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SITE DESCRIPTION:
This intersection (located in Wards 3 and 4) is an extremely high volume intersection, where vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians all compete to cross. On the northwest corner, there is a large shopping mall. On the southwest corner, there is a metro station and gas station. On the northeast corner there is a large officeplex and apartment building. And, on the southeast corner, there is a strip mall shopping center. This area is slated for significant development in the next few years, bringing more residential, retail, and office space (including a grocery store and a movie theater). Construction around the metro station has made this intersection significantlly more congested, and foot traffic is increasingly directed to this intersection to travel from the metro to the mall.

Traffic volume during rush hour is particularly high. Route 410 has three lanes going in each direction as well as left turning lanes, and Belcrest has two lanes in each direction as well as a left turn lane on the northbound side. Belcrest northbound also has a right turn merge lane onto 410 eastbound, with a small island before arriving at the main intersection. Both roads have narrow, concrete medians separating their lanes. Several buses have stops just before or just after the intersection, and entrances to the mall (near Target) and the strip mall are shortly after the intersection, causing traffic slow-downs as people turn. Many cars can be observed zipping around buses to beat traffic lights and/or making right-hand turns through crosswalks causing significant jeopardy for pedestrians.

Modest bike lanes exist on Belcrest, but on northbound Belcrest, the bike lane disappears shortly before the intersection. The right turn merge is fairly wide and could accomodate a bike lane that would merge into the 410 eastbound bike lane that is in existence. On 410 eastbound from the intersection, there are
narrow bike lanes, but not before the intersection. There are none westbound.

A large fence bisects the middle of east and west-bound 410 to keep pedestrians from jaywalking to reach the mall and/or metro station. A large, raised, pedestrian walkway is intended to help people cross to the mall and back, but it is underused, especially as access to the metro station continues to shift due to construction.

A median with a low metal fence and landscaping divides Belcrest on the south side of the intersection. Many people were observed hopping the fence and trampling the landscaping because there was no clear place to cross from the strip mall to the metro without walking significantly farther to the intersection itself.

All crosswalk lights are functioning, and call buttons are in play on all sides except the southeast side (near Hollywood video), however, the separate lights for the northbound and southbound Belcrest traffic mean that pedestrians often do not "trust" the lights and cross against a left-turn arrow. Jaywalking is common during non-rush-hour times.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Install countdown crossing signals - These traffic signals are especially helpful in large intersections, when people aren't totally clear when they can and can't safely walk.
• Add signage to increase drivers' awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists, especially for right-turning drivers, better signage will keep people alert.
• Create broader crosswalks to accomodate the higher foot traffic - strollers, wheelchairs, bicycles, and pedestrians are all be jostling for space in the crosswalk. Pulling the cars back a bit and giving the pedestrians a little more elbow room will create a safer, more welcoming crossing.
• Ensure continuous bike lanes - Bike lanes that drop off suddenly leave bikers vulnerable to cars zipping around buses.
• Increase the sidewalk width on northwest corner by the bank to allow for pedestrian traffic to cluster awaiting crossing.
• Create striped crosswalks so that vehicle traffic will yield to people crossing Belcrest (south of the intersection) to the metro station. Foot traffic currently either hops the short fences in the median of Belcrest or jaywalks at the entrance to the strip mall in order to reach the metro. Being forced to walk all the way to the intersection and then back doesn't seem to work for most people.
• Increase the light time for pedestrians to cross. Foot traffic crossing over 410 barely has enough time to cross the very wide road.
• Add "Don't block the Box" signs. Cars frequently block the crosswalks on Belcrest nearest the Target, preventing pedestrians from crossing safely.
• Fix signal call button nearest the Chevron. It does not work. The button is jammed into the box.
• Install a signal call button near Hollywood Video. Crossing this part of Belcrest is dangerous because cars often speed through this one lane to merge onto 410.

increase crossing (410) signal time.

crossing 410.

crossing Belcrest nearest the mall.

JURISDICTIONS:
East West Highway (Route 410) - Maryland State Highway Administration, "SHA"
Belcrest Road - County Road [verified by Hyattsville Department of Public Works]
Wards - This intersection lies in Hyattsville Wards 3 & 4

HISTORY:
A large fence was installed in the median of 410 for the entire block West of this intersection in 2006. Jaywalking was extremely dangerous, and this fence redirected traffic to the raised walkway or to this intersection.

ACCIDENTS:

According to Maryland State Highway Administration, from 2001 to 2005, within 0.2 mile of intersection: