The Pedestrian Advisory Council is Hiring

The D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council is seeking to hire a new Program/Administrative Associate to help support our work advising the mayor, D.C. Council and D.C. government agencies on how to improve D.C.'s pedestrian environment.  This is a part-time position that pays a $20 hourly rate, and we expect it will require an average of about 8 hours of work per week.  For more information, please see the job announcement online. To...

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MPD Launches DC StreetSafe Program

Yesterday, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) launched its new DC StreetSafe Automated Traffic Enforcement Program with the announcement that new traffic cameras are now in place across the District and beginning today -- Saturday, November 23 -- those cameras will be in use.  In addition to existing red light cameras and speed cameras, MPD is now using automated safety enforcement technologies that will issue tickets to...

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MPD Installing New Photo Enforcement Cameras

On Friday, I happened upon MPD Photo Enforcement Program Manager Lisa Sutter and several of her colleagues as they were testing a newly installed mobile speed camera.  The photo that was up on the laptop screen as I looked over  the technician's shoulder showed a crystal clear photo of the back side of a car that was recorded traveling 37.7 miles per hour, more than 12 miles per hour over the legal speed limit.  Once this camera...

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Don't Miss the 2013 Walking Summit in D.C.

On October 1-3, hundreds of pedestrian advocates from across the country will convene in Washington, D.C. for the 2013 Walking Summit.  The conference agenda will feature engaging capacity building sessions, a dance walk, a dance party, and plenty of opportunities to learn while walking.  Two of the D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council's government agency representatives will lead walking tours: on October 1, DDOT's George Branyan will...

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Pedestrian Fatalities Are Much More than Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nationwide a pedestrian is struck and injured by a motor vehicle every 8 minutes and killed every two hours.  In 2012, more than 800 pedestrians were struck by vehicles in D.C., and 8 pedestrians died as a result of their injuries.  Fortunately, the number of pedestrian fatalities has declined slightly in recent years, but according to 2011 data from NHTSA, D.C.'s...

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PAC Recommends Continued Expansion of Photo Enforcement

Today the D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) and the D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) sent a letter to all thirteen D.C. Council members recommending that D.C. continue with plans to expand the use of cameras to enforce D.C.'s traffic laws. The PAC and BAC became concerned by a proposal from Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-MI) that would ban photo enforcement in D.C., and a subsequent proposal by D.C. Council member...

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PAC Vice Chair Discusses Pedestrian Safety on WAMU

Pedestrian Advisory Council Vice Chair Marlene Berlin was interviewed on WAMU's Metro Connection program this morning. Here's one snippet from her interview on pedestrian safety: "People do not know the law; there are certain assumptions made about jaywalking. Pedestrians have a lot of rights to cross the street in this city, and they're not given them. This city has been mostly built for automobile traffic and for getting commuters in and out,...

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