Plans to enhance pedestrian safety are underway for a busy Northwest D.C. street, following the tragic accident that claimed the life of a Howard University student, Mohamed Samura, who was struck by a speeding car reportedly driven by a faculty member. The accident occurred in April on the university's campus, just a block away from Georgia Avenue, as reported by WJLA.
This incident has sparked a response to improve the street's infrastructure; among the planned upgrades is the construction of a new cement wall situated at the site of the collision, providing a barrier to potentially prevent future tragedies. Josh Jacobson, the ANC Commissioner of the area, expressed frustration at the slow pace of change, stating, "It took someone dying before they made those changes," in an interview with WJLA.
According to a WTOP report, the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) has committed to installing raised crosswalks and a strategically placed bike rack at the intersection of Fairmont and 6th streets; this new infrastructure is designed to act as a protective barrier, ideally reducing the risk to pedestrians should a vehicle fail to navigate the intersection safely.
"DDOT said it should be within a month or two," Jacobson highlighted, conveying the urgency of these installations, but with a critical note on the timeline for implementation, he stressed, "It just takes too long and comes at the cost of people’s lives before big changes that are needed are made," underscoring the precious cost of delayed action in traffic safety. WTOP has made attempts to get further commentary from the DDOT on the specifics of the project.
