Workshop Brings Leaders Together on Pedestrian Safety Issue
Over 200 area officials, transportation planners, law enforcement officers and community activists gathered to discuss solutions to the pedestrian safety issue at a regional workshop sponsored by COG, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), AAA, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Working together in a series of sessions, attendees made several recommendations including continued, aggressive public outreach messages (such as this year’s Street Smart campaign), better placement of bus stops throughout the region, and consistent traffic laws across jurisdictional lines.
Drought Watch Lifted
The drought "WATCH" that was put into effect last fall by COG’s Drought Coordination Committee was lifted in April. Regional water resource conditions have improved thanks to recent precipitation and gradual improvements in ground water observation well levels throughout the Potomac River basin. Citizens are still being encouraged to use water wisely as there still is some risk that the regional drought conditions could return this summer.
Officials Assure Public on Safety of Area Drinking Water
Health and water utility officials assured members of the COG Board of Directors in April that the region’s drinking water is safe and that minuscule amounts of pharmaceuticals in the water supply currently pose little risk to the public. After the discussion, the COG Board unanimously passed a resolution to improve public awareness on the issue and support efforts by local water utilities to expand testing for these chemicals, which are present in the water supplies of metropolitan regions throughout the nation.
NVTA Funding Issue Spurs TPB to Adopt Backup Plan
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved a new strategy to ensure the region’s next transportation plan moves forward on time despite unresolved funding issues in Northern Virginia due to the Virginia Supreme Court declaring the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s taxing authority unconstitutional.
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