Pedestrian Safety
Walkers' greatest concerns usually focus on their personal safety. Although walking has great health benefits, some people will avoid walking out of fear that it is too dangerous. A close brush with a speeding auto or a slip on an icy sidewalk can ruin the sense of safety that pedestrians usually enjoy.
Although providing a risk-free walking environment in an urbanizing area is a difficult task, Arlington County is undertaking a number of measures intended to make walking safer.
Improving the facilities that pedestrians use is a cornerstone of County pedestrian programs, from building wide, well-lit sidewalks that are free of tripping hazards and obstacles that could make them inaccessible to reducing the risks posed by automobiles through "traffic calming," and ensuring that school children have safe, accessible routes to neighborhood schools. Pedestrian safety also includes educational programs like Street Smart and local and regional law enforcement efforts.
Snow! When snow falls in Arlington, citizens and businesses rush out to clear the sidewalks for their fellow pedestrians. At least, that is the vision! Arlington has numerous helpful resources for pedestrians including a snow plan, inclement weather closing updates on the County website and the Arlington Virginia Network (AVN) cable television channels, the Arlington Alert system, and even a Snowblower Volunteer Program, complete with training.
Safe Routes to Schools
To provide families with up-to-date information on safe routes to public schools, Arlington County government and Arlington Public Schools work toward a comprehensive program of education; evaluation and engineering (infrastructure improvements); enforcement (of laws protecting pedestrians); and encouragement.
Neightborhood Traffic Calming (NTC)
A pedestrian's greatest danger is aggressive traffic, so the County has undertaken a comprehensive process of "traffic calming" using signage and physical measures (like speed humps, nubs, raised crosswalks and traffic circles) to reduce vehicle speeds and unsafe driving behavior.
Sidewalk Closures
Sidewalks that are closed due to construction can create serious hazards to pedestrians, especially those with disabilities. A list and set of maps of current sidewalk closures is available on the WALKArlington website.
Law Enforcement
The Arlington County Police Department is increasing its vigilance in enforcing traffic laws. Many crosswalks around Arlington have been designated for higher fines (up to $500) when motorists fail to yield to a pedestrian. The Police Department focuses additional attention at those locations and at other crosswalks near schools and in commercial centers where there are large numbers of pedestrians.
