On July 8, MPD’s Fourth District is hosting its summer kick-off of Beat the Streets
5701 6th Street NE
3:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Free giveaways, music, fun, and games.
Monthly Archives: July 2015
Crowdsource transportation safety issues around neighborhood
DDOT recently rolled out a crowdsourcing map as part of its Vision Zero initiative. Residents can click on a location on the map to pinpoint hazardous locations or behaviors. This is an opportunity for everyone to put their concerns on the map, literally. Just click on the link.
Snapshot of safety hazards one can pinpoint on the map
Much ado has been made about the reconfiguration of the South Dakota/Riggs Road intersection, but there are a few problems that need to be addressed there and on nearby streets. It would be great if DDOT addressed them before the Walmart opens.
- The turning radius from northbound South Dakota west onto Riggs is completely off. I witness many a driver either hitting the median with their rear tires or enter the turning path of the car next to them. This might not fit directly into the initiative, but because drivers have a hard time making the turn, sometimes drivers end up getting stuck in the intersection once the left-turn arrow has turned red. If DDOT does not want to remove or change the median (my understanding is this small median is supposed to be a pedestrian island), then maybe painted turn lanes will assist drivers in navigating that turn.
- The placement of the curb cut and crosswalk on the southwest corner of Riggs & South Dakota takes pedestrians out of the line of vision of eastbound drivers on Riggs turning south onto South Dakota. Drivers will already have begun their turn before they realize that there is a pedestrian waiting to cross. If DDOT does not want to move the crosswalk, then perhaps giving pedestrians a headstart would work.
- Where 2nd Street and 3rd Street meet just past Riggs is a big problem. A resident noted that there are no crosswalks anywhere in the vicinity and drivers tend to fly by on both streets. I do not know if reconfiguring the streets into a 3-way T with stop signs would work, but something needs to be done, preferably before the Walmart opens. (We can have a completely separate post on traffic fixes we would like to see addressed before the Walmart opens, such as the fact that we are convinced people will try to turn left out of the garage onto 3rd Street, which will create a huge traffic mess, but that is another post for another day).
2nd – 3rd Street intersection
Those are just a few problem areas. Please use the map to pinpoint places that need to be addressed. If a location is already highlighted, click on it again to add your own unique comment.
DDOT notes this crowdsourcing map does not replace 311, through which residents can make reports either online or by phone. While 311 is not perfect, I did use it to get a double-sided stop sign on my street because a tree was blocking a stop sign and drivers were inadvertently running the stop sign. DDOT came out to investigate and determined that there was indeed a hazard and put up a double sided stop sign on the other side of the street and painted high-visibility crosswalks with a stop line on each corner. I have also noticed residents crossing South Dakota at Jefferson Street to cut through to the metro station. That is a perfect place for a 311 request to have the crosswalk repainted. So let’s use the Vision Zero map to highlight problem areas, but let’s also make 311 requests while we’re at it.
Free meals for youth this summer
Youth 18 years old and younger can eat free meals at a number of sites across the city, including a few locations in the neighborhood:
- North Michigan Park Recreation Center (1333 Emerson St. NE)
Phone: (202) 541-3526
Open June 22, 2015 through August 21, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Breakfast: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
- Riggs LaSalle Recreation Center (501 Riggs Rd. NE)
Phone: (202) 576-5150
Open June 22, 2015 through August 21, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Breakfast: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Lunch: 12:30 – 2:30 pm
- Lamond Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Ave. NE)
Phone: (202) 541-6265
Open: July 8, 2015 through August 14, 2015
Meals served Monday through Friday
Lunch: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Art Place Construction Notice 7/6/2015 & 7/13/2015
TBT: WaPo profile of neighborhood
The Washington Post did a profile on the neighborhood back in 2010. I think that feature provides a bit of context for the latest neighborhood profile published by the Post yesterday. Where the previous article highlighted the stable, established aspect of the community, this newer article focuses more on the development and “transition” taking place. The author took a tour of the neighborhood with Barbara Rogers, president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, and interviewed several residents. Readers will see the blog mentioned. I agreed to speak with the reporter and we talked about different aspects of the neighborhood for maybe 30 minutes. I was not sure what narrative the reporter was interested in pursuing, but I did know she wanted to speak to residents who had moved into the neighborhood in the past five years.
Rereading the previous profile, it is interesting to consider what has and has not changed since 2010, at least from my perspective.
Civic participation
“Among all of the neighborhood association meetings I attend, Lamond Riggs always has the most people — 50 to 60 folks” – then ward 4 councilmember Muriel Bowser in the Washington Post in 2010
The level of civic participation has not changed. I became involved in community affairs through an invitation by a resident to attend a community meeting . When I invited a DC agency official to discuss a city program at a recent civic association meeting, I advised him that around 70-80 people would likely attend. I think he was surprised to find out I was not exaggerating. Recently, many newer residents have signed on to committees to contribute to the work of the civic association.
Respect and appreciation for longtime residents
“The stable of longtime residents is complemented by a bevy of young families looking for affordable single-family homes in the city. Many of them say the longtime residents helped draw them to the neighborhood.” – Washington Post in 2010
I love talking to my older neighbors who have lived in the neighborhood for 40, 50 years. As I mentioned in my comments, they sincerely ask how I am doing and how my family is doing. People stop and chat as I work in my garden. I know I am not unique in that aspect. As new residents move in, they ask about the history of the neighborhood. For the most part, there is a level of engagement between newer and long-term residents that fosters mutual respect and allows us to work for the things we would like to see in the neighborhood.
Desire for more amenities
“Residents are hungry for more amenities, such as upscale retail stores, coffee shops and sit-down restaurants, said Gwen Cofield, co-chairman of the citizens association’s development task force.” – Washington Post in 2010
Residents still want amenities and some of them are on the way. In 2010, both Art Place at Fort Totten and Fort Totten Square (FTSQ) were in a lull phase. Now, FTSQ is pretty much done and construction is in full swing at Art Place. When I started the blog, I decided to publish a neighborhood wish list. Not much has changed since I first published it and the present as newer residents move in. Residents want quality sit-down restaurants, neighborhood bar, coffee shop, bookstore, bank, home goods store, pharmacy, gym, pet store, neighborhood pool, lots of folks would like a Trader Joe’s, and a number of other amenities.
Appreciation for what we do have
“‘We’re lucky to be close to many of the things we need . . . If we want groceries, there’s a Giant close by. If we want to go downtown, we’re close to public transportation. We aren’t isolated at all.'” – Lawrence Martin in the Washington Post in 2010
I told the reporter the neighborhood has a low crime rate, it is affordable, and it is close to a metro station and you usually do not get all three of those features in one place. Maybe two, but not all three. It has been easy to live without owning a car for three years and that is a lifestyle that is important to me. We now have a bikeshare station at the metro station, as well as Enterprise carshare (and before Enterprise there was Zipcar). Car2go vehicles can be spotted here and there. Planning is underway to finish the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) between Brookland and Takoma.
Ultimately, I think what has made this neighborhood a desirable community is the collective effort of residents over many, many years to make it a good one. I know some express wariness about the evolution of the community. Some worry about more traffic, more opportunities for crime, and being priced out of the neighborhood. Those are real concerns. I certainly do not wear rose-colored glasses. I think it will be the continued collective efforts of all residents that will ensure we keep the community flavor people enjoy even as development draws new residents to the neighborhood.
Proposals for reduction in metro service to add more blue line trains
Catching up on news. A few articles mention that Metro will consider recommendations for service changes that would affect frequency of rush hour service on several lines. According to WAMU, “Rush Plus service on the Yellow Line would be eliminated, and the number of rush hour trains on the Green and Yellow tracks would drop from 26 to 15 per hour in each direction, which may lead to crowding on those two lines north of downtown D.C. between Fort Totten and Mount Vernon Square stations.” Service on the orange, blue, and silver line trains would also be affected by the recommendations. Metro will survey riders and hold public hearings before approving any service changes, so stay tuned for opportunities for input.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 