation amends the Priority Sidewalk Assurance Act of 2010 to require the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) approve standardized designs for continuous sidewalks, raised crosswalks, and raised intersections in DDOT’s Design and Engineering Manual (“DEM”) and the Standard Specifications for Highways and Structures. DDOT’s Design and Engineering Manual describes the agency’s procedures and standards for engineers and planners to develop projects to meet the District’s policies. The Standard Specifications for Highways and Structures are the specifications for all District Department of Transportation contracts awarded by the District.
“Raised crosswalks and intersections will, by design, slow drivers down. We know that these types of traffic calming measures make our streets safer, and we see them in some of the District’s more resourced neighborhoods where people have the time and ability to advocate for them. By creating a new standard, we will be taking a more proactive and equitable approach to pedestrian safety,” said Nadeau.
DDOT will be required to incorporate designs for continuous sidewalks, raised crosswalks, and raised intersections into the DEM within 180 days of the legislation’s enactment, ensuring that designs include navigation aids for pedestrians with visual impairments, and can be installed in a variety of circumstances. The bill then outlines where these treatments are considered as the default standard for example, a continuous sidewalk with level crossing for pedestrians should be installed where a local road intersects with a major arterial, to signal to drivers that they are entering a lower-speed area.
To aid in the swift implementation of the new standards, the legislation adheres closely to DDOT’s pre-existing systems. It instructs DDOT to require that the installation of continuous sidewalks, raised crosswalks, and raised intersections be incorporated into contracts for paving or resurfacing of streets and installation or reconstruction of sidewalks. “It’s not enough to continue flagging dangerous intersections every year and then waiting for the funds. We have to establish safe street designs as our standard,” added Nadeau.
As an enforcement mechanism and accountability measure, the legislation includes a reporting requirement. In its public annual paving plan, DDOT will need to disclose locations where the agency will not be installing one of the new standard treatments where they would otherwise be called for, and outline other safety measures being taken in those locations in lieu of the new standards.
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This is only a half-baked attempt at a “solution” to this “problem”. CM Nadeau is correct in that it’s “not enough to continue flagging dangerous intersections” – and she loves to flag and bring attention to things. Problem is really more widespread than just the few instances of child victims near schools these past weeks. Some of the recent instances were not nearby a school at all, so how would such an one-size-fit-all wide paintbrush fix this?
It wouldn’t. A more fully baked attempt would be more, and better enforcement by police of the traffic laws that exist instead of the non-response, the ignoring, looking the other way, the marginalizing of a minor infraction. Rogue drivers drive recklessly fearlessly because they know there is little – if any – consequences for them . . . even if caught after the fact. If drivers – all drivers – felt there was a real possibility that a police car might pull them over for some offense – speeding, red light running, no indicators, passing on traffic’s right, blocking streets/entrances/intersections/restricted zones, driving distracted cellphone in hand, running stop signs, all of which are supposedly not legal – then some may think twice or exercise more caution.
But cops don’t and won’t bother with traffic laws (which helps keep our insurance rates high as well) for whatever reasons. And those that think these revenue-minting cameras are going to be the solution for all bad driver ills (and silly-sized mountainous speed ‘bumps’ placed here and there til the cows come home) are deluded. You can’t put speed bumps and cameras every spot in a 10×10 mile district obviously and think problem solved. All school zones have signs saying this, that and some other, yet LOOK! drivers still don’t do right. Now how did that ever happen??
A traffic stop can ruin a person’s day – fines, delays, points, insurance hikes, undiscovered issues. Nobody likes that. That’s enough of a thought for any driver to give extra care and caution to any given decision made while driving along their merry way. Better and Expected Enforcement of Rules always makes more sense than New Rules.