Nominations for Worst Pedestrian Danger Zones

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Many of you responded to my request for dangerous locations for pedestrians [Dr. Gridlock, May 4].

The nominations span the region, but note the common elements described by the letter writers: busy streets flanked by popular destinations, wide roadways with no refuge for pedestrians, distracted walkers and drivers, commuter routes cutting through densely populated neighborhoods and illegal maneuvers by walkers and drivers.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

The letter from Philip Lalka [Dr. Gridlock, May 4] certainly pointed out the big problem of pedestrians flouting the crosswalk signs around the Discovery building in downtown Silver Spring, but it didn't tell the whole story.

The single-most dangerous intersection in my routine pedestrian wanderings is the Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road intersection adjacent to Discovery. The problem is that cars turning left from southbound Colesville to go south on Georgia toward the District routinely run the red light. I've seen half of the walk cycle taken up with cars running that light.

I don't feel safe crossing there anymore. The problem is at its worst on weekends, with shoppers heading from Colesville to park at the nearby Wayne Avenue garage.

Although pedestrians should not engage in unsafe behavior, to some extent they are pushed to do so by drivers breaking the rules. I'm convinced that if there were a police presence at that intersection, a lot more cars would get ticketed for running the red light than would pedestrians for disobeying their signals.

Similarly, Langley Park fosters poor pedestrian behavior in large part because the auto-friendly design of the area encourages cars to zoom heedlessly through intersections and provides few safe havens for those on foot.

Andrew Lindemann Malone

Silver Spring

More Signals Needed

Readers vary in their assessments of whether walkers or drivers are the primary culprits. Regional accident statistics divide the blame.

Almost every writer wanted tougher enforcement, but this next letter suggests a common engineering solution: traffic signals.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Quite a few places in the Washington area don't have traffic signals but do have lots of traffic. I'd like to point out two such spots that could use extra attention.

One is 22nd and I streets NW, where George Washington University's Ambulatory Care Center is opposite the vacant former GWU hospital site. A parking garage is on the southwest corner; opposite the Ambulatory Care Center, a townhouse is on the same lot as GWU's Benjamin Rome Hall academic building.

The second place lacking a traffic signal is North Moore Street and Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn, near the closed Tom Sarris Orleans House restaurant. This is near the Rosslyn Metro station.

Shep C. Willner

Arlington

Jaywalkers Abound

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I live near Landmark Mall. From North Ripley Street in West Alexandria to Old Town Alexandria, Duke Street is fraught with dangerous pedestrian behavior.

There are crosswalks in the block between North Ripley and Duke, and between South Reynolds Street and Duke, and yet pedestrians cross Duke between those crosswalks, in front of traffic. I have witnessed this behavior on almost every block of Duke. Pedestrians seem to prefer defying death to walking a few feet to a crosswalk at a stoplight.

Jaywalking plus speeding cars and driver inattention due to cellphone use are a recipe for disaster.

Another area where pedestrians risk getting hit by speeding cars is on the quarter-mile of South Reynolds Street between Duke Street and Edsall Road. Because of parked cars on either side of this two-lane street, the hilly terrain and speeding motorists, people darting out from between the parked cars are endangering themselves and others.

In addition, the intersection of South Reynolds and Duke has a gas station and convenience store on opposite corners. During commuting hours, there are backups here, and pedestrians crossing illegally between the cars waiting for the light make for a dangerous situation.

Judith Johnson

Alexandria

Distraction Dangers

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

One dangerous area for pedestrians is Wisconsin Avenue as it crosses from Chevy Chase into the District. Included in this area are the surrounding streets of Western Avenue, Military Road, Willard Avenue and Friendship Boulevard.

I can't tell you how many pedestrians I've seen come within inches of becoming a fatality statistic because neither the walker nor the driver was paying attention. The walkers appear to be looking the other way rather than at oncoming vehicles. I've even seen a father inch out a child in a stroller from behind parked cars.

I have twice come close to being hit, and I always cross with the light and in the crosswalk. One car backed to within five inches of me. The other incident involved an SUV driver who was on her cellphone and looking down as she ran a red light and made a turn.

Gloria D. Hacker

Chevy Chase

Traffic Tension

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I see driver-pedestrian competitions all too often. Despite well-marked crosswalks across Virginia Avenue near G Street NW, it is a real challenge to get a driver to stop for a pedestrian. I have seen motorcycle cops and police cruisers whiz right on by, too.

Such skirmishes also occur on 23rd Street NW at Columbia Plaza, where there is a constant flow of jaywalkers crossing mid-block to the shops there. This is a busy thoroughfare with multiple lanes of traffic in both directions.

Ray Sphar

Foggy Bottom

We'll talk more about such danger zones, so please continue to send in your nominations.

Dr. Gridlock appears Thursdays in the Extras and Sundays in the Metro section. Send e-mails todrgridlock@washpost.comor write to Dr. Gridlock at 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Include your name, community and phone numbers.