Another accident at the GW Parkway crossing

[TwoWheelsDC]

Of course the safest crossing is no crossing at all, but I suspect the historical review board would go apesh*t if the plans called for a direct access ramp from Memorial Bridge to the MVT. A ramp wouldn’t solve the Washington Blvd. problem, but I wonder if the elevation is high enough there that a ped underpass would be feasible without flooding issues. Would definitely prevent this:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=20003&hl=en&ll=38.8858,-77.059287&spn=0.000992,0.002064&sll=38.785393,-76.22332&sspn=0.063292,0.132093&t=h&gl=us&hnear=Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20003&z=20&layer=c&cbll=38.885703,-77.059339&panoid=f6tc-YKBi1EK1_sK_Nxgcg&cbp=12,175.13,,0,25.13

[rcannon100]

@TwoWheelsDC 21651 wrote:

Would definitely prevent this:

OH THAT’s BAD.

I saw some Japanese tourists trapped inside the new temporary fences, walking in the NB GW Parkway, trying to figure out like test mice how to get out of the maze that they had found themselves in.

[PotomacCyclist]

Those people can’t see the trail off to the left that leads to Arlington Cemetery? Wow. While I can sort of understand why people cross illegally at certain spots in that area, I don’t get this one at all.

[Mark Blacknell]

@PotomacCyclist 21656 wrote:

Those people can’t see the trail off to the left that leads to Arlington Cemetery? Wow. While I can sort of understand why people cross illegally at certain spots in that area, I don’t get this one at all.

They’re kids following the Father of the Year (standing in the middle, in some frames).

[PotomacCyclist]

I guess they are trying to get a straight-on look at the cemetery from the middle of Memorial Drive. Even so, they could have taken the trail and then crossed the lanes where there are only two of them, not four.

Anyway, NPS has also announced that there will be a press conference on Thursday, June 14. This is their post on the Facebook page for the GW Parkway, dated Thur. June 7:

“Changes are coming to the parkway and crosswalks at Memorial Circle. Given the number of pedestrian/cyclist/car collisions, the parkway requested a road safety audit of the area from the Federal Highway Administration. The final results were released yesterday, but the parkway worked from an early draft to sort proposals into short- and long-term projects and come up with an implementation plan. Watch for a timetable of specific safety improvements after a press conference on Thursday, 6/14.”

ARLnow posted a link to the Action Plan:

http://www.arlnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/GWMP-Pedestrian-Road-Safety-Audit-Action-Plan-Working-Draft-20120606.pdf

[KLizotte]

I really hope that for the crossing that is being reduced from two lanes to one that they rip up the asphalt on the disappearing lane and put in grass since cars will still try to “squeeze” through till the last minute. Hopefully they will also put in rumble strips along this stretch too. The combination will really slow the cars down.

[PotomacCyclist]

It looks like they will take out the extra pavement, based on this picture posted at ARLnow:

http://www.arlnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/gw-parkway-changes-2.jpg

[KLizotte]

@PotomacCyclist 21674 wrote:

It looks like they will take out the extra pavement, based on this picture posted at ARLnow:

http://www.arlnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/gw-parkway-changes-2.jpg

I saw the photo and take it as figurative. They may decide to take the cheap way out and simply paint in lines in the pavement.

[dbb]

Was feeling a bit bored so I decided to look at the DC and Virginia laws about right of way in crosswalks. DISCLAIMER – I am not an attorney.

Given that the Park Police seem to enforce the local traffic laws (I think), their policy on right of way would therefore need to change with location. I wonder how they reconcile that pesky issue with the crosswalks on Columbia Island (DC) and those further south on the GWMP (VA).

Here goes (red color is my highlighting):

DC Traffic Laws

http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/info/DMV%20Municipal%20Regulations.shtm

CHAPTER 23 PEDESTRIANS
Secs.
2300 General Provisions
2301 Traffic Control Signals: Pedestrians
2302 Pedestrians “Walk,” “Don’t Walk, “and “Wait” Signals
2303 Right-of-way in Crosswalks
2304 Crossing at Places Other Than Crosswalks
2305 Walking and Standing on Sidewalks and Roadways
2300 GENERAL PROVISIONS
2300.1 Pedestrians shall be subject to traffic control signals as provided in this chapter. At all other places, pedestrians shall be accorded the privileges and shall be subject to the restrictions stated in this chapter.
2300.2 Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter and of Chapters 12 and 21, every operator of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrians or any person propelling a human powered vehicle and shall give an audible signal when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated, or intoxicated person.
(a) Exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway;
(b) Give warning by sounding the horn when necessary; and
(c) Exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon the roadway.

2303 RIGHT-OF-WAY IN CROSSWALKS
2303.1 [Repealed] D.C. Law 7-34, 34 DCR 5316, 5317 (August 14, 1987)
2303.2 No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb, safety platform, safety zone, loading platform, or other designated place of safety and walk or turn into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
2303.3 No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic control devices.
2303.4 When authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.
2304 CROSSING AT PLACES OTHER THAN CROSSWALKS
2304.1 Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.

Virginia

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC46020000008000000000000
§ 46.2-923. How and where pedestrians to cross highways.
When crossing highways, pedestrians shall not carelessly or maliciously interfere with the orderly passage of vehicles. They shall cross, wherever possible, only at intersections or marked crosswalks. Where intersections contain no marked crosswalks, pedestrians shall not be guilty of negligence as a matter of law for crossing at any such intersection or between intersections when crossing by the most direct route.
The governing body of any town or city or the governing body of a county authorized by law to regulate traffic may by ordinance permit pedestrians to cross an intersection diagonally when all traffic entering the intersection has been halted by lights, other traffic control devices, or by a law-enforcement officer.

§ 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalty.
A. The driver of any vehicle on a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing such highway:

1. At any clearly marked crosswalk, whether at mid-block or at the end of any block;
2. At any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block;
3. At any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway or street where the legal maximum speed does not exceed 35 miles per hour.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of this section, at intersections or crosswalks where the movement of traffic is being regulated by law-enforcement officers or traffic control devices, the driver shall yield according to the direction of the law-enforcement officer or device.

No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic.
The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.

Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.

An now back to your non-attorney commenter. Note that the issue of right of way for DC doesn’t say that peds (and by inclusion, cyclists) have to wait until all cars have disappeared, just that we should give the auto time so it isn’t “impossible for the driver to yield”. Virginia is a bit more inclusive in that the Virginia law states the pedestrian right of way more affirmatively.

It would be interesting to get the PP to attempt to deconflict these two laws.

[SpokeGrenadeSR]

i still think the gigantic speed bumps will solve everything.

[Greenbelt]

@SpokeGrenadeSR 21686 wrote:

i still think the gigantic speed bumps will solve everything.

Yep, slowing the cars down isn’t rocket science. It’s enforcement and relatively minor road modifications.

[PotomacCyclist]

Unfortunately, the D.C. law is made somewhat irrelevant at the Washington Blvd. crossing because of the poor design. I honestly cannot tell if an approaching vehicle is staying in the through lane or turning to the right, which leads to the trail crossing. Many others have this same problem. When there is steady traffic, which is the case during most of the day (I think), there may almost never be a situation where it’s clear that it’s truly safe to cross. When I ride there during the day (which is rare), I basically have to guess as to the direction of the car. Is it going straight or is it veering to the right? There aren’t many breaks in traffic.

Moving the crossing to the north will alleviate the problem. Cyclists and pedestrians that are waiting to cross will have a much better sense of whether the car is heading directly to Memorial Bridge or to the trail crossing. The two-lane/one-lane issue is another problem. Maybe we’ll learn more about the details next Thursday, such as whether part of the 2nd lane on the Washington Blvd. route will be removed permanently, or simply striped differently.

I avoid the GW Parkway crossing almost completely. I think I’ve taken that crossing once this year. If I’m heading to D.C. from Arlington, I will either take the 14th St. Bridge (George Mason) or I will ride through Crystal City and over to the trail on the west side of the Pentagon, along Washington Blvd. Of course, there’s the problem of the Washington Blvd. trail crossing with that route. If the changes to the Washington Blvd. crossing are successful, then I may never take the GW Parkway crossing again, or maybe just once every other year or so. (If they ever decide to build a nice bike bridge, I would check it out.)

[americancyclo]

I rode through here yesterday heading westbound after work and crossed the circle from the bridge towards Arlington National Cemetery. There was a police car (forgot which jurisdiction) on the grass at the west side of the crosswalk. All car drivers were traveling much slower and they behaved well when I approached the crosswalk.

Great improvement!

[PotomacCyclist]

There’s supposed to be a press conference today. NPS will release a timetable of specific safety improvements for the Memorial Circle area. No idea where or what time it will take place.

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.arlnow.com/2012/06/15/first-gw-parkway-safety-changes-coming-today/

The first of the new signs could be installed today. All of the proposed changes (signs, rumble strips, relocation of the Washington Blvd. crossing) are scheduled to be completed by October.

[Author]

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