Vision Zero on the Streets of D.C.

Bike and pedestrian deaths have been on the rise in D.C. despite a Vision Zero commitment. New legislation will pave the way for new infrastructure and safety improvements.

1 minute read

September 25, 2020, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Washington D.C.

District Department of Transportation / Twitter

"The D.C. Council on Tuesday approved a package of sweeping road-safety measures aimed at cutting the growing number of traffic injuries and fatalities in the nation's capital," reports Luz Lazo. 

Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), sponsored the Vision Zero omnibus bill, is paraphrased in the article that the legislation will "overhaul the city's approach to reducing traffic deaths, targeting critical infrastructure improvements and stepped-up enforcement," according Lazo. "It also aims to address transportation equity concerns, setting procedures to identify high-risk intersections and areas where access to transit needs improvement."

In terms of tangible deliverables, the legislation "bans right-on-red turns at locations with heavy pedestrian traffic, requires sidewalks be installed on both sides of a street, and establishes hefty penalties — up to $16,000 daily — for contractors that fail to install sidewalks, bicycle lanes and marked crosswalks after completing work."

Tuesday, September 22, 2020 in The Washington Post

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