State and local officials are taking new steps to enhance pedestrian safety on a busy stretch of U.S. Route 1 in College Park, on which three young people have been killed so far this year.
The changes and improvements to the road include new pedestrian signals, a lower speed limit and a temporary median fence to deter pedestrians from jaywalking. The project was announced Monday.
The heavily traveled section of Route 1, known as Baltimore Avenue, includes many bars and restaurants popular with University of Maryland students.
"We will certainly include this as part of the orientation program," University of Maryland President Wallace Loh said Monday. "Most of them are crossing the street and reading text messages ... so we're going to put the signs on the road, and we'll of course communicate with them via social media."
The most recent pedestrian fatality on the roadway occurred earlier this month. A suspected drunken driver faces numerous charges in the death of a 21-year-old woman.
The College Park City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to enforce the new, lower 25 mph speed limit by expanding the times speed cameras operate.
"This is a cultural change and it will take time," Loh said.
