The District has launched a traffic safety campaign to increase safety in school zones, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a release on Monday, November 29.
The plan has been developed by the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Traffic Safety and Specialized Enforcement Section, in partnership with DC’s Vision Zero Initiative.
Additional safety measures will be put in place for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians in school areas as part of the new campaign. MPD will assign seven of its officers to the safety enforcement works that will focus on traffic violations and will take place daily three hours before school arrival times and three hours after dismissal time.
Traffic safety literature will also be handed out to roadway users in these areas to remind drivers and bikers to slow down and adhere to the rules.
Keeping our young people safe before, during, and after school is a community-wide effort. Whether through Safe Passage, the shuttle bus program, or enhanced traffic enforcement, we're committed to doing everything possible to ensure our children thrive. https://t.co/3kP1qfJmiq pic.twitter.com/3RM5NlvoHe
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) November 29, 2021
“Ensuring our young people have everything they need to succeed means keeping them safe before, during, and after school. Whether that’s through Safe Passage, through the shuttle bus program, or through enhanced traffic enforcement, we know it’s a community-wide effort,” Bowser said.
The mayor has also encouraged DC’s young people to share their opinions and “unique perspective on what’s happening in our city” with her administration at the upcoming Youth Summit.
DC’s Youth Summit, which is hosted by MPD and the George Washington University, is scheduled to happen on Saturday, December 4 between 10 am and 4 pm at Eastern High School. Young residents will discuss their in-school and out-of-school experiences at the summit.
“The summit is not intended for us adults to just give information and tools to our youth, but rather to provide a space for us to listen to the concerns of our young people, and to hear their ideas and solutions,” DC Police Chief Robert Contee said about the event. “There is diversity of opinion among our youth and what the role of police should be, and this summit will elevate those voices.”