Media Contact: Erik Linden, DDOT, (202) 671-2004 or (202) 438-7719

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced today it is in the final stages of completing a “Back to School” safety effort—making improvements to the pedestrian and traffic environment at schools around the District of Columbia.

Back-to-School Fixes

As of today, DDOT has replaced 500 signs, re-striped more than 30 crosswalks for better visibility and performed preventive maintenance on 200 flashing school signs at schools throughout the city.

DDOT also inspected streetlights in the vicinity of 200 schools and repaired 80 lights.

In addition, DDOT is in the process of installing pedestrian countdown signals at 50 intersections near schools.

“This has been a real team effort at DDOT, combining forces throughout our agency to get the job done,” said Emeka Moneme, DDOT Director. “We take the safety of District students very seriously and this summer redoubled our efforts to increase pedestrian and traffic safety around schools.”

All-Walk Pedestrian Traffic Signals

In its ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian safety, DDOT is conducting a pilot project to install an “All Walk” interval at one crosswalk near one elementary school in each ward during school crossing periods.

This “All Walk” phase will function at chosen intersections during morning school arrival and afternoon school departure. The signals are set to give drivers, at intervals, “Red” in all directions, and pedestrians “Walk” in all directions. The concept is to create a safe walking passage for all pedestrians at the intersection.

This pilot project would serve to inform DDOT and its partner agencies whether “All Walk” signal phasing would be a safe and efficient option to use near schools. One elementary school in each ward is receiving a pilot signal—for a total of eight intersections in the pilot project.

DDOT will be studying the effects of the signal on pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the pilot sites.