These examples are specific to Washington, D.C., but many of the facts listed in this article will apply elsewhere, too.
Mitch Wander did a little digging into the world of crosswalks, discovering that there is a lot to learn and now about these features of public life. After a conversation with District Department of Transportation Communications Specialist, Michelle Phipps-Evans, Wander was able to make a list of ten items of crosswalk trivia:
- There are more crosswalks than you think there are
- Some new crosswalks are DDOT’s idea, yet many come from resident suggestions
- Marked crosswalks aren’t appropriate everywhere people request them
- Yet there are ways to make crosswalk locations more frequently-used, and safer
- Crosswalks can only go in locations compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Crosswalks wear out and resident service requests prompt most repainting
- Crosswalk restriping is seasonal
- Pedestrian pylons are relatively inexpensive ways to enhance unsignalized crosswalks
- Some crosswalks need to be removed to make streets safer for pedestrians
- DDOT planning changes will lead to better decisions and safer pedestrian crossings
Wander provides a lot more detail on each of these points in the article.
FULL STORY: Ten things you might not know about crosswalks
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