Author: Elena Sorokina
ANC Training Resources
RELEASE: DC is a significantly safer place to walk than the metro region as a whole, according to a new report
Smart Growth America
Coalition for Smarter Growth (DC/MD/VA)
Partnership for Smarter Growth (Richmond)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2017
CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net
Alexandra Dodds, Smart Growth America
(202) 971-3927
adodds@smartgrowthamerica.org
Andrew Moore, Partnership for Smarter Growth
(804) 283-6819
amoore@psgrichmond.org
Dangerous by Design
- New rankings show District of Columbia a significantly safer place to walk than metro region as a whole, but also finds big disparities in fatality rates within the city’s population
- Washington DC region and Hampton Roads region rank safer than Richmond and Baltimore regions
- Higher rates of pedestrian fatalities found among people of color, elderly, lower income and uninsured
<< Smart Growth America and National Complete Streets Coalition to hold a webinar at 1 pm today. >>
Washington, DC – Nationwide between 2005 and 2014, a total of 46,149 people were struck and killed by drivers while walking. That averages out to about 13 people per day. In the Washington DC region during the same period, 814 people were killed, an average of nearly one every four days.
Each one of those people was a child, parent, friend, classmate, or neighbor. People of color, the elderly, and those from low-income areas experience a disproportionate rate of fatalities. “We have a long way to go to achieve ‘Vision Zero’ in our communities – zero deaths and serious injuries – among road users,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive to Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, which works in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Dangerous by Design 2016, a new report released today by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition ranks the 104 largest metro areas in the country as well as every state by a “Pedestrian Danger Index,” or PDI, ranking from greatest risk (1) to the least risk (104 for the regions). PDI is a calculation of the share of local commuters who walk to work (the best available measure of how many people are likely to be out walking each day) and the most recent data on pedestrian deaths.
Comparing four regions in our urban crescent
Ranking the regions in the urban crescent between Baltimore and Hampton Roads, the Washington metropolitan area ranks 69th out of 104 metro areas, and Hampton Roads 77th (better than DC region), while Richmond and Baltimore lag, ranking 44th and 55th respectively. The Richmond region, however, showed a 14 point reduction in its PDI between 2014 and 2016. “There has been an increasing focus on walking and bicycling in the Richmond region, more people living in our walkable downtown, and major public education outreach by our partners at Bike Walk RVA,” said Andrew Moore, President of the Partnership for Smarter Growth in Richmond.
DC ranks the best locally for people walking, with a PDI of 15.4, compared to the PDI for the metropolitan statistical area as a whole of 43.5. Virginia’s PDI is 41.4, but Maryland with a PDI of 77.8 lags regionally and below the national average.
“The national report shows only incremental progress in reducing the Pedestrian Danger Index in the DC and Baltimore regions, some progress in Hampton Roads (reduction of 6.5 points) and the aforementioned progress in the Richmond region (reduction of 14 points),” said Schwartz. “Of concern is the uptick in the District of Columbia’s PDI (nearly 1 point). At a time when jurisdictions across our region and nationwide are adopting ‘Vision Zero’ policies that recognize any traffic death is one too many, it’s alarming that we haven’t made more progress over the past few years. We know that better street design, slower speeds, and better reporting and enforcement make a huge impact on how safe it is to walk in a given place.”
Cities and suburbs
“With narrower streets and slower speeds, dense, walkable cities like DC tend to have safety rates better than suburbs with high-speed arterials,” said Schwartz, “That’s what we confirmed when we did a regional version of this national report back in 2008.” (Dangerous by Design 2016 doesn’t include comparative statistics for cities and adjacent suburbs).
“Wide, high-speed arterial roads in the suburbs are particularly dangerous, but can be made safer with fewer and narrower lanes, medians, signalized crossings, better sidewalks, fewer curb cuts, and protected bicycle lanes,” Schwartz continued. “State and local departments of transportation need to make safer street and arterial design a top priority.”
Social disparities
People of color and older adults are overrepresented among pedestrian deaths locally and nationwide. In the District of Columbia, African-American residents account for 48.7% of the population but more than 64.7% of pedestrian fatalities and Hispanic Americans account for 9.9% of the population but more than 13.7% of the pedestrian fatalities. All told, people of color represent 78.4% of the pedestrian fatalities in DC. “It’s imperative that Mayor Bowser and her administration step up their efforts to change street design and other safety measures if we are going to achieve Vision Zero in the city,” said Cheryl Cort, Policy Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Pedestrian fatality rates are also disproportionately high for African Americans in Maryland (29.0% of the population but 38.3% of fatalities), and Virginia (18.9% of the population but 30.6% of fatalities). Even after controlling for the relative amounts of walking among these populations, risks continue to be higher for some people of color—indicating that these people most likely face disproportionately unsafe conditions for walking.
Older adults also face greater risks. DC residents 65 and older represent 11.3% of the city’s population but 21.8% of the city’s pedestrian fatalities. “There are so many ways to make our streets and neighborhoods safer for older adults to navigate,” said Cort, author of CSG’s report, Moving an Age-Friendly DC: Transportation for All Ages. “Leaders can make our region safer for walking through measures like keeping sidewalks and crosswalks in good repair, bump-outs, and protected bicycle lanes, and making sure transit is accessible and usable.”
In addition, Dangerous by Design 2016 finds that PDI is correlated with median household income as well as rates of uninsured individuals. Low-income metro areas are predictably more dangerous than higher-income ones: as median household incomes drop, PDIs rise. Similar trends bear out with rates of uninsured individuals: as rates of uninsured individuals rise, so do PDIs, meaning that the people who can least afford to be injured often live in the most dangerous places for walking.
Read the full Dangerous by Design 2016 report, released today by Smart Growth America, at smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design.
About the organizations:
Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.
Partnership for Smarter Growth educates and engages the communities in the Richmond region to work together to improve quality of life by guiding where and how the region grows. It connects residents in the nine jurisdiction region and focuses on land use planning, urban design, transit, and safer streets for walking and bicycling. Learn more at psgrichmond.org.
Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for, and leading coalitions to bring better development to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information, visit smartgrowthamerica.org.
The report is released in collaboration with AARP, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates. See the full report for all partner organization information.
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Councilmember Proposes DC Take Over Running Metrobuses-And Making Them Free
WASHINGTON – (WMAL) In a bold vision that would shake up the region’s transportation scene, D.C. Councilmember David Grosso is proposing the District take over operations of Metrobuses that run only within D.C., and to increase funding in order to eliminate fares.
“Instead of paying WMATA to operate these routes for our residents, let’s do it ourselves. We can task DDOT with running or contracting out the service, as we do with the Circulator. We could even brand them with the Circulator’s now-ubiquitous red and black,” Grosso writes on the urban planning website Greater Greater Washington. “Let’s take those millions of dollars we pay annually to WMATA, invest additional funds, and provide the type of transportation system that residents can rely on, one that is an attractive alternative to Metrorail.”
Grosso says it would give WMATA one less thing to worry about as they work to fix the rail side of operations, and would allow for additional investment that Maryland and Virginia may balk at otherwise. In making the buses free to ride, Grosso says it would also increase ridership, reduce the strain on Metrorail, speed up the boarding process, and reduce confrontations between drivers and passengers.
“To be clear, the city would not turn a profit under this scheme; we never have from our public transportation (or roads and highway projects for that matter),” Grosso writes. “But that’s not the point. What we’d get is something much greater.”
Some worry the proposal could further solidify philosophical differences between Maryland, the District, and Virginia.
“I’ve got mixed feelings,” Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz tells WMAL. “There could be negative consequences in further fragmenting our regional bus networks. I worry it could distract from the regional conversation and regional commitment we need to have for the funding Metro needs.”
D.C. has been a leading advocate in increasing funding for Metro. Mayor Muriel Bowser has publicly called for the establishment of a new tax region-wide to serve as a dedicated funding source for Metro. The Governors of Maryland and Virginia have advocated for a more cautious approach, waiting to see if Metro can improve its operations and finances first before committing to more money.
Schwartz says the region’s ability to compete on a global level hinges on cooperation across borders around D.C.
“The more we can keep ourselves tied together through our transit system, and even other utility systems, and the more we can work together through regional bodies, the better for our region’s economic competitiveness.”
STATEMENT on DC Court of Appeals McMillan ruling
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2016
CONTACT
Cheryl Cort, Policy Director
(202) 251-7516
Coalition for Smarter Growth STATEMENT on DC Court of Appeals ruling on McMillan Sand Filtration Site redevelopment
Today, the DC Court of Appeals halted movement on the McMillan Sand Filtration Site redevelopment, vacating the Zoning Commission’s ruling on the planned unit development (PUD). Following the Court of Appeals ruling, Coalition for Smarter Growth Policy Director Cheryl Cort issued the following statement:
“The Appeals Court ruling is a disappointing setback to delivering the city’s largest new park for all of us to enjoy. The ruling also delays much-needed housing and affordable housing, a new grocery store, and the historic restoration of aging structures.
Whatever the next steps to win a mixed-use McMillan development, the Court’s interpretation of the District’s Comprehensive Plan underscores just how important it is for residents to get involved with the ongoing Comprehensive Plan amendment process to clarify the plan as our city’s vision for guiding growth.”
About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.
McMillan redevelopment blocked by D.C. Court of Appeals
The D.C. Court of Appeals vacated the Zoning Commission’s approval of the McMillan Sand Filtration site redevelopment only one day after the groundbreaking, as reported by UrbanTurf. The court’s decision found that the D.C. Zoning Commission did not adequately address how the redevelopment would impact the nearby neighborhoods.
The ruling made by the D.C. Court of Appeals reads:
“In the first order, the Zoning Commission approved Vision McMillan Partner’s application for a planned unit development (PUD) on the site. In the other two orders, the Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation approved permits allowing [Vision McMillan Partners] to demolish certain structures on the site and to subdivide the site. Petitioner Friends of McMillan Park (FOMP) challenges these orders. Specifically, FOMP argues that the project is inconsistent with the District’s Comprehensive Plan and that the Commission failed to adequately explain its conclusions.”
In a statement, the non-profit organization, Friends of McMillan Park, described the ruling as “a great victory for our long efforts.” Friends of McMillan Park has stated that their hope for the property is to only construct a park.
Kirby Vining, treasurer of Friends of McMillan Park, told DCist, “The court is the first time that we’ve had an objective look at what the city is actually doing with this land.”
Despite the win for Friends of McMillan Park, the court doesn’t totally agree with the non-profit. According to DCist, the court believes that in certain cases high-density development could be justified for the 25-acre site..
The delivery for the redevelopment was slated for 2018. Plans involved 531 apartments and a 52,000-square-foot Harris Teeter from Jair Lynch as well as 146 townhouses from EYA. Plans also included an eight-acre park, 17,500-square-foot community center, and roughly 1 million square feet towards medical office space from Trammell Crow.
UPDATE: The Coalition for Smarter Growth Policy Director Cheryl Cort issued the following statement:
“The Appeals Court ruling is a disappointing setback to delivering the city’s largest new park for all of us to enjoy. The ruling also delays much-needed housing and affordable housing, a new grocery store, and the historic restoration of aging structures.
Whatever the next steps to win a mixed-use McMillan development, the Court’s interpretation of the District’s Comprehensive Plan underscores just how important it is for residents to get involved with the ongoing Comprehensive Plan amendment process to clarify the plan as our city’s vision for guiding growth.”
Wiedefeld Marks One Year As Head of Metro as Rifts Over Long-Term Problems Persist
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) It was one year ago today that Paul Wiedefeld took over possibly the least-coveted job in the transportation world in starting to chart a path forward for the floundering Metro system. Many D.C.-area leaders and transportation experts agree Wiedefeld has given the system some hope, but there is still much to be done both in the short and long term, and many sharp disagreements about the direction still to be ironed out.
“He has been willing to make the tough decisions,” Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly told WMAL. “Which many of his predecessors, frankly, did not do.”
Chief among those tough decisions was the unprecedented move to close the system for an entire day on March 16. The region was given little more than a few hours notice that the system would be shuttered for 24 hours that Wednesday to do an emergency inspection of jumper cables.
“That showed his ability to make tough decisions and stand by them,” Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz told WMAL. “It really established his role as a leader.”
Those same sentiments were expressed when Wiedefeld put together the 10-month track rehabilitation plan known as Safe Track, designed to compress three years’ worth of work into a much shorter time span. It was also seen in some in-the-weeds issues like workforce development. Wiedefeld announced the firing of 20 managers in May, and layoffs to the tune of 500 positions in July in an attempt to turn around the oft-criticized culture of the system.
Some say Wiedefeld’s effort to turn around operations and safety is inspiring other area leaders to finally start tackling the long-term issues that are out of Wiedefeld’s hands, like overhauling how Metro gets its money, and increasing its subsidies to further the system’s improvement.
“We appreciate Paul’s sense of urgency and focus on what needs to be done,” Greater Washington Board of Trade President Jim Dinegar said. “How we’re going to pay for it, how it’s going to be governed and all the rest is a work in progress, but I believe there is a growing sense of urgency.”
That urgency is appreciated by Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, who again warned his colleagues of the dire straits ahead.
“We are faced with these staggering costs here,” Evans said during a D.C. Council breakfast Tuesday. “We are looking at $160 million in the next two years in operating costs, and $492 million in capital costs, increases that we have to put into Metro, or not. And the ‘or not’ is, the system’s just going to stop running.”
Evans proceeded to rail against jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia that he says have been dragging their feet on giving Metro what it needs.
“Loudoun County is the richest county in America. Fairfax County is the second-richest county in America. Arlington County is the sixth-richest county in America, and Montgomery County is the eighth-richest county in America,” Evans said. “These are the jurisdictions who can’t afford to pay for Metro.”
Evans’ comments do little to help a system where cross-jurisdictional cooperation is key, Connolly said.
“You can’t be Chairman of Metro and trash your compact partners,” Connolly said. “I have a Republican General Assembly in Richmond I have to sell (an increase in funding) to. And Jack Evans, every time he opens his mouth, makes that job harder.”
Evans made waves two weeks ago when he questioned Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s motivations in refusing to give Metro extra money, insinuating the Republican cares little for constituents in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties since it is a heavily Democratic area. Hogan’s office dismissed those claims, and a spokeswoman questioned Evans’ fitness for the job.
“The system needs strong, balanced, and rational leadership,” the spokeswoman said, “and if this chairman can’t provide it, then it’s time to find someone who can.”