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New sidewalks, crosswalks, speed cameras and a local bus service were among the recommendations presented to the Hyattsville City Council July 19 after a year-long study of traffic conditions in the city.

The study, conducted by Baltimore-based engineering consultants Sabra, Wang & Associates examined more than 20 miles of road and 26 intersections within the corporate limits of Hyattsville, collecting data on traffic flow, roadway conditions and the capacity of intersections to handle projected traffic increases over the next 20 years.

"The overall goal of the plan is to develop recommendations to support the city in planning infrastructure and capital improvement projects," said Paul Silberman, Senior Associate with Sabra, Wang & Associates. "What we looked to do first, before we got to physical improvements for the streets ... [was] some lower-hanging fruit such as safety improvements for pedestrians."

Among these short-term goals outlined in the report are installing new sidewalks along areas of 38th Avenue and Hamilton Street and working with state and county agencies to improve pedestrian crossings at busy intersections such as Adelphi Road at Wells Parkway and East-West Highway at Queens Chapel Road.

The crossing would benefit from newly-painted crosswalk stripes, signs and ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the study.

The study also recommended installing speed cameras in five school zones, including Adelphi Road between Belcrest Road and Wells Parkway — near Northwestern High School — and 42nd Avenue at Oglethorpe Street near Hyattsville Middle School.

Preliminary data show the average speeds in these areas are fast enough to warrant the installation of cameras, Silberman said.

Some residents were skeptical about some of the study's long-term recommendations, such as alleviating congestion at the major intersection of Route 1 and East-West Highway. The study proposed to divert cars making left turns along Queensbury Road and 44th Place — a move that would involve widening Queensbury by two lanes.

"They're putting busy traffic from congested streets ... into a residential neighborhood [like Queensbury]," said resident Hugh Turley.

Hyattsville resident and former councilman Scott Wilson said he was worried that the residential street would be turned into more of a thoroughfare between Route 1 and Queens Chapel Road.

Mayor William Gardiner said the study's recommendations were still a long way from being implemented.

"We will certainly have to have additional public comment time to really digest the report, go over it and get feedback," Gardiner said.

Gardiner said the council expects to work to approve some of the recommendations this fall.