Is This the Most Useless Crosswalk Ever?

The Transportation Planner posts about an inexplicable crosswalk at a highway interchange located in McLean, VA, a suburb of Washington, DC.

1 minute read

January 19, 2014, 1:00 PM PST

By Michael Rodriguez @http://www.twitter.com/transpoplanner


Bad crosswalk

Michael Rodriguez / The Transportation Planner

This crosswalk appears to connect nothing to nothing, and is an example of "bad pedestrian design of the worst sort," writes Michael Rodriguez. Planners need to be weary of these types of crosswalks because they communicate that planners don't care about pedestrians, potentially placing "token" crosswalks that don't really do any good for pedestrian infrastructure. "It speaks to horrible planning, to bad design, and just a general insult to pedestrian infrastructure," he adds. At worse, this crosswalk is potentially dangerous as it invites pedestrians to walk across a highway interchange. 

Friday, January 17, 2014 in The Transportation Planner

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

2 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

15 minutes ago - Streetsblog USA

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

1 hour ago - Next City

View of passengers on transit bus at night.

Opinion: Transit Agencies Must View Service Cuts as Last Resort

Reducing service could cripple transit systems by pushing more riders to consider car ownership, making future recovery even less certain.

3 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab