MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Some Montgomery County leaders will take another look at a bill that focuses on improving street safety in a work session on Thursday afternoon.
A Montgomery County Transportation and Environment Committee is looking to put forward legislation Bill 11-23 — also known as the Safe Streets Act of 2023 — which aims to lower the number of crashes. Officials said the purpose of this bill will be to advance the county’s Vision Zero goals by eliminating serious and fatal crashes by addressing specific transportation initiatives.
“I think it’s a great idea. I think there are a lot of people that use these kinds of roads and the crosswalks every day,” said Catherine Vassiliadi, who walks often in the Rockville area.
Officials said since 2015, 64% of all pedestrian-involved crashes happened at intersections. In 2022, 19 people died from accidents involving cars and 574 were hit by vehicles, according to Montgomery County Officials.
The bill also had the following details:
- Requires an infrastructure review for pedestrian-related collisions within a County’s school zone;
- Prohibits a driver of a motor vehicle from making a right turn on a red at certain intersections;
- Requires certain traffic control devices at crosswalks in the County’s downtown and town center areas
- Requires the County Executive to provide an automated traffic enforcement plan;
- and Generally amends the law regarding motor vehicles and traffic control.
“For me, getting to work every day… sometimes takes a while to have to wait for them. And I know that sometimes people can get impatient as a result of that. And I think that can be one of the problems that leads people to having these accidents,” said Vassiliadi hearing about the details of the bill especially dealing with sidewalks.
Thursday’s committee meeting is the second work session on the bill. Leaders from Montgomery County’s transportation department, planning department and Montgomery County Schools will attend the meeting.
The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, and the committee is expected to make a recommendation to the full council afterward.
