(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, during #ObviouslyDC Week, the Walk Friendly Communities (WFC) program announced that Washington, DC has retained its gold status designation as a walk-friendly city. Washington, DC was the only community to earn gold status during this round of designations. Other communities recognized include: Columbus, Ohio, Long Beach, California, Redwood City, California, Essex Junction, Vermont, Gainesville, Florida, Northampton, Massachusetts, and Sitka, Alaska.
“The District is fully committed to offering safe, accessible, and sustainable transportation opportunities to all our residents and visitors,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Going forward, we will continue to build on our city’s progress by investing in policies, programs, and a transportation infrastructure that support our Vision Zero initiative and create a safer, stronger DC.”
Washington, DC first earned gold standing in 2012 for its planning and implementing of safe and accessible walking infrastructure and transit opportunities. Since then, the District has done even more to improve walkability. Washington, DC now has 16 pedestrian hybrid beacons/HAWK signals (pedestrian-activated signals that stop traffic at crosswalks on busy streets), 13 rectangular rapid flashing crosswalk beacons (signs and lighting at crosswalks that provide high-visibility, strobe-like warnings to drivers), and 185 intersections with leading pedestrian intervals that give pedestrians a few seconds head start to enter an intersection before cars are permitted to turn. In 2012, those numbers were 2, 4, and 50, respectively. Today, nearly 14 percent of DC residents walk to their place of work, the second highest percentage amongst cities in the nation.
Over the past two years, the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) has added 1.2 miles of new sidewalk throughout all eight wards, closing 20 percent of the gaps in the city’s 1,500-mile sidewalk network. In addition, new infrastructure, such as the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, has been developed with robust pedestrian transit facilities that connect to other transit modes, and the Street Smarts campaigns have also grown to include more collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions.
“Our top priority is ensuring the safety of our residents,” said DDOT Acting Director Jeff Marootian. “From the first stage of planning, we look at how we can make our infrastructure and transportation network as pedestrian accessible as possible, and we continue to review and capitalize on opportunities to do so even after implementation. Our robust safety studies, data collection, and infrastructure growth are clear testaments to that success.”
The WFC designation, awarded every five years, is based on collaborative community efforts to expand opportunities for walking and improve pedestrian safety across a wide range of programs and activities, from planning and design to outreach and law enforcement. WFC is a nationally recognized program sponsored by FedEx and managed by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with the intent to encourage cities and towns across the United States to develop and support safe, accessible walking. The program recognizes communities that are leading the nation in prioritizing walkability and encourages others to implement successful strategies in their own jurisdictions.
“Communities nationwide are implementing some very impressive plans and projects to create welcoming pedestrian environments,” said WFC Program Manager Dan Gelinne. “All cities and towns face challenges related to pedestrian safety and walkability, but these Walk Friendly Communities are well-positioned to address these concerns and proactively improve their streets. We hope their innovative projects and programs can serve as models to other communities.”
For more information about the District’s initiatives to support pedestrian safety and enhance accessible walking opportunities, visit DDOT’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety page and the District’s Vision Zero website.