It should be easier for drivers to see some crosswalks around the District in the months ahead.
On Thursday, the D.C. Department of Transportation announced its paving work for the season, and that will include upgrading crosswalks.
“We are converting all of the standard crosswalks, which are traditionally two straight lines, with high-visibility ladder crosswalks to improve safety across the District,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian during an event at First and N streets Southwest.
Such ladder crosswalks, he said, consist of a more reflective material. And with more of that paint on the road, it “pops out,” he said.
It’s a part of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Vision Zero initiative. As the District repaves many roads over the next several years, they will upgrade crosswalks to high-visibility ones — and refresh those that already are high-visibility, he said.
Outside the nearby King Greenleaf Recreation Center, ANC Commissioner Rhonda Hamilton said a more visible crosswalk is essential for the location, which is not far from Nationals Park and Audi Field.
“One of my major concerns is pedestrian safety,” Hamilton said. “I know that with an aggressive amount of traffic that we have, we have so many near-hits of pedestrians every single day, especially our children.”
Thursday’s announcement comes about two months after a pedestrian was fatally struck in Southeast D.C. That fatality resulted inspired residents to paint their own crosswalk nearby, in the 2300 block of 16th Street Southeast.
Residents who would like to see crosswalks refreshed in their neighborhood can call 311, Marootian said.
