Webinar Features Montgomery County's Pedestrian Safety Program

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership in the Greater Washington region hosted a webinar on June 5 about Montgomery County’s approach to improving pedestrian safety. Speakers shared data detailing the results of the program and discussed engineering, education and enforcement efforts that are reducing the severity of pedestrian collisions and the number of collisions in targeted, high risk areas. 

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett released a strategic plan in December 2007 to improve pedestrian safety that uses a multifaceted approach. Speakers discussed the use of data to guide program priorities; the role of road audits and targeted infrastructure improvements; pairing education with engineering and enforcement; successes in the Safe Routes to School program; and the integral role of law enforcement. 

The Safe Routes to School Greater Washington region is a partnership of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Click below to view the Webinar:

Montgomery County Council Supports Pedestrian and Bike Safety Efforts in Approved FY 2014 Budget

On May 23, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a $4.8 billion County total operating budget for Fiscal Year 2014. The budget, which reflects a 4.1 percent increase over the approved budget for FY 2013, “continues to invest in our economic and social infrastructure,” said Council President Nancy Navarro. 

Included in the budget are several items that will improve pedestrian and bike safety throughout the County, including:

•         Approved additional  $250,000 for bikeway/bike lane marking and bike trail maintenance
•         Approved additional  $200,000 for traffic signal optimization
•         Approved additional $50,000 for pedestrian safety education program on parking lot safety
•         Approved additional  $100,000 to develop a pedestrian safety education program for Montgomery County High Schools

The County’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP) saw approval of several adjustments for Fiscal Years 2013-18that  included pedestrian-oriented projects.  The Council accelerated more than $17 million for street resurfacing and sidewalk repairs.  The Council also kept on track funding for the Capital Crescent Trail and Bethesda South Entrance.

The FY14 operating budget, and adjustments to the Fiscal Years 2013-18 six-year Capital Improvements Program, will go into effect on July 1. For more information on the Budget, click here.  

Progress on Pedestrian Safety Noted at County Stat Review

An analysis at a May 8, 2013 CountyStat review of Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett's Pedestrian Safety Initiative showed that County efforts to improve pedestrian safety are having a positive effect. In 2012, the most sever collisions resulting in debilitating injury (Level 4) or death (Level 5) decreased by 20 percent and fatalities dropped to an all-time low of .6 per 100,000 people. This fatality rate is one of the lowest in the nation according to 2011 national data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The reductions in collisions are most notable in areas around schools improved in the Safe Routes to School program, the County's High Incidence Areas (locations targeted as having the highest density of collisions) and locations where traffic calming measures have been completed. 

Other program trends noted in the CountyStat review included:

• An 85% reduction in collisions for Safe Routes to School
• A 37% reduction in pedestrian collisions in the County's High Incidence Areas
• An increase in the number of pedestrian collisions where drivers are at fault
• A 29% increase in pedestrian collisions countywide from 2011 to 2012, primarily attributable to parking lot collisions
• 29% of the pedestrian collisions in 2012 occurred in parking lots 

Montgomery County is committed to achieving data-driven results to reduce the frequency and severity of pedestrian collisions. These periodic reviews have become a critical and valuable part of implementing the County Executive's Pedestrian Safety Initiative. By reviewing data and information from the program, the County works to assure that effective strategies are being employed to improve pedestrian safety. Information evaluated in these reviews provides vital direction on how best to target activities that are reducing the number of pedestrian collisions in the County. A press release has been issued on the conclusions of this most recent CountyStat survey. 


Click below to view the presentation:

Previous CountyStat Review Presentations can be seen on the County’s CountyStat web site. 

Montgomery County Police to Focus Enforcement Efforts on Pedestrian Safety

During the months of April and May, the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) will be focusing enforcement efforts on pedestrian safety. MCPD will be conducting a number of operations at locations with marked crosswalks and areas that have been identified as pedestrian High Incidence Areas (HIAs) -- areas with more pedestrian collisions. Police will be issuing citations to both drivers and pedestrians who are breaking the law.

Particular attention will be paid to the following HIAs:

· Connecticut Avenue between Independence Street and Georgia Avenue (Aspen Hill)

· Randolph Road between Selfridge Road and Colie Drive (Wheaton)

· Four Corners (Silver Spring)

· Rockville Pike between Halpine Drive and Hubbard Road (Rockville)

· Piney Branch Road between Flower Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue (Silver Spring)

In addition to these HIAs, MCPD will focus pedestrian enforcement actions on other crosswalk locations around the County where driver compliance with pedestrian safety laws has been an issue, including:

· Veirs Mill Road at Turkey Branch Parkway (Aspen Hill)

· Bel Pre Road between Georgia Avenue and Layhill Road (Aspen Hill)

· Democracy Boulevard between Old Georgetown Road and Bells Mill Road (Bethesda)

· Arlington Road between Elm Street and Old Georgetown Road (Bethesda)

· Muddy Branch Road between Suffield Drive and Diamondback Drive (Gaithersburg)

· Aircraft Drive between Century Boulevard and Germantown Road at the Germantown Transit Center (Germantown)

· Middlebrook Road at Great Seneca Highway (Germantown)

· Lost Knife Road between Odendhal Ave and Contour Rd at the Lake Forest Transit Center (Montgomery Village)

· Wooton Parkway near Wooton High School (Rockville)

· Spring Street at First Avenue (Silver Spring)

· University Boulevard at Reedie Drive (Wheaton - Glenmont)

· Randolph Road at Livingston Street (Wheaton – Glenmont)

· Randolph Road at Bluhill Road (Wheaton – Glenmont)

In Montgomery County, more than 400 pedestrians are struck by vehicles each year. Many of these collisions could be avoided if drivers and pedestrians obeyed the law and were more aware.

The Montgomery County Police Department takes a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of pedestrians. The department’s Traffic Unit routinely conducts pedestrian safety operations throughout the County to enforce traffic laws. The SafeSpeed and red light camera programs serve to improve the safety of pedestrians by slowing down traffic and reducing the number of vehicles running red lights.  

Drivers and pedestrians have equal responsibilities in reducing pedestrian-involved collisions. Drivers should take extra caution when approaching crosswalks. Look for pedestrians near the crosswalk and prepare to yield when they enter the crosswalk. When driving in a residential area, or near a school zone, scan ahead for pedestrian traffic, especially for children, who may suddenly run out into the roadway. Extra caution should apply in the evening hours. Pedestrians should always use designated crosswalks when crossing a busy roadway. Assume that drivers can’t see you until you have made eye contact. Once in the crosswalk continue to scan for traffic in each lane of traffic. When in doubt, yield to vehicle traffic -- pedestrians are the ones who are injured in a collision.

To see press articles on the pedestrian enforcement efforts, click below:
Wheaton Patch, Article 1
Wheaton Patch, Article 2
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch
To see more pedestrian and driver Safety Tips, visit MCDOT's Pedestrian Safety website. 

Construction Begins on MacArthur Boulevard Bikeway Improvements

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Engineering has begun work on bikeway improvements along 13,800 linear feet of MacArthur Boulevard. This is known as Segment 2 of improvements along this bikeway corridor. Segment 2 extends from the Beltway/I-495 to Oberlin Avenue.
The contractor, Fort Myer Construction, has been on site since mid April but has now begun actual construction work.
This project is part of the Capital Improvements Program and is designated as project number 500718-2. For budget information on this or other CIP projects, visit the Office of Management and Budget's website. For more information on this and other transportation-related construction projects, visit the Division of Transportation Engineering's website.

Recent Research on the Dangers of Distracted Driving

Some recent studies on the dangers of distracted driving:
More adults text while driving
Source: USA Today, March 28, 2013
Forget teenagers. Adults are the biggest texting-while-driving problem in the U.S. What's worse — they know it's wrong. Almost half of all adults admit to texting while driving in a survey by AT&T compared with 43% of teenagers. More than 98% of adults — almost all of them — admit they know it's wrong. Six in 10 say they weren't doing it three years ago. This follows an extensive national campaign against distracted driving: 39 states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving for all drivers, and an additional five states prohibit the practice for new drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The AT&T survey follows a study this month from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found 31% of drivers in the U.S. reported texting or e-mailing while driving. To see the full article, go to: www.usatoday.com/.
Do texting bans really prevent fatal accidents?
Source: The Atlantic Cities, March 27, 2013
The psychological evidence is quite clear: using a cell phone while you're driving is distracting. Conversing with someone on the phone imposes a cognitive strain that makes it harder for the brain to concentrate on other tasks. Hands-free systems keep drivers eyes on the road, but they don't do much to reduce their level of distraction. No matter how you cut it, the case for banning drivers from using mobile phones is a strong one. What's less clear is whether or not these bans actually reduce collisions. Given that mobile technology is fairly new, the question hasn't received much empirical attention. One study to look at texting bans in four states, back in 2010, actually found that crashes increased in those states, compared to neighboring states without the bans — perhaps because drivers tried to hide their phones while texting, making the act even more dangerous. To see the full article, go to: www.theatlanticcities.com/.
Kids one of the worst distractions while driving, study suggests Source: 680 News (Canada), March 20, 2013
Distracted driving campaigns usually center around eating, texting and talking behind the wheel — but what about your young passengers? An Australian study says children may be taking your eyes off the road the most. Pulling squabbling siblings apart, calming fussy babies and even picking up dropped toys are taking parents' eyes away from the road, the study suggests. According to the study, children are 12 times more distracting to drivers than cellphones, with the average parent taking their eyes off the road for three minutes and 22 seconds during a 16-minute trip. The Canadian Automobile Association said statistics in Ontario show children are four times more distracting than cellphones. To see the full article, go to: www.680news.com/.
(Source for these abstracts: Network of Employers for Traffic Safety newsletter, April 15, 2013)

A Coordinated Approach to Pedestrian Safety Education and Enforcement Efforts Kick-Off at Seneca Valley High School




Jeff Dunckel (MCDOT) and Captain Thomas Didone (MCPD) address students at Seneca Valley High School about pedestrian safe

The morning of April 11 marked the beginning of a pedestrian safety education and enforcement campaign at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown.  The campaign kicked off with a student assembly featuring Seneca Valley High School Principal Marc Cohen, Montgomery County Police Captain Thomas Didone, and Montgomery County Department of Transportation's Pedestrian Safety Coordinator Jeff Dunckel.  Mrs. Gwendolyn Ward, mother of Christina Morris-Ward, a 15-year old Seneca Valley student who was tragically killed crossing Germantown Road this past Halloween morning, also spoke to the crowd of more than 1,200 high school students about the potentially life-threatening consequences of not obeying pedestrian safety laws.  The assembly also featured a 10-minute Public Safety Announcement produced by students at the high school, which highlighted the importance of being a safe pedestrian and driver.
Over the next week and a half a team of pedestrian safety Champions, comprised of parents and members of the community, as well as representatives from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, will be out on the streets talking to the high school students about crossing safely and handing out reflective materials.  The Champions will remind pedestrians to practice the following safe behaviors:
  Cross the street at marked crosswalks and intersections

· Look left, right, left, and over their shoulder for turning vehicles when crossing the street

· Begin crossing the street on the "walk" signal

· Stay visible after dark

· Make eye contact with drivers

· Stop texting and talking on the cell and remove earphones

If you would like to partcipate as a Champion in this campaign, please contact Joana Conklin: Joana.Conklin@montgomerycountymd.gov. 
Following the education campaign, police will be out on the streets around the high school issuing citations to pedestrians and drivers who do not obey the law.  Pedestrians will be fined $50 for crossing outside of a crosswalk if both adjacent intersections have traffic signals, or starting to cross at a signalized intersection if the pedestrian signal is red or flashing red.  Drivers will be fined $80 for not yielding to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.  The purpose of the education and enforcement campaign is to inform the students about crossing safely so that future tragedies can be avoided.  The campaign will encourage students to BE SAFE, BE SEEN, and BE STREET SMART.
Read aticles on the Seneca Valley HS Pedestrian Safety Campaign:
WJLA
Germantown Patch

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Station 22 Distributing Pedestrian Safety Materials to Seneca Valley High School Students

Seneca Valley High School Principal Marc Cohen with Derrick Gilliam (MCPS Security) and pedestrian safety Champions Ellyn Terry and Ruthanne Stoltzfus