Tuesday, February 11, 2025
These are contentious times, especially in Washington, D.C., and Georgetown, home to politically experienced and civic-minded residents. Yet, you’d think one issue could unite the local government and its citizens: the right to turn right on red.
The practice—allowing motorists to turn right on red after a full stop and checking for pedestrians and traffic—became standard nationwide, including in D.C., in the 1970s as a fuel-saving measure.
By 2020, however, the D.C. Council had soured on it. Enforcement had long been lax due to a lack of funding, and studies showed improved safety at over 100 intersections where right-on-red was banned. In 2022, the Council passed a citywide ban, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, as part of the Safer Streets Amendment Act.
Yet, the law has loopholes. Some intersections may still allow right-on-red unless signage states otherwise. Mayor Muriel Bowser never signed the ban, and enforcement remains unfunded. The District Department of Transportation has reportedly declined to pay for signs warning out-of-town drivers. Meanwhile, Politico reports that right-on-red has even become entangled in partisan debates.
For now, the practice remains in limbo. We at The Georgetowner are pro right turn on red.