Incident at/outside Maury?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maury neighbor here. I agree, it's not fair to just blame 'Maryland drivers' for this. We've all got to get to work every day and I don't begrudge anyone for doing so.

The problem is a serious one, though. It's really out of control and needs to be reigned in. That's MPDC's responsibility, with appropriate direction from elected authority. I hope we don't have to have a child killed before that happens.

If this little girl's injuries were accurately reported up thread, there's little question the driver who hit her was speeding. A broken pelvis is excruciatingly painful and usually occurs when a pedestrian is thrown way up in the air when hit. It's the landing on the pavement that will break a pelvis and there's no way that would happen at the 15 m.p.h. speed limit around Maury.

Prayers for the child and her family. We need to get this under control, now.

The 15 mph speed limit is during school hours. This was after school hours.

It's horrible what happened to the little girl, no question about it. , Everyone wants to blame the evil Maryland driver, but the fact is the child went into the street when the driver had the green. Yes, a person can most certainly get a cracked pelvis when hit at 25 mph or less. Big car, little child. We are talking basic physics here.

The eyewitnesses said the child "flew through the air." You're not going to fly at 15 mph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

You're a fucking idiot. It should not be a commuter street period. Doesn't matter that I-66 is worse- we don't need maniac drivers period. Try visiting Capitol Hill before you start talking about it.

There isn't a week that goes by when I'm not dodging Maryland cars while walking in a designated crosswalk with the light. One middle-aged female driver refused to yield to a neighbor'a daughter just this morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

Try driving around Lincoln Park during the morning rush hour and then come back and talk to us.

[Anonymous]

If Maury parents want to improve crossing safety for kids around the school, they're going to have to organize well, and fight hard with support from Ward 6 and the Mayor's Office. DDOT is a tough nut to crack. Posting wishes, desires and impressions here won't get them far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

Try driving around Lincoln Park during the morning rush hour and then come back and talk to us.

Exactly. Especially now that the 11th street bridge is open, trucks and cars are using 11th like a speedway. 11th st south of the park is very confusing and unpredictable with cars and trucks cutting across lanes of traffic every which way. IMO they should create a protected bike path bordering or across the park.

[Anonymous]

Just this morning I saw that a car crashed into a fence again at 10th and Constitution (3 blocks from Maury). Last year a car crashed the same way on the opposite corner. I think the cars must be speeding between traffic lights on Constitution and missing the stop sign on 10th and then swerving to avoid cars coming down 10th. We need speed bumps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

Try driving around Lincoln Park during the morning rush hour and then come back and talk to us.

I drive around Lincoln Park every morning during rush hour, and it is literally impossible to go 40 mph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

Try driving around Lincoln Park during the morning rush hour and then come back and talk to us.

I drive around Lincoln Park every morning during rush hour, and it is literally impossible to go 40 mph.

It's a double-edged sword -- when there's less traffic, people sometimes really zoom around the park. When there's heavier traffic, it goes fairly quickly and is very unpredictable because of all the turns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the Hill including our street has the equivalent of speed bumps -- I.e., insanely narrow two-way streets that force drivers to go exceedingly slowly so as to avoid losing a mirror or worse. The positive spillover is greater safety for kids/pedestrians.

Unfortunately some streets such as Constitution enable faster traffic.

I live on a super narrow street close to Lincoln park. People treat it like a super highway. It's insane. I have seen fights, car chases, red light pauses (no stopping, just a second to see if another car is coming), U-turns from the right lane (on Maryland Ave), and speeding. Some of the commuters are downright animals. Too bad we have empty suits in the council representing us. By the way, did you know that over 54% of commuters coming from PGC (geographically the closest) are by themselves in those giant cars?

One possible explanation: What percentage of DC government workers (MPD, DDOT, etc...) are car commuters who are coming from outside of the city? Last time I heard something like 70% of DC workers came from outside the city. It's hard to get MPD enforcement against reckless car commuters from outside of the community when most of our officers and people setting policy are car commuters from outside of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's stop debating the traffic laws. A child was hit at an intersection right after school exactly where drivers have long been known to flout speed limits and even blow through lights and stop signs. The vast majority of kids on the Hill are either accompanied by adults or trained very well to cross with the light. The traffic situation on Constitution needs to be fixed.

Exactly. The law has nothing to do with it. "The law" is that the minimum allowable speed limit in DC is 25 mph (barring "special" hours). DDOT is prevented from posting a lower speed limit by law. That means drivers are legally allowed to drive on the narrowest, most residential street in DC at 25 mph.

Now, of course that means we set our photo enforcement at 25 mph, right? After all, we're concerned about "the law". But no, the agencies in charge of enforcement give drivers a 10 mph cushion. So the de facto speed limit in DC is 35 mph.

There are knock-on effects from this policy. Ever wonder why there isn't any photo enforcement around places like schools and parks in DC? Why are all the speed cameras out on highways? Well, when DC decides where to place those cameras, they study driver behavior. In particular, they look at what percentage of drivers speed. But they don't use the legal speed, they use the de facto speed limit. So while 85% of drivers may exceed the legal speed limit of 25 mph, some significantly lower percentage don't exceed the de facto speed limit of 35 mph.

That's why you see people getting hit by cars at 30-35 mph in DC--the victim knocked 20 feet in the air, the car suffering significant body damage--and you hear the city spokespeople saying "Speed was not considered to be a factor."

And this 10 mph buffer has consequences.

According to a study by the UK DOT, a pedestrian struck by a car moving at 20mph has about a 5% chance of dying.
A pedestrian struck by a car moving at 30 mph has a 45% chance of dying.
A pedestrian struck by a car moving at 40 mph has a 85% chance of dying.

So, our elected representatives failure to enforce the actual speed limit has two consequences: first, we don't get any traffic calming enforcement in our neighborhoods, only in the periphery of the city on heavily-trafficked arterials where it's needed the least. Second, the pedestrians who are hit--regardless of "who is at fault"--are significantly more likely to die from the collision.


(http://humantransport.org/sidewalks/SpeedKills.htm)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This makes me SO angry. I live in the neighborhood and am sick of cars speeding through not caring that it's a pedestrian neighborhood. I hope to GOD that child is ok and the driver gets punished!

Constitution is a MAJOR westbound COMMUTING ROUTE from Maryland. DC has not done anything to establish commuting routes and keep people out of neighborhoods. In fact, I contend that no systemic urban planning has occurred to account for commuter traffic-aside from the highway upgrades. It is a major problem, with no end in sight. The solutions seem to be piecemeal and just puts traffic on to different neighborhood streets. Pennsylvania Avenue, east of the Anacostia, major commuter/pseudo neighborhood DDOT, between Branch Ave and the Sousa Bridge took a lane to create a divided Main Street. Maryland Ave from 15th St, NE to 6th St, NE again major commuting route but instead of facilitating traffic flow, medians were erected, traffic flow restricted. I am not defending people speeding through the neighborhoods- but this is a systemic problem.

The commuting isn't the problem, it is the speeding and lack of stopping at stop signs. Anything else is noise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

You're a fucking idiot. It should not be a commuter street period. Doesn't matter that I-66 is worse- we don't need maniac drivers period. Try visiting Capitol Hill before you start talking about it.

The road was there being used the way it is LONG before you came on the scene. Entitled much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's stop debating the traffic laws. A child was hit at an intersection right after school exactly where drivers have long been known to flout speed limits and even blow through lights and stop signs. The vast majority of kids on the Hill are either accompanied by adults or trained very well to cross with the light. The traffic situation on Constitution needs to be fixed.

Exactly. The law has nothing to do with it. "The law" is that the minimum allowable speed limit in DC is 25 mph (barring "special" hours). DDOT is prevented from posting a lower speed limit by law. That means drivers are legally allowed to drive on the narrowest, most residential street in DC at 25 mph.

Now, of course that means we set our photo enforcement at 25 mph, right? After all, we're concerned about "the law". But no, the agencies in charge of enforcement give drivers a 10 mph cushion. So the de facto speed limit in DC is 35 mph.

There are knock-on effects from this policy. Ever wonder why there isn't any photo enforcement around places like schools and parks in DC? Why are all the speed cameras out on highways? Well, when DC decides where to place those cameras, they study driver behavior. In particular, they look at what percentage of drivers speed. But they don't use the legal speed, they use the de facto speed limit. So while 85% of drivers may exceed the legal speed limit of 25 mph, some significantly lower percentage don't exceed the de facto speed limit of 35 mph.

That's why you see people getting hit by cars at 30-35 mph in DC--the victim knocked 20 feet in the air, the car suffering significant body damage--and you hear the city spokespeople saying "Speed was not considered to be a factor."

And this 10 mph buffer has consequences.

According to a study by the UK DOT, a pedestrian struck by a car moving at 20mph has about a 5% chance of dying.
A pedestrian struck by a car moving at 30 mph has a 45% chance of dying.
A pedestrian struck by a car moving at 40 mph has a 85% chance of dying.

So, our elected representatives failure to enforce the actual speed limit has two consequences: first, we don't get any traffic calming enforcement in our neighborhoods, only in the periphery of the city on heavily-trafficked arterials where it's needed the least. Second, the pedestrians who are hit--regardless of "who is at fault"--are significantly more likely to die from the collision.


(http://humantransport.org/sidewalks/SpeedKills.htm)

Unfortunately, the buffer actually has a legal explanation as well. It is impossible to get speed cameras and next to impossible to get speed guns that have a margin of error small enough to have a smaller buffer than 10 mph stand up in court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

You're a fucking idiot. It should not be a commuter street period. Doesn't matter that I-66 is worse- we don't need maniac drivers period. Try visiting Capitol Hill before you start talking about it.

The road was there being used the way it is LONG before you came on the scene. Entitled much?

First, you're wrong. As people have moved out of the city but kept their government jobs, the traffic has gotten much much worse. People are now using little neihhborhood streets as commuter routes. Also, there are now a gazillion children on the Hill. It's not "entitled" to not want them to get mowed down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you mean stop signs to replace the stop light?

The intersection at 13th and Constitution is also crossed by Tennessee Ave. I don't think you could govern an intersection like that without traffic lights.

Speed bumps would be better if you ask me, but I'm not a traffic engineer. Other schools on the Hill have the bumps, why not Maury?

How hard would it be to have a crossing guard for a few more hours afterschool too, until aftercare closes?

I would prefer bumps in the neighborhood. It's unsafe for these children to return home. Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Maury, is dangerous to walk to because of the animals going around Lincoln Park at 40mph. C street NE is terrifying for even adults to cross. Something has to be done. Charles Allen gets complaints about this every day. The DOT has also been informed. I've been there. They just don't care. Allen is a do-nothing idiot, and the Bowser administration prioritizes the needs of commuters over those who did not vote for her in Ward 6. Charles Allen wants to lay low and stay elected - he thinks methadone clinics, no viable middle school, and dangerous streets are okay so long as he stays in "power".

I cringe painfully whenever I see a parent biking with a small child around Lincoln Park. I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets hit.

and yet parents bike around Lincoln Park all the time with small children and do fine. There are speed bumps on both the northern and southern sides and clearly marked crosswalk aside from the lights. this is just hyperbole. The roads around Lincoln Park are not even a primary arterial routes for commuters.

You're a fucking idiot. It should not be a commuter street period. Doesn't matter that I-66 is worse- we don't need maniac drivers period. Try visiting Capitol Hill before you start talking about it.

The road was there being used the way it is LONG before you came on the scene. Entitled much?

First, you're wrong. As people have moved out of the city but kept their government jobs, the traffic has gotten much much worse. People are now using little neihhborhood streets as commuter routes. Also, there are now a gazillion children on the Hill. It's not "entitled" to not want them to get mowed down.

Constitution, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Mass Ave are not 'little neighborhood streets.'