DDOT-permitted daylighting failure on the Museum of the Bible block -- cause and consequence, six months apart
Two frames of the same DDOT failure. After years of public pressure DDOT moved the No Parking sign at this corner -- but left the yellow curb paint in place, extending to the crosswalk with no daylighting setback. The Oct 2025 frame shows the empty curb: the infrastructure cause. The Apr 2026 frame shows the consequence -- a tour bus parked right against the crosswalk on the cycleway, with a passenger vehicle stopped literally inside the crosswalk markings beside it. The paint authorizes the bus's position. Cut the yellow paint back to the 40-foot intersection setback under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) and add pylons in the daylighting zone.
Bollards as a half-measure -- daylighting buffer installed but parking box authorizes parking up to it
Two white sightline bollards have been installed at the 1001 4th St SW corner, which shows DDOT recognizes this intersection needs daylighting treatment. But the parking-box striping ends flush with the bollards -- so vehicles legally park right up to the daylighting buffer with no setback from the crosswalk. The bollards become decorative. Repaint the box back to the 40-foot intersection setback under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) and add pylons in the daylighting zone.
Pay to Park meters authorize parking up to the crosswalk on both sides of 6th & W St NW -- by Howard University
The Pay to Park meter signs at this corner authorize metered parking right up to the marked continental crosswalk -- on both approaches -- at the same corner where a Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk sign is posted. Vehicles in the spaces nearest the crosswalk sit inside the daylighting zone and block sightlines between drivers and pedestrians entering the crosswalk. The metered-parking designation does not preserve the 40-foot symmetric sightline required near a crosswalk under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). Move the metered spaces (or the Pay to Park signs) on both approaches back at least 40 feet from the crosswalk, or designate the curb nearest the crosswalk as No Parking. The fix is in DDOT's signage, not the driver.
Tour Bus Loading Zone sign authorizes coaches to park inside the crosswalk setback at 6th & M SW -- the corner where Kathy Tanner was killed
The Tour Bus Loading Zone sign at this corner begins right at the pole, too close to the marked crosswalk, so it authorizes 45-foot coaches to stand and park inside the daylighting setback. A coach parked in the zone blocked pedestrian and driver sightlines across the continental crosswalk. The loading-zone designation does not preserve the 40-foot symmetric sightline required near a crosswalk under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). The fix is in DDOT's signage, not the driver -- the bus is parked legally per the current sign. Relocate the Tour Bus Loading Zone sign, or extend the No Standing or Parking Anytime segment, so the loading zone begins at least 40 feet back from the crosswalk.
Compound daylighting violation at the eastern edge of Howard University -- parking sign and curb marking both authorize parking inside the crosswalk setback
Vehicle parked right up against the crosswalk on the eastern edge of Howard University on 6th St NW. The DDOT parking sign on the pole and the painted curb marking on the roadway both authorize parking inside the 40-foot intersection setback required by 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). Compound failure -- the sign filing (26-00266093) addresses the pole; a separate Roadway Markings filing (26-00327595) addresses the curb marking. Howard's perimeter cannot keep getting fatal-class infrastructure.
DDOT-sanctioned daylighting violation under the 6th & Virginia rail underpass -- parking sign permits vehicles right up to the stop bar where bridge abutments already compromise sightlines
Dark sedan parked along the south curb of Virginia Avenue SW under the CSX rail bridge near 6th & Virginia. The vehicle's rear bumper is flush with the painted stop bar and well within the 40-foot intersection setback required by 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). The pole-mounted parking sign authorizes parking up to this location -- the violation is in DDOT's signage, not the driver's behavior. Sightlines under the bridge are already compromised by the abutments; permitting parked vehicles right up to the stop bar removes what little visibility remains.
DDOT-sanctioned daylighting violation -- parking sign authorizes parking within the setback of a crosswalk
Parking sign at 6th and K Street SW authorizes parking within the daylighting zone of the crosswalk. A white sedan is parked in the zone exactly as the sign allows. The violation is in the signage itself, not the driver's behavior. DDOT is creating the sightline violation with its own signage. The sign needs to come down.
DDOT-sanctioned daylighting violation on the National Mall -- arrowed No Parking sign permits parking up to the crosswalk on the un-arrowed approach
Charter-permit-style No Parking sign at the northern of the two mid-block crosswalks carries a directional arrow that prohibits parking in one direction but permits it in the other. The SUV in this photo is parked exactly where the un-arrowed direction permits -- bumper roughly 5-8 feet from the crosswalk. Parking on the crosswalk itself is prohibited under 18 DCMR 2405.1(b); DC sets no fixed setback at a mid-block crosswalk like this one, so it is DDOT's own arrowed sign that puts vehicles right beside the crossing. The sign creates the hazard regardless of approach side.
DDOT-sanctioned daylighting violation at 6th & G St SW -- legal parking zone begins inside the 40-ft intersection setback
The No Parking sign on G Street SW at the 6th St SW intersection is positioned too close to the corner -- the legal parking zone begins within the 40-foot setback from the curb-line intersection that 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) requires. The vehicle in this photo is parked exactly where DDOT's sign permits, well within the statutory setback. The 40-foot rule is symmetric: it applies on both approaches, regardless of which side the vehicle came from.
DDOT-sanctioned daylighting violation on 15th St NW -- stacked parking signs authorize parking inside the crosswalk setback
Stack of NO STANDING ANY TIME, 2-HOUR, and NO PARKING signs on a single pole on 15th St NW near Logan Circle. The vehicle in this photo is parked exactly where the signage permits, well inside the 40-foot intersection setback that 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) requires. The violation is in the sign placement, not the driver's behavior. The 15th St NW corridor carries heavy commuter cycling and pedestrian traffic; restoring the setback is a basic safety fix.
Pay to Park signage authorizes parking up to a National Mall tourist crosswalk on 7th St SW -- the No Standing restriction only runs 7-9:30 AM weekdays
The corner pole at this National Mall crossing carries a green Pay to Park sign authorizing 2-hour and 3-hour paid parking. The red Tow Away / No Standing or Parking restriction above it applies only 7AM-9:30AM Monday through Friday -- so for most of the day, and all weekend, DDOT's own signage authorizes vehicles to park right up to the marked crosswalk. Cars in the spaces nearest the corner sit inside the daylighting zone and block sightlines between drivers and the tourists entering this crossing. The paid-parking designation does not preserve the 40-foot symmetric sightline required near a crosswalk under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). Move the Pay to Park signs (and the metered spaces) back at least 40 feet from the crosswalk, or designate the curb nearest the crossing as No Parking at all times. The fix is in DDOT's signage, not the driver.
Zero wheelchair access -- sidewalk closed by construction, cars parked on sidewalk, crosswalk blocked by barriers and abandoned bike
WC Smith construction closed sidewalk with no safe pedestrian accommodation. Cars parked on remaining sidewalk. Abandoned Lime e-bike blocks crosswalk. No wheelchair-accessible path exists on this block -- complete ADA failure and construction permitting violation.
U.S. Marshals "Reserved" sign authorizes parking up to the crosswalk at the federal courthouse -- 333 Constitution Ave NW
A "Reserved -- Official Government Vehicles of U.S. Marshals Service / U.S. District Court Only / At All Times" sign authorizes parking at the curb right up to the marked crosswalk. A private Maryland-tagged Mercedes S550 (MD plate 8CV3976) was parked in that space against the crosswalk, blocking sightlines for pedestrians crossing 3rd Street. The reserved-parking designation does not preserve the daylighting setback required near a crosswalk under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). The signage is federal -- not DDOT's to move -- so the fix is for DDOT to coordinate with the U.S. Marshals Service to move the reserved space back at least 40 feet from the crosswalk.
Federal "No Parking -- U.S. Marshals Vehicles Only" zone reaches the crosswalk on 3rd St NW at the courthouse
"No Parking or Standing -- Federal Security Zone -- U.S. Marshals Vehicles Only" signs designate the curb for federal vehicles right up to the marked crosswalk. Vehicles park in this zone flush against the crosswalk, blocking sightlines for crossing pedestrians. The federal-zone designation does not preserve the 40-foot daylighting setback required near a crosswalk under 18 DCMR 2405.2(c). The signage is federal -- not DDOT's to move -- so the fix is for DDOT to coordinate with the U.S. Marshals Service to keep the curb nearest the crosswalk clear.
Unprotected daylighting zone on the Howard University corridor where a student was killed -- this corner needs hardened infrastructure, not signage
Red sedan parked right up against the crosswalk on the Howard University block of 6th St NW, well inside the 40-foot intersection setback that 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) requires. There is no parking sign and no daylighting marking at this corner -- the only sign in the frame is a temporary END ROAD WORK sign -- so nothing keeps vehicles back from the crosswalk. The fix here is physical: install bollards, a curb extension, or planters to hold the daylighting zone open. Howard students cross here every day.
Unprotected daylighting zone on Georgia Ave at Fairmont -- nothing holds the Howard University crosswalk open
A dark BMW with Maryland plates is parked right up against the crosswalk on Georgia Ave NW at Fairmont, well inside the 40-foot intersection setback that 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) requires. No bollard, curb extension, or daylighting marking holds this corner open, so vehicles park flush to the crossing. The fix here is physical: install bollards, a curb extension, or planters to keep the daylighting zone clear. Howard students cross here every day.
Unprotected daylighting zone on the 700 block of O St NW -- no physical barrier keeps vehicles off the crosswalk
A red Chevy Traverse (DC plates JH 9717) is parked right up against the crosswalk on the 700 block of O St NW, inside the 40-foot intersection setback that 18 DCMR 2405.2(c) requires. A fire hydrant and a Capital Bikeshare station sit at the corner, but nothing -- no bollard, curb extension, or daylighting marking -- holds the sightline open. The fix here is physical: install bollards, a curb extension, or planters to keep the zone clear.
Unprotected daylighting zone -- both corners of the same O St NW crossing left open to parking
A parked vehicle sits right up against the crosswalk at the far corner of the 700 block of O St NW -- the opposite corner from the Chevy Traverse documented a minute earlier, on the same crossing. Neither corner has a bollard, curb extension, or daylighting marking, so vehicles park flush to the crosswalk on both sides. The fix here is physical: hold both corners open with bollards, curb extensions, or planters.