Incident at/outside Maury?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.'

Park in MD and take the metro in if you can't drive safely on residential streets.

[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 do most every single day. There is traffic but it's not as heavy as Penn Ave, C St, Constitution, H St. And it doesn't move that fast around Lincoln Park, where it's slowed by lights, crosswalks, speed bumps

[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 do most every single day. There is traffic but it's not as heavy as Penn Ave, C St, Constitution, H St. And it doesn't move that fast around Lincoln Park, where it's slowed by lights, crosswalks, speed bumps

The dangerous section is the south end of the park - it is very complicated for a bike to turn left there, with some traffic going onto MD, some going down 11th St, some turning right at E Capitol, some right at N. Carolina, and some all the way around the park. So basically there are FIVE different options for cars (and speeding buses) to take on that one block (which has no speed bumps). This leads to some crazy lane changes, and don't even mention gunning it to beat the lights, sometimes in combination.

[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.

and you're a psychopath so what's your point? I live nearby take this route daily and I'm not going to try to make a case using hyperbole or hysterics. I don't like commuters looking for a short cut and there is steady traffic, but it's not dramatic and there are numerous traffic controlling measures in place. The lights are predictable and easy to cross and most drivers will yield at crosswalks. It's also not a straight shot without turn lanes like Constitution, Independence, Penn or much of Maryland which encourages speeding.

the commuters can go wherever they please. Complaining about that is like yelling at clouds. More Hill streets would benefit from calming measures but Lincoln Park is hardly the worst case.

[Anonymous]

for the folks who know the family involved, if they get any sort of public benefit (Medicaid, food stamps, housing subsidy, etc.) or if the child is likely to need SSI, please advise them to talk with a lawyer before accepting the money that's raised. Some of the programs have income and/or asset rules, and while it is amazing that the community has been so generous it would be horrible if that generosity put medical insurance or other benefits at risk. I don't know the family at all and have no idea their financial situation, but almost half the kids in DC have Medicaid so there's certainly a chance this could be an issue if the money isn't handled properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Seems to me the simple answer then is to have a 15mph posted speed limit. Extremely conciencious drivers will do 20. Everyone will do 25. Anyone going over that gets a ticket.

[Anonymous]

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

For much of their length Constitution, Independence, and Mass Ave are two-lane narrow streets going through almost entirely residential neighborhoods. So, yes, "little neighborhood streets".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I wasn't able to find any evidence for this. On the contrary:

- https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/commuting/driver-confused-by-speed-limit-laws/2012/01/24/gIQA5tvC0Q_story.html
- http://wreg.com/2016/03/23/debunking-the-10-mph-speed-buffer-why-one-state-could-lead-to-more-tickets-nationwide/
- http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/21878/life-is-too-important-to-give-speed-cameras-a-loophole/

[Anonymous]

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

For much of their length Constitution, Independence, and Mass Ave are two-lane narrow streets going through almost entirely residential neighborhoods. So, yes, "little neighborhood streets".

Until recently Constitution was one way depending on time of day. The 2 lanes are more recent. Independence remains 1 way eastbound. Both widen to the east of the Hill and have timed lights to expedite commuter traffic.

Mass is a lousy commuter route for the same reason its not that foreboding -- traffic frequently stops and gets redirected in suboptimal ways for commuters.

[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.

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

i do most every single day. There is traffic but it's not as heavy as Penn Ave, C St, Constitution, H St. And it doesn't move that fast around Lincoln Park, where it's slowed by lights, crosswalks, speed bumps

The dangerous section is the south end of the park - it is very complicated for a bike to turn left there, with some traffic going onto MD, some going down 11th St, some turning right at E Capitol, some right at N. Carolina, and some all the way around the park. So basically there are FIVE different options for cars (and speeding buses) to take on that one block (which has no speed bumps). This leads to some crazy lane changes, and don't even mention gunning it to beat the lights, sometimes in combination.

there's also a painted bike lane on 11th to the left of three of those right turning destination going southbound. Plus cyclists can legally ride on the sidewalks there. They can also cut through Lincoln Park if uncomfortable with navigating traffic. I bike this areas regularly and have never had a remotely close call here, even during rush hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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

i do most every single day. There is traffic but it's not as heavy as Penn Ave, C St, Constitution, H St. And it doesn't move that fast around Lincoln Park, where it's slowed by lights, crosswalks, speed bumps

The dangerous section is the south end of the park - it is very complicated for a bike to turn left there, with some traffic going onto MD, some going down 11th St, some turning right at E Capitol, some right at N. Carolina, and some all the way around the park. So basically there are FIVE different options for cars (and speeding buses) to take on that one block (which has no speed bumps). This leads to some crazy lane changes, and don't even mention gunning it to beat the lights, sometimes in combination.

there's also a painted bike lane on 11th to the left of three of those right turning destination going southbound. Plus cyclists can legally ride on the sidewalks there. They can also cut through Lincoln Park if uncomfortable with navigating traffic. I bike this areas regularly and have never had a remotely close call here, even during rush hour.

You've been lucky. My wife came within inches of being run over by a dump truck making an illegal right turn against a red arrow just weeks ago. And when I say "came within inches" I mean on lookers thought that she was dead. One little girl was crying.

Drivers make mistakes; pedestrians make mistakes; and complicated areas like that only exacerbate things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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

i do most every single day. There is traffic but it's not as heavy as Penn Ave, C St, Constitution, H St. And it doesn't move that fast around Lincoln Park, where it's slowed by lights, crosswalks, speed bumps

The dangerous section is the south end of the park - it is very complicated for a bike to turn left there, with some traffic going onto MD, some going down 11th St, some turning right at E Capitol, some right at N. Carolina, and some all the way around the park. So basically there are FIVE different options for cars (and speeding buses) to take on that one block (which has no speed bumps). This leads to some crazy lane changes, and don't even mention gunning it to beat the lights, sometimes in combination.

there's also a painted bike lane on 11th to the left of three of those right turning destination going southbound. Plus cyclists can legally ride on the sidewalks there. They can also cut through Lincoln Park if uncomfortable with navigating traffic. I bike this areas regularly and have never had a remotely close call here, even during rush hour.

You've been lucky. My wife came within inches of being run over by a dump truck making an illegal right turn against a red arrow just weeks ago. And when I say "came within inches" I mean on lookers thought that she was dead. One little girl was crying.

Drivers make mistakes; pedestrians make mistakes; and complicated areas like that only exacerbate things.

so glad she is ok!! I have almost been hit by cars turning right on E Cap several times as a pedestrian. When I bike on weekdays I just avoid Lincoln Park altogether.

[Anonymous]

So there's no crossing guard?

[Anonymous]

It's a mess.

[Anonymous]

C street is terrifying. I've seen too many smashed up cars there.

As per the usual, the needs of the commuters are more important than those of the DC residents.