Media Contact:  Jack Pfeiffer, EOM, (202) 727-1751; John Lisle, DDOT, (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC) Mayor Adrian M. Fenty along with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director, Gabe Klein announced plans to begin installation of 200 miles of sidewalks in the District starting this summer.

“Pedestrian safety is one of the District’s top priorities,” said Mayor Fenty. “It is paramount that we provide a safe walking environment for all residents and visitors to the nation’s capital.”

The District received nearly $4 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to begin the work of implementing the recently finalized District Pedestrian Master Plan’s recommendation to fill the gaps in the District’s sidewalk network. The preliminary list of locations was compiled by matching medium and high pedestrian activity areas with missing sidewalk locations and reviewing comments received from Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and residents.

New sidewalks are often added during major roadway projects, which are prioritized by pavement condition and not the absence of sidewalks. Due to funding limitations, DDOT typically does not have a stand-alone contract to construct new sidewalks in the District. The ARRA funds will allow DDOT to begin constructing necessary missing links of sidewalks where they are most needed from a pedestrian perspective and independent of roadway conditions.

Because the monies are part of a Transportation Enhancement project the District is able to use federal resources for pedestrian facilities on streets that are typically not eligible for federal aid such as local roadways. These local streets typically have the greatest need for these facilities.

There are over 200 miles of missing sidewalk links in the District. These resources, while substantial, will still only cover a portion of those gaps. The sidewalks to be installed under this contract were prioritized by assessment of pedestrian demand – meaning these are pedestrian pathways to commercial areas, transit resources, schools, recreation centers, or other high demand destinations. The missing sidewalks are a real safety risk and must be addressed.

People with disabilities make up 20 percent of the District’s population (that’s 116,000 persons), 12 percent of District residents are 65 years or older, and 6 percent are 5 years old or younger, so it is critical to provide a sidewalk system to accommodate a variety of needs.

Sidewalks benefit both pedestrians and motorists by creating separation between pedestrian and vehicular travel paths. They also provide places for children to walk, run, skate, ride bikes, and play. Sidewalks significantly reduce the chance of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle.

Nearly 18 percent of District streets, almost 200 miles, have sidewalks on only one side of the street, or no sidewalks at all, where there is significant vehicular traffic and many people walking.

For additional information on the District’s Pedestrian Master Plan or to view a list of the most currently recommended sidewalk installations, visit www.ddot.dc.gov.