Below are the leading road safety challenges identified in the M Street pilot area for the industry to address through reverse pitch submissions:
Multimodal Turning Conflicts at Intersections
Turning conflicts at intersections were the leading serious injury (42.8% of serious injury crashes) and overall collisions type (27.2% of total crashes), with more crashes occurring from left turns than right turns. Turning crashes involved a combination of road users, including several vehicle-on-vehicle crashes and others involved pedestrian involved crashes. The high volume of multimodal road users in the M Street pilot area presents challenges with optimal signal timing to accommodate many modes with different signal timing needs. A key turning safety challenge was the number of varied road users that need to clear an intersection during the yellow signal clearance interval, which sometimes results in vehicles speeding up to clear the intersection that may put a crossing vulnerable road user at higher injury severity risk or a vehicle not clearing the intersection resulting in a conflict with oncoming traffic. Short pedestrian signal phasing timing and leading pedestrian intervals may contribute to pedestrian turning conflicts at intersections. Additionally, lack of compliance with right-on-red laws likely contributes to vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. These issues are most salient at the complex multimodal intersection of M Street SE and New Jersey Avenue SE, where high volumes of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, and vehicles interact. Sight lines at intersections were also noted as a concern for turning conflicts at intersections, especially at the intersection of South Capitol Street SW due to the multilevel access lanes.
Increased Road Users during Major Events
The M Street SE corridor sees substantial multimodal activity during major events due to it being the arterial nearest Nationals Park and Audi Field. The majority of serious injury crashes on M Street (85.7% of serious injury crashes) occurred on dates of major events at either Nationals Park or Audi Field. These events draw attendees that use multiple modes of transportation, many of whom are from other neighborhoods or from outside of the city who may not be familiar with navigating the complex M Street road conditions and road safety challenges. It was noted that people arrive over a longer period before a major event, but the large crowds often leave at the same time, resulting in high volumes of all road users that make signal timing and even a Traffic Control Officer (TCO) directing traffic. Road users may be looking for something around them or driving distracted, thus not seeing another road user or having enough time to react to prevent a crash. Major events often draw families with children, who can be harder to see and are at increased risk of injury and fatality. Additionally, some stakeholders indicated there could be an increase in impaired driving after major events in the area. Curbside management issues, traffic frustrations, and lack of situational awareness may be exacerbated by the increased multimodal volumes during major events.
Crashes involving Non-Motorists
The second leading serious injury crash type in the M Street pilot area were listed as straight vehicle hits non-motorist (28.6% of serious injury crashes). These crashes involve both pedestrians and bicyclists and occur predominantly a major intersections in the pilot area. Feedback from DC agency partners indicated that pedestrians crossing outside of crosswalks posed a qualitative safety concern in the M Street pilot area, despite not being a prevalent non-motorist action in the crash reports. Agency partners stated that this pedestrian behavior may be attributable to conditions like long distances between crosswalks on M Street, absence of mid-block crossings, lack of crossings at high pedestrian traffic generating land uses, short pedestrian signal phases, or long opposing traffic signal timing. Pedestrian signal timing may pose a challenge for those who need more time to cross the street than signals currently allow, including older and younger pedestrians, pedestrians with disabilities, and pedestrians with strollers or carrying items. Vehicles blocking crosswalks and clear zones at intersections were also identified as potential contributing factors for pedestrians crossing safety challenges, due to pedestrians needing to go around vehicles or choosing to cross where there is increased visibility. Agency partners indicated concern that pedestrians may not be visible within reaction times to prevent a crash and some of these pedestrian behaviors violate traffic laws. The area near 2nd Street SE was identified as high-risk, especially for children accessing Washington Canal Park. Partners also expressed concern regarding the intersection with South Capitol Street due to short pedestrian signal phases, vehicles blocking crosswalks when the signal changes, and lack of sidewalk and crosswalk space during peak pedestrian times. Lack of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant crossings, curbside management issues, ride hailing, and location of businesses and community services were also identified as possible reasons for pedestrians crossing safety challenges. While not directly in the pilot area, there were three pedestrians killed between 2023-2025 in the Navy Yard and Wharf Neighborhoods on very similar road contexts.
Serious Injury Crashes between 11:00 and 16:00 military time EST
Five serious injury crashes (71.4% of serious injury crashes) occurred within this five-hour time. This is included as a safety challenge because the crashes occurred at an unusual time in the daylight on clear weather days with dry roads. Four of the serious injury crashes during this time occurred on dates with major events in the neighborhood. Other situational factors, such as multimodal traffic volumes, that may have contributed to these midday crashes are unknown.
School Zone Safety and Speed Limits
There are two school speed limit zones of 15-MPH on M Street within the pilot area, one at Van Ness Elementary School at 4th Street SE and another near the Greenleaf Senior Building and other community facilities at Delaware Avenue SW. [1] These special speed zones slow vehicles with the goal of increasing attentiveness to and awareness and ensuring drivers operate at a safe speed when children are present. Two serious injury crashes (28.6% of serious injury crashes) occurred near Van Ness Elementary School, one vehicle-involved and the other involving a pedestrian. It is unclear if these crashes were during school times when the school zone speed limit was active or if the crashes involved children.
