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Calling All Walkers: DC Seeks Pedestrian Activists

February 3rd, 2010 by Kate McFadden · 5 Comments · Capitol Hill

photo originally uploaded to flicker by Augapfel

Last year, Councilmember Tommy Wells introduced legislation to create a Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC), a volunteer advisory body modeled on the the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The PAC convenes soon and each Councilmember will nominate one person to the board. To date, more than 50 people have applied to represent Ward 6. You can submit an application until February 12.

The PAC will make recommendations to the Mayor, City Council and city agencies on pedestrian safety issues, policy and legislation. Charles Allen, Wells’ chief of staff, says it’s difficult to predict the specific pedestrian safety improvements the PAC will suggest, but thinks installing pedestrian “bulb outs” at certain intersections, lengthening crosswalk timing, and reviewing other cities’ pedestrian initiatives may be taken up. Allen anticipates the full committee will convene by April.

The PAC will be composed of 18 members appointed as follows:

The Director of the District Department of Transportation, or designee;
The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, or designee;
The Director of the Office of Planning, or designee;
The Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, or designee;
The Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools, or designee; and
Thirteen community representatives who are District of Columbia residents with a demonstrated interest in pedestrian safety, with each member of the Council of the District of Columbia appointing one representative.

A chairperson shall be elected from among the 13 community representatives at the first meeting of the PAC, who shall serve for a term of 2 years.

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  • http://imgoph.blogspot.com/ IMGoph

    how does one apply for the committee if they’re a ward 5 resident?

  • http://www.TommyWells.org Charles Allen

    Each Councilmember gets to make a nomination to the PAC. I’m not aware of another Councilmember doing a call for nominations like this, but I’d suggest contacting Councilmember Thomas in Ward 5 to find out how he’s going to make his selection.

  • http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com Richard Layman

    In the context of the “criticism” I have made about CM Graham’s proposal for a Circulator Committee, ideally DC would create a “transportation commission,” comparable in heft to the Zoning Commission, to deal with all transportation issues as delineated in the Transportation Element of the comp plan and then in subsequent plans.

    (In this region, Arlington, Alexandria, and maybe Rockville have such commissions.)

    In my ideal world, a bicycling committee and a pedestrian committee would be subcommittees of the overall Transpo Commission

  • J Church

    How about an expedited pedestrian complaint system that allows residents to upload camera phone pictures of drivers violating pedestrian crosswalks? Upload pictures to the Police website, and a ticket is issued if the police can see a clear violation. They could issue a “notice” if someone complains, but there’ not enough evidence to convict. I’m at the stage where I’m going to star carrying bricks.

  • Ken

    You have said it right Richard! I am amazed at the total lack of a comprehensive planning DDOT has when looking at regional vehicular commuter and commercial traffic flow into and out of the city.

    I will say DDOT does appear to be in a generational transition between motor-vehicle-centric transportation planning and multi-modal transportation planning. DDOT needs to look at transportation holistically and really consider how it impacts resident’s quality of life, the city’s economic vitality and the city’s environmental sustainability.

    I am not aware of any team/department/individual in DDOT taking a macro approach and ensuring all transportation projects meet such a comprehensive plan. Today, everything seems to be piece-meal, either status quo or innovative and sometime the two seem to be in direct conflict with the other.

    This is the time for the City to really take the leap forward and unify all transportation modes to cohesively function and enhancing all City users’ urban experience/lifestyle.