Preliminary Recommendations For Action During FY2002
An Interim Report to Enhance Pedestrian Safety in Montgomery County
January 15, 2001

Assure Sufficient Funds In FY02 Budget To Enhance Pedestrian Safety:

1. Additional data entry resources for the Police Department. Instruct the Police Department and the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) to work in cooperation with each other and with the Department of Human Health and Services, and with the appropriate State of Maryland agencies, to establish a state-of-the-art traffic crash data system that readily provides for geographical, statistical and engineering analysis of pedestrian and vehicle crash records for the enhanced use of crash data in injury prevention through engineering design, maintenance, enforcement and education.

2. Designate a pedestrian-bicycle safety and access professional in DPWT to responsible for reviewing development plans, new construction projects, bus stop locations, and sidewalks to make sure they pass pedestrian safety/access muster.

3. Appoint a senior manager within the Executive Branch to coordinate and oversee ongoing inter-agency committee reviews of pedestrian-traffic safety policy and programs countywide, including planning, engineering, education and enforcement.

4. Provide funding for additional red light cameras at key intersections.

5. Assure adequate funding to carry out a continuing and targeted public communications campaign based on the "Three E's" approach that will be coupled with highly visible enforcement efforts to focus the attention of motorists and pedestrians on the health, safety and legal consequences of unsafe driving and walking.

6. Provide the resources needed to develop a longer-term comprehensive social marketing program to raise awareness and change public attitudes and behaviors regarding pedestrian-traffic safety.

7. Take the necessary steps to ensure that Montgomery County is accessing all available State and Federal funding programs for pedestrian safety activities.

In addition to the recommendations seeking additional dollars in the County's FY02 Operating Budget, the Panel recommends that you direct the appropriate County departments to take the following actions as part of their ongoing programs. We believe these activities will result in improved pedestrian safety throughout the County.

Identify And Remediate Road And Traffic Hazards:

1. Survey all crosswalks and expedite efforts to re-stripe those that are faded and/or deteriorating with new markings that maximize visibility and durability.
2. Instruct the DPWT and County Police to work in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Transportation to identify "hot spot" intersections and roadways to make design changes and additional crosswalks to maximize pedestrian access and safety, especially adjacent to schools, transit centers, community and commercial centers, and central business districts.

3. Survey all street lighting on County roads and replace/repair those lights that are not functioning and provide additional lighting where necessary.

4. Work with the State to replace/repair/add crosswalks and lighting along State roads in Montgomery County.

5. Identify those intersections that currently allow "Right Turn on Red" where there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic to determine if prohibiting the right turn would offer more protection to the pedestrians.

6. Identify streets in high density or high pedestrian traffic areas where "right turn on yields" should be changed to "stop" signs in order to maximize pedestrian safety.

7. Coordinate snow removal with State government to avoid the unintended practice of road plowing that blocks safe pedestrian access along roadways. Reach out to businesses and homeowners to impress the importance of snow removal for pedestrian access and safety.

8. Identify which existing sidewalks directly behind the curb need to be widened or relocated to ensure that they are passable at all times.

9. Develop a design waiver policy to ensure that all sidewalks are built per the applicable County standard as to width and offset from the roadway unless approved by DPWT senior management on a project-by-project basis.

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