New D.C. Transportation Plan Gives Top Priority to Cyclist, Pedestrian Safety

Visualize 2045, a new $291 billion regional plan for transportation projects for 1.2 million people who are likely live in Washington by 2045, has been voted 29-2 and approved on Wednesday by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

The plan aims to encourage people to make lesser use of cars, gain more access to busses, bikes and make more use of paths meant for pedestrians. A bicycle beltway, a 60-mile pathway for biking and walking covering the central part of the greater Washington area, is also in the new regional plan. The plan includes six additional segments to its bicycle lane network in D.C.

The Visualize 2045 plan states that at present 21 miles of the trail are yet to be been constructed and upgrade is needed for three miles.

This is for the first time that the requirements and ease for pedestrians and cyclists is being considered in the plan. Kanti Srikanth, the transportation planning director of the council said the federally-mandated plan is revised by COG after every four years. “But this is the first time pedestrian and cyclist needs have taken center stage,” said Srikanth.

Charles Allen, the Transportation Planning Board Chairman said that he realized the safety issues of bicyclists and pedestrians when his friend, 70-year-old Carol Joan Tomason died after being hit by a pickup truck on 15^th Street.

In the new plan, the transportation agencies in the region have been urged to develop projects, programs, and policies to advance seven initiatives. Two initiatives among the seven call for expanding bus rapid transit and transit ways and improving walk and bike access to transit.

Visualize 2045 is a long-range, federally mandated transportation plan for the National Capital Region. Apart from transportation projects undertaken in the region until 2045, some larger aspirational projects, programs and policies are also included in the plan that exceed beyond the budgetary limitations.

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) Chair Charles Allen in a press release said that for the last four years, TPB, transportation agencies and COG members have been at work to put together Visualize 2045. “It’s a long-range plan that aims to provide affordable, sustainable, and multi-modal transportation options for the residents and businesses of this region,” said Allen.

“The plan goes above and beyond previous plans by also featuring unfunded initiatives that have the potential to significantly improve the region’s transportation system and that the region agrees are worth pursuing,” he added.