On average, one person is killed on roads in Montgomery County every single week. And almost every single one of those deaths was and is preventable with better road design. Every week we delay is another soul who doesn't come home.

Montgomery County needs streets that are safe for every user as soon as possible. No matter if you drive, take transit, bike, or walk to where you are going, everyone should be able to get home to their friends and family efficiently and safely. 

• Lower speed limits and greater enforcement of speeding violations
• Marked crosswalks at every intersection
• Eliminating turns-on-red
• Reworked traffic laws which hold drivers accountable for their dangerous behavior

Travel without a car in Montgomery County is often difficult and dangerous. A legacy of car centric sprawl has trapped the county's roadways in the failed ideas of the past. Pedestrians and cyclists are an afterthought at best. Roads are designed with the speed of cars in mind, to the exclusion of the speed and comfort of anyone else and the safety of everyone, including drivers. Sidewalks are narrow, leave pedestrians exposed to both speeding cars and the elements, and are often dimly lit at night. Many crosswalks, particularly near bus stops, are unmarked, leaving pedestrians vulnerable and forcing them to take illogical circuitous routes so that drivers are not delayed or inconvenienced by even a few seconds. Dedicated and safe lanes and paths for cyclists and pedestrians are a disjointed mess that are few and far between.

It is long past time for a change in how we design and operate roadways. Streets should be for everyone, not just for people in cars.

For this to happen, ACT is working hard to ensure:

• The creation of a comprehensive network of effective bike infrastructure connecting the entirety of Montgomery County and the DMV region.
• That streets are designed with safety and equitable use, not vehicle speed, as the priorities.
• That streets are accessible to all users, regardless of disability

Bike Lanes

Bikes lanes are a vital and beneficial piece of transportation infrastructure.

Not all bike lanes are created equal. Each type offers different levels of protection to the cyclists who use them, which in turn impacts how well they work both in terms of allowing and encouraging bike ridership, travel efficiency, and rider safety. 

The ideal bike lane is 5 to 6 feet wide, and is protected by a buffer area 3 feet wide. Within this buffer, there should be physical barriers between vehicle and bike traffic. These barriers should consist of concrete, metal, or plastic bollards, and concrete slabs or planters. In some situations, a parking lane can be placed between the barrier area and travel lanes. This provides drivers with street parking and doubles as a additional layer of protection for cyclists from moving vehicles. ACT prefers these various types of ideal lanes wherever and whenever possible.

Bike lanes do not just benefit cyclists. A comprehensive bike lane network helps to keep bikes/scooters off of the sidewalk. This keeps the sidewalks clear for both walking and rolling pedestrians. This increases both walkability and accessibility. 

ACT supports the creation of a comprehensive network of interconnected bike lanes and bikeways which will allow for the safe, convenient and comfortable movement of people by bike, scooter, or on foot across the county and region. 

More Bike Racks

Just as with cars, bikes need not only lanes on which to travel, but storage and "parking" facilities to safely keep bicycles when not in use. All too often though, the provision of a proper place for this are an afterthought. What bike racks there are might be placed in odd and out of the way places, are insufficient in size, and/or designed in counterproductive ways in the name of aesthetics. Just as likely however is a total lack of dedicated bike/scooter parking, just street poles, trees, and anything heavy that happens to be nearby, though these are not always present, forcing riders to leave their bike/scooter unattended and untethered. This depresses bike and scooter use. When people do make use of any convenient object to tether their bike/scooter to, they often run the risk of blocking ADA accessibility ramps or creating impediments in the sidewalk, impeding ease of use for pedestrians of all levels of physical ability, making the spaces less usable and accessible.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Bike parking is extremely space efficient and beneficial to the community. A typical car parking space could host at least 10 bike spaces. With the average car carrying 1.5 people per trip, this means that with 1/5 of the space (or less), bike parking can accommodate the equivalent number of people in that car trip (which in turn means that the 10 bikes can provide parking for over 6 times as many people as a single car trip's parking does). This is extremely beneficial to area's economy, as studies show that individual cyclists tend to spend more per month at local businesses than drivers do, and that bike parking is cheaper per square foot to than car parking is. And since the area of one car space can accommodate more potential customers as bike parking than as car parking, this in turn multiplies the benefits to businesses several fold. 

ACT supports the installation of bike racks all across the county. At a minimum, there should be equivalent numbers of bike space and car spaces at any establishment. Bike parking should be located in convenient and logical places relative to entrances, and positioned such that they do not block the flow of pedestrians or access to the building for disabled people.

Safe Streets by Design

A road can be designed for speed for some or safety for all, but not both. All too often, roads in Montgomery County and across the nation have been built with only vehicular speed in mind. The safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and even the drivers has been a secondary concern, if a concern at all. That has to change. In addition to the policies already states (marked crosswalks and bike lanes) ACT supports the following traffic calming changes to our local road design. This list is not exhaustive and there are additional measures ACT may support.

Mark Every Crosswalk

Maryland law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians at both marked and unmarked crosswalks.

An unmarked crosswalk exists at every corner where the side street has a sidewalk, except where there is a traffic light. The unmarked crosswalk is the extension of the sidewalk into the street being crossed. But this legal reality is often ignored both by drivers and law enforcement when determining who is at fault in a crash. The results are predictable and tragic, with many pedestrians being hurt or losing their lives to drivers speeding through what should be a safe and legal crossing point.

This is particularly egregious near mid-block bus stops. An all too frequent event in Montgomery County is someone gets off the bus on one side of a road midblock, lives on the other side of the street, and goes to cross so they can get home, only to be suddenly struck and killed by a driver who was going too fast to stop at the crosswalk that legally exists, much less to even see the pedestrian exercising their right to cross the street.

While this and similar tragedies are part of a broader issue of horrendous road design, marking every single crosswalk that legally already exists is a vital step in ensuring that every pedestrians' right cross the street is unquestionable. 

ACT demands that our state and county mark every crosswalk immediately and mark mid-block crossings, starting with those nearest to bus stops.

Wider and clear Sidewalks

Montgomery County's Complete Streets Guide requires what should be a fair and comprehensive network of sidewalks of contextually dependent widths and configurations across the county. However, there is a glaring flaw. Highways require the narrowest sidewalks, and most of the county's population lives along these roads, including Rockville Pike, Georgia Avenue, and Connecticut Avenue. This means that many sidewalks are a minimum 6 feet wide, with a buffer area which is often nothing more than empty grass (if a buffer exists at all). Sidewalks are integral to a health community. Wider sidewalks allow friends and families to walk side by side and chat, making walks feel shorter. A wider sidewalk also can double as a quasit-park, allowing the space to function as both recreational and transportation infrastructure. Above all, a good sidewalk network gives every user, regardless of if they are walking or rolling, a safe and convenient way to get around their community, while providing a boost to the local economy and property values.

Sidewalks should also be kept clear of obstacles, such as utility and light poles. Widening the sidewalks makes it easier for their to be enough space for these objects to remain along the edges of the sidewalk without obstructing the pedestrian pathway. This is important for both walkability and role-ability, as people with mobility challenges, such as those in wheelchairs, cannot easily move around these obstacles. Keeping our sidewalks clear is vital to walkable and accessible communities.

ACT supports the increasing of the minimum widths of sidewalks required along highways, arterial, and collector type roads to be increased to at least 8 feet, and that the buffer zones be modified to include better protection from traffic, such as with the use of street trees. This makes sidewalks safer, more accessible to people with disabilities, and helps to increase walkability.

Street Trees

Trees lining the road provide a litany of benefits to many different groups of people. 

In terms of safety, street trees provide a valuable solid barrier between vehicular traffic and pedestrians. In addition, more mature trees provide a calming effect on traffic, psychologically nudging drivers to go slower, in much the same way and effectiveness as a speed camera does.

In terms of walkability, street trees provide protection not just from vehicles, but from the elements. Sun/heat, rain, and even wind, all can be mitigated by taking shelter under a tree. A series of trees with overlapping or adjoining canopies thus can create corridors of shelter from the elements on any day of the year. In addition, the sense of enclosure which slows vehicles is found to make a space feel more welcoming to walk in. Walkability is thus increased both physically and psychologically.  

In terms of quality of the neighborhood, the numbers speak for themselves. Studies have shown that street trees increase property values by between 10 and 23%. They have also shown that trees increase the amount of commercial activity in retail spaces, decrease crime, reduce noise pollution, and lower the amount of air conditioning homes need to use.

ACT supports the planting of native species street trees along every road and street in the county, as the benefits to our collective well being which the trees bring are great and will only increase with the age and well-being of the trees.

Curb Extensions, Speed Humps, & Raised Crosswalks

Local streets and urban roads should not be treated as highspeed freeways. And yet, too many drivers do just that, speeding down neighborhood streets, endangering themselves and the families who live there. This reckless behavior is in part due to how many of our streets and roads are designed, and thus changes to the design are critical to slowing traffic and making our local streets and urban roads safer. There numerous ways to do this, but ACT supports the following measures first and foremost.

Speed Humps

Speed Humps are one of the most effective ways of slowing traffic on residential streets. They are essentially a slightly elevated, about 3 or 4 inches or so tall and about 3 to 6 feed wide, bump in the road which can effectively keep vehicle speeds to 15 to 20 mph. This is because when someone drives over this bump at higher than desired speeds, they feel a sudden and shocking jolt. The impact of this can actually damage of the vehicle. By contrast, if the person drives over the speed hump at the desired speed or slower, they feel little to nothing. As a result, speed humps are a very effective way to slow traffic on local streets with road design. 

ACT supports the installation of speed humps on most local streets, as their is no reason someone should be able to drive though our neighborhoods as if it were a racetrack.

Raised Crosswalks

Raised crosswalks (sometimes called "continuous crosswalks") are very similar in form to speed humps, with the critical distinguishing factor being that they double as crosswalks. These are effective at midblock crossings because they force drivers to slow down enough to notice pedestrians wanting to cross the street. If done well, this can be done without the need for a traffic signal, though it may be necessary to install flashing lights in some instances to call attention to the presence of the crossing at night or in low visibility.

Raised crosswalks have the added benefit of being level with the sidewalk, which makes it easier for people to roll across with strollers, shopping carts, wheelchairs, or walkers. As a result, they increase the accessibility of the community.

ACT supports the use of raised crosswalks at midblock crossings along local streets and low traffic roads. On busier roads, midblock crossing may be better served with other traffic calming measures and/or traffic signals.

Curb Extensions and Daylighting

Curb extensions come in a variety of forms and configurations based on their location and specific goal, but in general, they are partial increase in the width of the curb into the street, effectively narrowing portions of the road. This has two benefits. The first is that when paired with a crosswalk, it reduces the amount of distance within the potential traffic which a pedestrian needs to travel to reach the other side while also increasing the visibility of the pedestrian to drivers. When used in this manner, they are referred to as "gateways" (at intersections) or as "pinch-points" (at midblock crossings). In either case, they are about the width of a parking lane (if not one or two feet narrower), and can be home to street furniture, ADA compliant ramps, street lights, street trees, etc. 

This is due to the daylighting effect of the curb extension. "Daylighting" is the practice of increasing visibility at intersections by creating buffers spaces close to the crosswalk, usually about one or two cars in length. This can be achieved with paint and plastic bollards, decorative painted murals (because people are apparently less likely to drive over painted murals than they are people), or with full curb extensions, as well as a number of other options. The effective implementation of daylighting has been found to reduce pedestrian crashes by as much as 30%! It should be noted that at intersections this rarely means removing parking, as the area is often already illegal to park in. This is just an example of design enforcing the law.

The second benefit of curb extensions is that narrowing the street has a calming effect on vehicular traffic, making it slower and safer both for pedestrians and vehicles. This is particularly useful on downtown or local neighborhood streets. One way to achieve this is by creating a slight winding in the pathway of vehicles by extending the curb on one side of street in an alternating pattern. This kind of curb extension is referred to as "chicane", and can have the added bonus of creating space for new parklets, bioswales, street trees, or some combination of them and/or more.

ACT supports the addition of context appropriate curb extensions wherever possible, with particular attention given to gateways and pinch-points to facilitate better daylighting and pedestrian visibility at crosswalks. 

No More Slip Lanes

Slip lanes are the epitome of road design which prioritizes vehicle speed over the safety of pedestrians. Turns, with or without a green light, are found to create a small amount of congestion because the turning vehicle must slow ever so slightly in order to be at a safe turning speed. This was deemed by many engineers to be unacceptable, and the slip lane was born. The slip lane is like a miniature highway exit, meant to allow people to turn right, usually without needing to wait for a green light, and without needing to slow themselves or the rest of traffic down.

Predictably, these lanes are also extremely dangerous for anyone who isn't in a car. This is because they do not make traffic slow down enough, even at marked crosswalks, to even notice pedestrians who are crossing the slip lane. Even if there is a traffic light, the slip lane is often structured in such a way that it makes pedestrians harder to notice before it is too late. They also increase the total distance a pedestrian needs to travel in order to cross the street, creating more opportunities for conflict between vehicles and pedestrians. All this danger just to avoid a few seconds of vehicle delay. This danger is so well known that many communities across the country are already in the process of removing them

ACT is calling on our own communities' leaders to hasten the removal of these slip lanes. ACT demands that no additional slip lanes be added and that a detailed plan with a timeline for the speedy removal of every slip lane in the county be laid out by the relevant authorities. Every day we delay risks lives.

Roundabouts

Roundabouts are a staple of effective intersections. Intersections are where most crashes occur, as they are the site of the most potential conflict points. Vehicles (turning and traveling straight), transit vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians all are forced encounter one another. This often becomes even more precarious and dangerous for everyone when vehicles are encouraged or pressured to move at high speeds. Traditional 4 way intersections have 32 possible vehicle conflict points and 24 pedestrian conflict points. They are caused by vehicles turning right on red, left on green, accelerating to not miss the current light cycle, running red lights, etc.. Some of these conflict points are all but guaranteed to cause serious injury or worse.

This is where roundabouts come into play. Roundabouts are a simple circular intersections which use their design to forces vehicles to slow down slightly as they move in a counterclockwise circular pattern around a center island. Vehicles entering the circle yield to those already in the circle. The shape of the traffic pattern forces vehicles to slow depending on the sharpness of the curve. In areas where there are higher levels of pedestrian activity, a sharper curve is used to slow vehicles to 15 to 20 mph, while in more rural areas, speeds are kept to 30 to 35 mph. This lower speed means roundabouts do not require traffic signals and forces drivers to be more aware of their surroundings, including both other vehicles and pedestrians in crosswalks, while still being free flowing. 

Roundabouts have only 8 potential points of conflict, which are proven to be far less likely to occur. They are also shown to actually increase the efficiency of the flow of traffic while still being safer, reducing injuries and crashes by 80% or more compared to signalized/signed intersections. Additionally, because they use their design, not signals, they are found to be cheaper to operate and maintain than traditional intersections.

ACT supports the widespread use of roundabouts, with priority being given to intersections which are known to be hotspots for crashes.

Well Lit Streets and Crossings

This is a lesson as old as civilization, but one that is often neglected: a well lit street is a safer street. Evidence shows that better lighting cuts pedestrian injuries in half, greatly decreases nighttime crashes, and reduces crime while increases people's sense of safety. This makes sense for obvious reasons. Better lighting means better visibility. Better visibility means people can see the world around them easier. So drivers can see pedestrians and other cars in intersections from further away, regardless of the color of clothing or vehicle. People can see further down the street and there are fewer shadows to hide in, so criminals are less able to operate and ambush. Businesses are able to attract customers as the streets are safer and it is easier to see storefronts.

Despite the obvious benefits of well lit streets, far too many streets and roads in Montgomery County are not properly lit. Lights are too dim or too bright (the latter of which can actually reduce visibility), too far apart, or simply do not exist. The result is tragic, predictable, and infuriating: crashes, deaths, and the excuse is "they came out of nowhere" or "they should have been wearing something brighter so they were visible". This state of affairs cannot continue to stand. The benefits of proper lighting and the perils of improper lighting are both too clear to ignore. 

ACT supports the expansion of street lighting across the county so that all roads, streets, and intersections are properly lit and visibility is no longer an excuse for crashes. Intersections and crosswalks should be given the priority, with busier roads like Georgia Avenue following close behind. A well lit street is a safe street, so let's turn on the lights!

Automated Enforcement

As important as good design is, enforcing the designed and written rules is equally important. Whether it is speed limits, bike and bus lanes, or red lights, no police officer can be everywhere at ever time. This is where automated enforcement comes into play. Studies have shown that the use of speed cameras reduce crashes by up to 44%, and curb speeding by 14 to 65%. Meanwhile, communities all across the country, including the neighboring District of Columbia, have started using automated enforcement to try to keep dedicated transit and bike lanes clear of cars and trucks.

ACT supports the implementation of automated enforcement throughout the county. Priority should be given to areas where there is a history of road violations, and expanded to areas identified by members of the community to be dangerous to road users. ACT emphasizes that enforcement is important, but it is no substitution for structural changes. Most places which are prone to speeding, lane violations, or other unsafe road practices are often the result of poor road design. Enforcement of the rules of the road is a must, but long term, the best solution is to design roads which make it that people are less able to break the rules to begin with.

Leading Pedestrian Intervals

Down in the District, a few seconds before the traffic light turns green for vehicles, pedestrians get the signal to cross. This allows for pedestrians to have begun to cross the street and make their presence known before cars are allowed to start turning. These 3 to 7 seconds may not seem like much, but they have been shown to reduce crashes by up to 60%. This can be done with little to no additional infrastructure, just a small recoding of the traffic signal box. 

ACT is calling for leading pedestrian intervals to be used at every signalized crosswalk in the county, with priority being given to intersections with a history of collisions. This small change in timing will save lives!

Accessibility for All

A space that is accessible to anyone is a space that is accessible to everyone. Too often, this maxim is ignored, as spaces are not designed with people with disabilities in mind. ACT is calling on Montgomery County to step up efforts to fix or add accessibility design elements into our streets which will make it possible for anyone to walk, tap, roll, and move through their communities seamlessly and safely.

Tactile Paving Networks

Tactile paving takes two forms. Warning tactile paving is located at the edge of the curb or near changes in the pathway. They are meant to warn people with reduced sight of danger, helping them to avoid harms like walking into traffic, off the edge of the train platform, or falling/tripping at stairways. Different styles of ridging on these pieces of paving communicate a different danger to visually impaired people who are trained to “read” them.

There are instances of this type of paving already in use across Montgomery County, however there are some noticeable issues with their installation, particularly at intersections. Best practices with Warning paving is to have the paving be parallel with the danger it is warning of. At intersections, it should also be in line with the intended crosswalk. This is where there is a gap in practice however. Too often, tactile paving at the crossings of intersections are placed at an angle, which sends a signal to the pedestrians who are blind or have low vision that they should walk straight into the middle of the intersection rather than across the cross walk.

ACT is calling on the state and county to replace these crossings so that they properly direct the people who need them into the crosswalk where they should be safe, not into the middle of dangerous traffic.

Directional tactile paving is largely absent in Montgomery County (and the United States as a whole). Its purpose is to help guide blind and low-vision people down what should be a clear and unobstructed path along the walkway. It can be installed in transit stations to help guide people through the station. It can be used on sidewalks to help guide people around trees, posts, or other obstacles. Communities all over the world use directional tactile paving to help blind and low-vision people to get around safely and independently, but they are not very common in the United States.

ACT is calling on the county, WMATA, and the state to plan and install a comprehensive network of these tactile pathways, starting in transit stations and in mixed use, urban, and commercial areas, and then extending them further out into less dense residential areas. These should also be required to be installed along sidewalks whenever there is work done on that section of sidewalk, in line with the wider network plan.

These practices will help to make it easier for blind and low-vision people to live safe, independent, and full lives as members of our communities.

Directional Curb Ramps

Curb ramps are the parts of the curb at an intersection which slope down to allow people in wheelchairs to safely descend from the sidewalk into the intersection, and then return to curb level on the other side. While many intersections have these ramps, they are not always present or are at too steep a slope to be used, or they are configured in a manner which makes their use unsafe.

Proper ramps will help more than just people in wheelchairs. Parents with strollers, people with shopping carts/trolleys, cyclists approaching a rack or dock or really anyone who needs to make use of wheels stands to benefit from proper curb ramps being in places across the county.

ACT is calling on the county to:

• Install curb ramps at all crossings which are not designed as raised/continuous crosswalks. This includes mid-block crossings.
• Make sure all curb ramps at intersections are split into two ramps of sufficient width which face straight towards the crosswalk. This makes them easier to pair with proper tactile paving and gives people the most efficient and safe pathway to get on and off the curb.
• Ensure all ramps are compliant with the ADA 1:12 slope ratio.
• All ramps should be kept clear of obstacles such as utility and light poles.

ADA Compliant signage and signaling

If you are visually impaired, you can’t see the many signs and signals which we use every day. These include, but are not limited to:

• Traffic lights
• Bus stop signs
• Street signs
• Street closure signs
• Business signs

Being unable to read these signs can either put people in dangers they aren’t able to be warned about or makes it harder for them to independently navigate their way around. There are various methods which the county can use to fix this, such as:

ACT is calling on the relevant authorities to:

• Install brail signs and audio announcement devices at all intersections, traffic signals and transit stations/stops
• If a signal requires a trigger such as a button being pressed, this trigger must be placed at a level which is easily reachable for people of various heights and those who may be seated in a wheelchair
• All signs, buttons and signals should undergo regular inspections to ensure that they are facing the correct direction and are still legible for all vision impaired users.
• Require auditory warning devices be used at all work sites to alert visually impaired people of closures and potential hazards
• Instruct all businesses to have a brail sign at their front door to make it possible for visually impaired customers to know which business they are about to enter

Safe Routes To School

ACT believes that our streets should be safe for children to walk, roll, or bike to and from schools and bus stops. ACT’s Safe Routes to School priorities include:

• Tracking, review, and publication of all school-related crashes.
• Refocusing the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes To School program on identifying and making street design changes in school areas and on working with MCPS to make design changes on school property.
• Widening the focus of the Montgomery County Public Schools transportation department from school buses only, to also including walking/rolling/biking to school.
• Revising MCPS school site design requirements to include a direct path to the front door for students who arrive on foot or by bike, scooter, or other small wheeled device, instead of expecting these students to walk around the car loop and/or bus loop.