By Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – For the third time in two weeks a pedestrian is hit in Montgomery County Thursday, and county leaders are asking state officials to take action to prevent more accidents involving pedestrians.
“We can not permit this to continue. It’s just devastating,” said Montgomery County Council member Nancy Floreen who also sits on the council’s transportation committee.
Montgomery County Police said Thursday around 6:15 a.m. a man was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after getting struck on Maryland route 355 at Mannakee Street in Rockville. The southbound lanes of the road were closed for hours.
Thursday’s incident comes after two Northwest High School students were hit crossing Great Seneca Highway in Germantown Monday, and four high schoolers were struck by a car Oct. 9 while waiting for a bus on Georgia Avenue. Police said Oct. 9 the incident on Georgia Avenue left one person with life-threatening injuries.
Tuesday the county council wrote a letter to Gov. Larry Hogan and Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn – which was also sent to other officials including State Highway Administrator Gregory Slater – asking the state to take a more proactive approach to preventing pedestrians from getting hit on state highways. They asked for the 45 mph speed limit on the notoriously dangerous Georgia Avenue to be lowered saying it is much too high for the suburban area.
The letter said the county has seen a steady climb in vehicle collisions with pedestrians during the past year. To date in 2018, 11 pedestrians died along Montgomery County roadways, according to the letter, compared to 11 in all of 2017 and 8 in 2016. Councilors say of the 11 deaths this year, 9 were along state highways.
In a statement, SHA said it’s taking a more comprehensive review than ever before on where and why pedestrian crashes happen. The administration said last year it launched a multi-part approach to find solutions to reduce the rising number of pedestrian fatalities in Maryland.
“Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) remains deeply concerned about the recent increases in pedestrian fatalities on this corridor,” SHA said in a statement referring to Georgia Avenue.
SHA said it developed short-term solutions in September that will be implemented soon on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton.
Engineering recommendations to improve safety on Georgia Avenue include reducing the lane width at the intersection with Norbeck Road and installing a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Georgia and Reedie avenues.
The council’s holding a meeting on pedestrian safety Nov. 13. Councilors said in the letter they expect SHA to prevent the steps it will take in the short-term to address the issue on its highways.
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