Montgomery County MD - Pedestrian Safety

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Taking Steps to Keep Parking Lots Risk-Free for Pedestrians

Here is a startling fact: 22% of the pedestrian-related collisions in Montgomery County occur in parking lots. That figure adds up to 324 parking lot collisions involving pedestrians over the past three and one-half years. Clearly, parking lots are danger zones.

Work Planned for Piney Branch HIA

MCDOT has announced its plan of action for the Piney Branch High Incident Area. Click below to review this plan. For questions, contact Community Outreach at 240.777.7155.

This program encourages students to walk to school by providing safer routes through traffic engineering and enforcement efforts and pedestrian safety education and programming to students and parents.

Join kids & familes around the globe to walk and bicycle to school on October 7!
Click here for more information.

Drive Safe!®: Keeping Pedestrians Safe When You’re Behind the Wheel is an English language instructional video designed to teach pedestrian safety concepts to students in driver education classes or other instructional venues where pedestrian safety issues can be integrated into the curriculum.

One version of the video is for teenage students and the other for adult learners, including those who are non-native English speakers. Six stand-alone sections provide instruction in the basic steps drivers can take to reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians. The video is accompanied by a Teacher’s Guide (pdf) and worksheets for instructional activities and comprehension checks.

Help us evaluate the effectiveness of the video. Encourage new drivers to take the pre-survey (pdf) before they watch the video and then, after a week or two, take the post-survey (pdf).

Four Public Service Announcements (PSAs), each 30 seconds, promote pedestrian safety for new drivers.

Driver education schools, organizations, community groups and ESOL teachers may request a copy of the video by filling out a request form.

Street Smart 2009 Campaign

In a regional show of force, elected officials and law enforcement leaders from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia launched the 2009 Street Smart pedestrian safety campaign on March 25, 2009. The kick-off was held at the District of Columbia's Reeves Center, at the bustling intersection of 14th and U Streets, NW. New to this year's annual campaign is a focus on cyclist safety, complementing the overall education and enforcement efforts on pedestrian safety. Brochures and posters from the campaign are being distributed throughout the region, along with a series of radio advertisements being aired this Spring.

Street Smart is an annual public education, awareness and behavioral change campaign in the Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland and northern Virginia area. The campaign uses radio, newspaper, and transit advertising, public awareness efforts, and added law enforcement, to respond to the challenges of pedestrian and bicyclist safety. The Montgomery County Police Department has been conducting additional enforcement and educational activities to promote this year’s campaign.

The Street Smart campaign was started by Montgomery County in 2002 using a $50,000 State grant awarded to the County and $50,000 in County funds. This seed money helped leverage what has become a $700,000 annual regional effort, which is directed by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and is supported by federal, state, county and local agencies from the Washington region. For more information, visit the web site: www.mwcog.org/streetsmart/about.asp

To preview the briefing CLICK HERE

Walk Safe™: Keeping Pedestrians Safe in the “Danger Zone” is an English language instructional video designed to teach pedestrian safety concepts to non-native English speakers. Five stand-alone modules promote basic pedestrian safety concepts, identify risky behaviors and situations, and explain terms, expressions and signage. The video is accompanied by a Teacher’s Guide (pdf), worksheets and tools that suggest activities and comprehension checks.

Help us evaluate the effectiveness of the video. Encourage viewers to take the pre-survey (pdf) before they watch the video and then, a week or two after, take the post-survey (pdf).

Pedestrian Safety Public Service Announcements (PSAs) of varying lengths promote pedestrian safety concepts to the general public.

Organizations, ESOL teachers, and community groups may request a copy of the video by filling out a request form or call 240-777-7155.

Leggett Celebrates Opening of US 29 Sidewalk; Final Link Will Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (center) celebrated the completion of the last missing sidewalk segment along the east side of U.S. Route 29 between University Boulevard and Oak Leaf Drive. The project will greatly improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety along Colesville Road, a busy six-lane roadway. Joining Leggett at the ribbon cutting ceremony were (from left to right) Senior Planning Specialist Bob Simpson, Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT); State Highway Administration Assistant District Engineer for Special Projects Kate Mazzara; MCDOT Director Art Holmes; LABQUEST Chair Betsy Bretz; LABQUEST Transportation Committee Chair Mike Levin; .S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Management Analyst Latonia Parham and FDA Medical Officer Dr. Karen Weiss, representing the bicycle community. See News Release for more info.

Leggett Joins Ervin in Celebrating Pedestrian Safety Improvements in Silver Spring; Announces Transportation Improvements to Benefit Seniors

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett joined County Councilmember Valerie Ervin and community members in celebrating a number of pedestrian safety and transportation improvements the County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) made that will enhance safety and improve access to public transportation for seniors and persons with disabilities.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett's Pedestrian Safety Initiative, December 2007 (PDF)

On December 5, 2007, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett announced his Pedestrian Safety Initiative, a strategic plan designed to reduce pedestrian collisions and ensure that all areas of the County provide safe and convenient travel options for pedestrians. This initiative is the cornerstone of the County's Pedestrian Safety Program, building on the original recommendations of the 2002 Blue Ribbon Panel on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, This Pedestrian Safety Initiative (pdf) is built on seven key strategies with specific performance measures, time lines, and estimated budgets for achieving its recommended actions.

Mr. Leggett states, "I am committed to recreating Montgomery County into a model of a truly walkable community. It's what every resident deserves. Through this initiative, we are transforming our pedestrian environment for future generations and enhancing the high quality of life for which Montgomery County is known."

To fully fund his Pedestrian Safety Initiative, County Executive Leggett is proposing to use speed camera revenues - - the money collected from speeding fines - - to support the engineering, education, and enforcement actions proposed in the initiative.

New Pedestrian Safety Campaign Aimed at Non-Native English Speakers

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett holds up a copy of a new pedestrian safety video aimed at non-native English speakers, one of the groups at highest risk for pedestrian collisions. Joining Leggett (at podium) were (from left to right) Montgomery College English-as-a-Second-Language teacher Nancy Newton, Darwin Bonilla, CASA de Maryland manager of Education and Leadership and Montgomery County Public Schools Board Member Dr. Judith Docca. See Press Release for more info.

Leggett Announces Completion of Pedestrian Protection Project to Improve Safety on Arcola Avenue

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (left) talks about pedestrian safety improvements made to Arcola Avenue in Wheaton to slow traffic and make it safer to cross the street. Joining Leggett were the County’s Pedestrian Safety Coordinator Jeff Dunckel (middle) and Delegate Roger Manno (D-19), who represents the Wheaton area. See Press Release for more info.

Leggett Announces Speed Camera Revenues to Fully Fund Pedestrian Safety Initiative

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett announced that $5 million in revenues from the County’s speed camera program will fund improvements to reduce pedestrian collisions and make the County safer for pedestrians. Joining Leggett (left) were Delegate Bill Bronrott (D-16) and Department of Transportation Director Art Holmes. See Press Release for more info.

Director's Office · Montgomery County Department of Transportation
101 Monroe Street, 10th Floor · Rockville, Maryland 20850 · mcdot.director@montgomerycountymd.gov
· telephone: 240-777-7170 · fax: 240-777-7178 ·

Join kids & familes around the globe to walk and bicycle to school on October 7!Click here for more information.