Toward Vision Zero: Making the District Safer, One Road at a Time

Members of Kenard Hawkins’ family recount how their lives were shattered after Mr. Hawkins was killed by a car crash in Oxon Hill, Md.

Earlier this Fall, DDOT and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments hosted a biannual Street Smart event at the intersection of Florida Avenue and 12th Street NE. The kickoff event highlighted the importance of safety for all users of the roadway.

Several crash survivors − as well as friends and relatives of pedestrians and bicyclists who were killed by automobiles − recounted how their lives were shattered by a fatal encounter with a car. The common theme among the testimonies was that the crash could have been avoided through safer driving practices and an increased focus on traffic safety.

“It was devastating,” said Antonio Brown, the brother of Kenard Hawkins, who was killed crossing the street in Oxon Hill, Md. “It’s the call you don’t want to get, a call you don’t sit around and wait for. I had just talked to him before the crash. He didn’t deserve to get run over.”

For more testimonials from people in the Washington metro area whose lives have been impacted by traffic fatalities, please visit the Street Smart website.

DDOT Brings Traffic Safety Improvements to Florida Avenue NE 

DDOT staff members lead residents on a bike tour of the bike lanes that DDOT installed along Florida Avenue NE.

The location along Florida Avenue NE was selected by the DDOT team to highlight the safety improvements that were recently installed along the corridor.  After the work was completed, DDOT Director Jeff Marootian and agency staff led a group of cyclists on a tour of the traffic safety improvements that DDOT recently installed on Florida Avenue NE.

The bike ride – which was attended by approximately 50 people – gave residents, local ANC members and bike advocates an up close and personal look at the results of the Interim Florida Avenue Safety Improvement Project. The project repurposed travel lanes between 2nd Street NE and 14th Street / H Street NE to:

• Install a cycletrack and a center turn lane between 2nd Street NE and West Virginia Avenue NE
• Add two bike lanes and a parking lane between West Virginia Avenue NE and 14th Street NE / H Street NE

An artist’s rendering of the safety improvements on Florida Avenue NE, between West Virginia Avenue and 14th Street / H Street.

Not only do these upgrades increase safety for bicyclists, they also protect pedestrians and motorists by decreasing vehicular traffic speeds in the corridor.

“I’m really proud of this team effort,” said Director Marootian. “This was a collaboration of folks from all across the agency.”

Take a look at this recap of DDOT’s bike tour of the newly improved Florida Avenue NE and other safety improvement projects that will make roadways across all eight wards safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.