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Lanham said it may take a longer period of time before more motorists change their behavior and stop at intersections. "The program is still relatively new," he said.

The county also is looking into redesigning streets where accidents have occurred.

Significant changes have been made to Georgia and Hewitt avenues in Aspen Hill, where a woman died in September when she was hit by a car while trying to get to the bus stop. Transportation officials moved the crosswalk from the south side of the intersection to the north side and also moved the bus stop. Police also blanketed the area with safety fliers.

Rushing Into Danger

Police Capt. John King, head of the Wheaton/Glenmont district, said some pedestrians are following safety rules since the changes have made the crosswalk the quickest route to the bus stop. But when pedestrians are in a hurry or see the bus coming, they often ignore the traffic signals, he said. And pedestrians are still dashing across unsafely at nearby Georgia Avenue and Ralph Road, where a man died in October and where a crosswalk cannot be placed safely because there is no traffic signal.

After the changes at Georgia and Hewitt were made, King said, "it comes down to individual decisions on whether to do the right thing. People are impatient. They don't want to wait for the light. Everybody's in a hurry."

Since early January, traffic officers have been targeting one problem intersection a week in the Silver Spring area, where an increasing number of accidents have occurred. Jaywalkers are given fliers and motorists are ticketed for violations.

Hot spots include Georgia Avenue and Piney Branch Road, 16th Street and East West Highway, and Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue. Officers in the Bethesda district also are handing out fliers at congested intersections along Wisconsin and Connecticut avenues.

Police also are working with Department of Transportation employees to identify intersections that are unsafe to cross because of insufficient lighting, slopes or other factors. Some crosswalks may have to be shut down or have barriers installed because they are too dangerous to cross, officials said.

"I think we've just done one lap in what has to be a marathon race for pedestrian safety," said Bronrott, who heads the county's task force on pedestrian and traffic safety. "We're suffering the cause of many generations of suburban sprawl that put roads and cars first and pedestrians a very distant afterthought."

                                  © 2001 The Washington Post Company

            Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today presented his $2.7 billion fiscal year 2002 spending plan that builds on a solid foundation of investments, offers efficient and high quality services, and holds the line on taxes. Duncan's seventh annual operating budget continues a tradition of providing quality and value in the services the County provides, supporting education, transportation and public safety.

            Building on this year's launch of a public safety campaign, "Drive With Care, Walk With Caution," the budget includes $1.2 million for interim recommendations made by the Executive-appointed Blue Ribbon Panel on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety.

            Under the photo red light enforcement program, the number of cameras expands by 15, rotated among 20 additional camera sites, in an effort to deter drivers from speeding through intersections. The budget adds a new pedestrian/bicycle safety coordinator and a traffic analysis staff to assess critical accident data and develop a prevention program. Coordination of public works plans and projects will be enhanced to reduce accidents and increase pedestrian safety. To reduce pedestrian injuries and         deaths, $50,000 has been allocated to a comprehensive public education campaign.

The Montgomery County Blue Ribbon Panel on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety will be holding a Community Forum so that leaders and experts in the field of pedestrian and traffic safety as well as County residents can address the Panel on these issues.

The Forum will be held on Thursday, May 10 at 7:30 PM at the East County Community Center, 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring. John D. Porcari, Secretary of Transportation for the State of Maryland and John Moffat, the Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and a nationally recognized expert in the field of traffic safety enforcement, will both be speaking. County residents will also have an opportunity to address the Panel.

For more information, contact the Panel via email at [email protected].