A sad bit of information to pass along from an otherwise (rather) quiet weekend: the Washington Post is reporting that a woman who was attempting to cross W Street at 15th Street (near Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park) was struck and killed by a car that was turning right onto 15th from W W from 15th.
Although 15th and W streets was not an intersection named as one of the city's most dangerous (the runner-up to that title goes to our very own 14th and U Street), this intersection is a difficult one for pedestrians to traverse, what with Florida Avenue cutting through at an angle and 15th Street branching off into two directions. Couple that with confusing walk signals and times, and you can understand how such an accident could take place. (Conversely, the driver may simply not have been paying attention.)
The woman was one of two pedestrians killed yesterday (the other was a signaller who was struck on the Southeast/Southwest Expressway).
Monday, June 1, 2009
Pedestrian Struck and Killed at 15th and W Streets
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4 comments:
seems like a good time to bring up this idea from monumentality. would the slowing of traffic in a circle, as well as the shorter distances that a pedestrian would be exposed to traffic, have helped in this situation?
i'd say a tentative "yes" here.
I live near that intersection and saw the scene after the pedestrian's body had been removed. I am a little confused by this account. The pedestrian appeared to have been hit crossing W St. W St is one-way west to east and 15th St is one-way south to north at the intersection. The driver must have been turning right onto W from 15th St or New Hampshire Ave, driving straight from west to east on W, or making a left-ish turn from Florida Ave onto W. I appreciate your post, nonetheless. My wife and I were trying to figure out what had happened. The police were less than forthcoming and unintentionally made it sound as if something more sinister had happened through vague statements(at this point there was only blood on the ground). You are right that it is a very dangerous and confusing intersection for drivers and pedestrians alike.
What a shame. But a minor quibble: read Ryan Avent on culpability in pedestrian deaths. It's a point worth remembering.
Woops--sorry. Should read "by a car turning right onto W from 15th". I'll make the change.
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