Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Utilities as Neighbors: PEPCO vs. Transcontinental




The Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation has a Right Of Way crossing Olney, Maryland.  So does PEPCO.  The Transcontinental ROW has a paved pedestrian/bicycle trail that helps connect the neighborhoods along the ROW.  The Transcontinental ROW also has benches, ball fields, and other amenities for the community.  PEPCO has "No Trespassing" signs.  Why do some utilities treat their neighbors like guests, while other utilities treat their neighbors like criminals?

Transportation Right Of Way Use By Pedestrians


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Perils For Pedestrians 186



We learn how speed kills at a pedestrian safety event in Silver Spring, Maryland.
We meet the executive director of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition in Columbia, South Carolina.
We meet a mother whose daughter was killed by a speeding driver in Irmo, South Carolina.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Sidewalk Obstructions

I have added a new page on Sidewalk Obstructions on my website. Utilities such as the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and PEPCO often use the sidewalk as a convenient place to put hydrants and poles, despite the negative impact that has on pedestrians.


In this image, the old WSSC hydrant has blocked the sidewalk for 50 years.  The FH in white paint marks where the new WSSC hydrant will block the sidewalk for the next 50 years.  With a complete water system replacement underway, the new hydrant could have been put back behind the sidewalk.  Even the PEPCO pole in the background is located out of the way behind the sidewalk.