Monthly Archives: December 2018

ANC 5A Pax Liquor Protest

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

ANC 5A is protesting a liquor license for Pax Liquor, a liquor store proposed for 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE. The ANC is planning four protest rallies/marches to get residents involved.

  • December 22, 10:00 AM
  • December 23, 2:00 PM
  • December 29 (no time provided)
  • December 30 (no time provided)

The ANC considered but ultimately rejected a settlement agreement due to opposition from North Michigan Park residents. The commissioner representing the single member district where the proposed liquor store is located resigned earlier this year. As a result, other commissioners, along with neighborhood residents, have stepped in to fill the void.

An ABRA hearing is scheduled for January 16, 2019, at 4:30 pm. More information will be provided at tonight’s ANC 5A special meeting.

South Dakota Avenue-Riggs Road Main Street is Hiring

Posted by nextstoprp in Main Street, Neighborhood Development

December 17, 2018

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement is pleased to announce the creation of the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road Main Street Program. Funded through a grant awarded by the District Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), the Main Street Program will utilize public-private partnerships and community volunteers, build on neighborhood assets, and implement strategies to support and improve the business corridors in the Riggs Park and Manor Park neighborhoods:

  • South Dakota Avenue NE between Galloway Street and Riggs Road NE
  • Riggs Road NE between Chillum Place NE and the Metro tracks
  • 5600 Block 3rd Street NE and 5700 Block 2nd Street NE between Riggs Road and New Hampshire Avenue NE
  • 3rd Street NW between Rittenhouse Street and Sheridan Street NW

The Founding Main Street Board of Directors includes leadership from the Lamond-Riggs and Manor Park communities including:

Board Chair: Barbara Rogers, 2nd Vice President, Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association

Treasurer: Alison Brooks, Acting President, South Manor Neighborhood Association

Secretary: Rhonda Henderson, President, Manor Park Citizens Association

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement is the largest and most comprehensive association serving nonprofits in the Country. The Center is located in the District of Columbia and has been providing capacity building and administration support services to local nonprofits for over 39 years. The Center will provide fiscal and organizational management, leadership and technical assistance for the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road Main Street.

The DC Main Street Program is administered by the Department of Small and Local Business Development and the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road Main Street is proud to be located in Wards 4 and 5. The Main Street Leaders, Board of Directors, and all at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement are especially grateful to District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, and DSLBD Director Kristi Whitfield for the opportunity.

An executive director will lead the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road Main Street Program. The position is open, and a job description can be found here.

For more information, please contact Glen O’Gilvie, CEO, Center for Nonprofit Advancement on gleno@nonprofitadvancement.orgor 202.457.0540.

December 20: ANC 5A Special Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Special Meeting
December 20, 2018
7:00 pm
UDC-CC Backus (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)

The purpose of the meeting will be to continue planning and organizing the community’s opposition to the proposed Pax Liquor, 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE.

Who should attend this meeting?
Protestors and Community Activists
Residents/Homeowners who don’t want a Liquor Store
Parents with children who are concerned about the introduction of alcohol establishments, associated pedestrian and traffic concerns, and overall safety for children
Anyone with prior knowledge about crime, violence involving prior liquor establishments (i.e., fish market; convenience stores, etc.)
Anyone with information or knowledge about the community’s efforts to resist/protest prior liquor establishments
Professionals/Experts who could help to analyze, evaluate and solidify studies, etc., that document the relationship between crime, violence and liquor establishments (potential witnesses)
Neighborhood Artists – Children/Adults with artistic skills who would like to help design and develop signs and posters

If you have any information you think would be helpful in our opposition to this liquor store, you should attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting please call 202-558-6389.

Please direct any questions to Commissioner Burroughs, ANC 5A’s Secretary at 5A04@anc.dc.gov

Actions from South Dakota Avenue Pedestrian Safety Community Brainstorming

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Guest post by David Kosub

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you to all who participated in Wednesday’s Community Brainstorming session (in person or via email) to address pedestrian safety crossing South Dakota Avenue NE at Ingraham Street and Jefferson Street. Please find below the results from that meeting with specific actions we can take as a community to address this issue. Please share widely. These steps will also be shared with MPD and Cafritz Foundation representatives.

South Dakota Pedestrian Safety Community Brainstorming Session

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Lamond-Riggs Library

Purpose: To hear from community members about concerns crossing South Dakota Ave at Ingraham St NE and Jefferson St NE intersections, as well as to identify possible solutions to increase pedestrian safety.

Attendees: ~10 Community members, DDOT (Wesley Dawson), MPD, Cafritz Foundation, and Mayor’s Office (Julia Irving). Councilmember McDuffie’s Office and ANC Commissioners were invited but did not attend. .

General Concerns from the Community

  • The Ingraham and Jefferson Streets NE intersections are a public health and safety issue, with community members reporting near-accidents from speeding cars not willing or able to stop (perhaps due to visibility issues). The community should not fear crossing the street, especially while going to the metro.
  • Vehicular traffic (including MPD patrol cars) regularly fail to stop for pedestrians at either intersection. Concerns about 8th and 10th St. NE intersections were raised as well.
  • There is a lack of adequate (or any) signage on South Dakota NE for pedestrian crossings.
  • It is unclear why the most appropriate path to the Fort Totten metro station at South Dakota and Ingraham Streets NE is not signalized already as part of the original plan to create a new through-way to the metro when Hamilton St NE, which previously served as a direct route to the metro station, was permanently closed by the Art Place at Fort Totten project.
  • 311 operators have misinterpreted pedestrian safety concerns related to aggressive driving when attempting to cross these intersections as 911 issues
  • Community members report being anxious that the issue will go unaddressed and become worse due to inaction from DDOT and Mayor’s Office (clear failure in achieving Vision Zero goals to avoid pedestrian injuries and fatalities) and with new construction projects scheduled.

Recommendations from Community Members (received during session and via email)

Actions to Take Immediately

  • Regularly and frequently submit 311 requests to improve pedestrian safety.
  • Request speed cameras per guidance on the MPD website. (Request link (updated 12/17/2018) – or contact MPD 4D community liaison)
  • Encourage MPD patrol cars to make audible noises and immediately stop traffic when pedestrians are seen waiting in intersections
  • Contact elected officials (Councilmember McDuffie’s Office, ANC commissioners Frank Wilds and Gordon Fletcher, Mayor Bowser, and Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services) demanding this issue be addressed ASAP.
  • Request DDOT share all publicly available information on initial HAWK traffic/pedestrian study.
  • Contact local media to raise public awareness.
  • Request DDOT to place driver speed feedback signs on South Dakota Ave.
  • Request wider, perhaps artistic crosswalks similar to crosswalks at Georgia and New Hampshire NW or on Kennedy Street NW, so that these crosswalks are even more noticeable to drivers (added 12/17/2018)

 Actions Beginning in February 2019

  • Request MPD increase the number of cars patrolling intersections.
  • DDOT install static signage (including Pedestrian Crossing, Yield, Radar announcements, etc.) for pedestrian crossings with red flashing lights.
    • Note: DDOT representative indicated that signs were ordered and will look into expediting installation (within 30-45 days of order). DDOT will determine if infrastructure exists to operate flashing lights.
  • DDOT will begin new study for HAWK Beacon signal (see section below).

 Actions over Next Year

  • DDOT should either move signalized intersection from Hamilton St NE to Ingraham St NE or put new signal at Ingraham.
  • DDOT should improve lighting on entire South Dakota NE Corridor from Riggs Road NE to Galloway St NE, particularly at intersections so that drivers can see pedestrians waiting to use crosswalks.
  • DDOT should investigate the timing of signalization lights along South Dakota NE and at Kennedy St NE (apply lessons learned from the street light modernization project). The green cycle is very long, the yellow light seems long, and both of those could be encouraging drivers to speed down South Dakota and not stop for pedestrians at Ingraham.

 Actions that Cannot be Implemented

  • CM McDuffie Constituent Services Director Kelley Cislo forwarded a recommendation from MPD to have crossing guards at Ingraham St. NE intersection during morning and afternoon rush – Mr. Dawson said Traffic Control Officers (i.e. crossing guards) are only stationed near schools.
  • Install physical impediments (e.g. raised crosswalks) to slow vehicles on South Dakota – DDOT indicated “upward deflections” are not allowed on major arterials.

Considerations from Other Stakeholders

District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

  • Acknowledges community concerns and takes pedestrian safety seriously.
  • Reminds community that South Dakota NE is a major roadway (i.e. arterial road) in and out of the city. DC does not permit traffic calming measures on arterial roads.
  • HAWK (High-Intensity Activated crosswalk) Beacon Signal Study
    • Previous DDOT study counted only 20 pedestrians crossing South Dakota NE at Ingraham St NE (i.e. it did not meet threshold for HAWK installation).
    • Unclear how rigorous the study protocol was to make an informed decision from data acquired. When conducted in January 2018, the Modern Apartments were not yet fully open, commercial retail not in place, high-visibility (zebra) striping at roadway was not yet completed, and the lighting was minimal.
    • DDOT will study both Ingraham and Jefferson intersections, but will likely prioritize Ingraham; DDOT will follow up on timeline
  • DDOT can install flex posts in roadway (but they are regularly knocked down by cars).

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)

  • Reiterated that only two or three officers are available for traffic issues in 4th District.
  • Shares community complaints to officers.
  • Cannot have officers dedicated to specific streets 24/7 (lack of resources) and recognize that pedestrian safety/vehicular traffic are commonly cited concerns across the city.

Cafritz Foundation – Art Place Phase 1 and 2 projects

  • Favors safer pedestrian crossings at these intersections and supportive of solutions, specifically supporting the idea of speed cameras.
  • Indicated original development plan did not include a signalized intersection at the new Ingraham St. NE intersection (rather a signal was required at the parking garage entrance at Hamilton St.) and recognizes that it would aid pedestrian access to commercial retail space and metro.
  • Installed bump-outs on sidewalks to slow vehicles approaching intersection at Ingraham.
  • Will share their internal traffic studies with DDOT to help hasten traffic study process.
  • Considering additional parallel parking in projects to help calm traffic (though cars still speed by parallel parked vehicles).

Selected Actions Taken to Date

  • November 15, 2017: Resident Uchenna Evans submitted a traffic safety investigation request through 311 requesting a traffic or HAWK signal at Ingraham
  • December 4, 2017: Evans submitted a 2-page traffic safety investigation form to Ty’on Jones, DDOT, for a traffic safety investigation of South Dakota and Ingraham. Mr. Jones provided the form to Evans to fill out, stating that residents cannot request a hawk signal, they can only request a traffic safety investigation. On December 6, 2017, DDOT closed the 311 request submitted on November 15, with a closing note that “DDOT Traffic Signal Engineers will have the intersection evaluated to determine the need for a traffic signal and other safety measures.”
  • January 11, 2018: Evans, in her capacity as LRCA President, wrote DDOT Director Marootian about issues related to increasing pedestrian safety at these intersections noting the 311 requests and the traffic safety investigation form that had been previously submitted and specifically requesting a hawk signal at Ingraham if DDOT determined a traffic signal was not feasible (available upon request).
  • February 6, 2018: DDOT responded that it was completing the traffic study.
  • March 9, 2018: Community walk with then DDOT Ward 5 liaison Ty’on Jones, then Ward 5 CM McDuffie Constituent Services Coordinator Wesley Dawson, then Ward 5 MOCR Lionell Gaines, and ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) to observe pedestrian concerns along the South Dakota Avenue and Fort Totten metro corridor. Mr. Jones stated that the traffic study was nearly complete, that DDOT would install a HAWK signal within six months, that DDOT would evaluate if traffic signal at Hamilton should be moved, and that DDOT would evaluate whether a traffic signal was needed at Ingraham.
  • March 10, 2018: Evans spoke with Director Marootian at Ward 4 ANC/Civic Association Summit about need for hawk light at Ingraham. Director Marootian stated DDOT was waiting for developer to finish doing utility work at South Dakota Ave and Ingraham
  • July 28, 2018: Evans spoke with Director Marootian at Metropolitan Branch Trail groundbreaking about need for hawk light at Ingraham. Director Marootian again stated DDOT was waiting for developer to finish doing utility work at South Dakota Ave and Ingraham
  • September 12, 2018: Evans followed up with new DDOT Ward 5 liaison Wesley Dawson about outstanding DDOT items, including Ingraham hawk light. Mr. Dawson did not respond.
  • October 18, 2018: Evans again asked Mr. Dawson for status reports on all outstanding DDOT concerns, including the Ingraham intersection
  • October 2018: High-visibility road striping finally completed on Jefferson St NE following many 311 requests and contacts with city agencies by community members.
  • November 9, 2018: Mr. Dawson responded with status reports, and the report for Ingraham stated there was no update – that DDOT was waiting for the developer to finish doing utility work at the intersection
  • November 19, 2018: Evans reached out to developer to find out if they were doing utility work that was preventing DDOT from installing hawk light. Developer responded it had long finished any utility work for the first phase of the development project and that any utility work it planned to do for the second phase was years away. Evans conveyed this information to Mr. Dawson
  • December 3, 2018: Mr. Dawson stated at LRCA meeting that DDOT conducted a traffic study, which showed low usage of crosswalk at Ingraham. Therefore, DDOT will do another study in 2019
  • 2017/2018: General submissions to 311, DDOT, Ward 5 CM office, Ward 5 MOCR, and MPD about pedestrian safety and unlawful speeding and not following pedestrian crossing laws.

FEZ News Roundup

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

Below are links to a few of the outlets that reported on the news that Meow Wolf is coming to DC to operate the family entertainment zone as part of the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten.

DCist: https://dcist.com/story/18/12/11/meow-wolf-is-building-a-huge-immersive-museum-experience-in-fort-totten/

Washington Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/12/11/huge-multimedia-museum-meow-wolf-coming-to-fort.html

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/santa-fe-based-arts-venture-sets-sights-on-washington/2018/12/12/8fab6160-fdcf-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html?utm_term=.337b62887d1a

Reaction seems to be mostly positive. Some have wondered why it is not slated to open until 2022. Recall that this project is a planned unit development (PUD), and earlier this year in September, the developer filed for second-stage review and modification of the first-stage PUD approval. At some point next year, DC’s Zoning Commission will hold a hearing on the project. Between the required regulatory process and construction, three years for completion is a reasonable estimate.

The developer has provided FAQs and a project overview for the second phase, available on the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association website development page. (Disclosure: I serve as president of the LRCA and maintain the website). Those documents should provide answers to a lot of questions. One note, the FAQs mention that the developer had planned to announce the name of the grocery store around Thanksgiving. That did not happen. The developer anticipates naming the grocery store “soon.”

Tonight: South Dakota Avenue NE Pedestrian Safety Brainstorming Session

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Reminder about tonight’s community meeting on pedestrian safety along the South Dakota Avenue NE corridor near Fort Totten metro station. DDOT representatives will be present.

What:
Special Community Brainstorming Session Focused on Pedestrian Safety on South Dakota Avenue

When:
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 6:30 pm

Where:
Lamond-Riggs Library, Meeting Room 1

Why:
To identify and implement solutions as well as engage community members, elected leaders, and city agencies to make crossing South Dakota Avenue safe for all pedestrians

Meow Wolf to operate the FEZ at Art Place

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

News hit the PR wire this morning that Meow Wolf will operate the “family entertainment zone” (or FEZ) that will anchor the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten. See press release below
—

MEOW WOLF TO CREATE HUGE EXHIBITION IN WASHINGTON D.C.

Former Fringe DIY Collective Announces Third New Massive Installation This Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. December 11, 2018: Meow Wolf rocketed into 2018 with back-to-back January announcements of huge new permanent installations in Denver and Las Vegas. Now the booming arts startup bookends a phenomenal orbit around the sun with news of a major permanent installation coming to the nation’s capital: Washington, D.C.

The project is the result of a partnership with the Cafritz Foundation and will be a three-level, 75,000 square foot structure located in the Fort Totten community. The exhibition will feature a new immersive narrative with uniquely interactive art experiences. Meow Wolf will reveal more details about plans for D.C. in 2019.

Grand opening will be in 2022.

“Washington, D.C. is an international cultural powerhouse and an ideal setting for the evolving Meow Wolf story universe that began with House Of Eternal Return,” said CEO Vince Kadlubek. “Our intergalactic, transmedia story is rooted in a community of underdogs who overcome ‘The Powers That Be,’ and we will have something really special for all the fellow underdogs who seek a transformative experience when we unveil the D.C. chapter.”

Meow Wolf credits the Cafritz Foundation for taking that chapter from possibility to reality.

“One of the chief reasons we committed to Washington, D.C. is the quality of our partnership with the Cafritz Foundation,” said Kadlubek. “We are very honored to work with this world-class developer and foundation in a project that will focus so strongly on positive community impact.”

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation is the largest private, independent, local foundation dedicated exclusively to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The Foundation is the legacy of Morris Cafritz—one of Washington’s leading commercial and residential builders from the early 1920’s to the mid-60’s—and is committed to improve the quality of life for residents of the area. Since 1970, the foundation has granted awards totaling more than $447 million. In just the last ten
years, $185 million has been awarded to more than 961 organizations in Community Services, Arts & Humanities, Education, Health and the Environment.

“We are excited to announce this new partnership with Meow Wolf,” said Jane Cafritz of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. “Meow Wolf has grown beyond the innovative DIY art collective to a nationally renowned, immersive art experience. This opportunity will be an important addition to Washington, DC and the Northeast DC. As a team that has been involved in the arts for decades, we are thrilled to see that the future of the art experience will be coming to the Nation’s capital.”

A Bigger Story For A Better Time

As a blue wave rolls to Washington, a Meow Wolf wave grows in all directions. House Of Eternal Return was recently named the #4 Best Experience In The World and the just-released feature documentary Meow Wolf: Origin Story received sold out shows and glowing reviews from coast to coast. The group challenges a wide variety of paradigms as it invents a whole new form of storytelling, pays artists commensurate with our culture’s high-demand for art, gives generously throughout community, and always goes maximal. Meow Wolf makes discoverers of the half million guests who visit Santa Fe every year and gives them each the agency to access the unknown.

Because the group’s vision and energy accept no bounds, Meow Wolf presents imaginative, unique creation all the time:

• January
Huge new permanent installations announced in Denver and Las Vegas

• February
House Of Eternal Return expands with new portal, rooms, artwork, David Loughridge Learning Center programs and free art supplies for young and disabled people, and Float Café

• March
Premiere of film, virtual reality experience and epic party wins Spirit Of SXSW Award at SXSW

• April
Launch of Score Wars with the Galaga World Championship makes headlines around the globe

• May
Mikey Rae’s Talent Show animation and art series premieres, benefits Humane Shelter

• June
Passportals series opens with free, live talent all summer throughout House Of Eternal Return

• July
House Of Eternal Return celebrates one millionth guest in only two years of operation

• August
Debut of experiential music festival Taos Vortex and first talent management recording artist release: Carlos Medina: El Cantador

• September
World’s first artist-driven dark ride Kaleidoscape announced for April 2019, Audio Tours debut, Anomaly Tracker app released, DIY Fund expanded, Educator Appreciation Program launched

• October
Stunning new AR/VR and fabrication work The Navigator premieres to rave reviews at Magic L.E.A.P. Conference, House Of Halloween opens for third year in Santa Fe

• November
Meow Wolf: Origin Story feature documentary premieres in 700 theaters throughout 50 states to stellar reviews, streaming version opens new online Meow Wolf Entertainment portal

• December
75,000 square foot new permanent installation announced in Washington, D.C.

More major location announcements are expected in 2019, but Meow Wolf is especially thrilled and
humbled to be welcomed to the world-renowned city on the Potomac.

“As with all our immersive experience projects, the exhibition in D.C. will be family-friendly and
accessible to local

residents as well as the many tourists and VIP’s who visit our nation’s capital from around the
world,” said Kadlubek. “Audiences should expect dazzling, inspired and wild experiences totally
unlike anything they have ever known before.”

For more Meow Wolf → meowwolf.com.

###

Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment group that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company’s first location showcases the THEA Award-winning, international sensation House Of Eternal Return where over one and a half million visitors have discovered a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, climbing apparatus, and surreal, aximalist & mesmerizing art exhibits along with a Learning Center and Float Café. The location is also home to a music venue, bar, and outdoor dining scene. In 2018 Meow Wolf announced plans for massive new permanent locations, in Denver, Las Vegas & Washington, D.C., and the world’s first artist-driven dark ride at Elitch Gardens with more major announcements to come soon.
www.meowwolf.com

Providence Hospital Update

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Yesterday, Providence Hospital issued a press release providing more details to explain its previous announcement that the hospital would provide “low-acuity” emergency and attendant services until April 2019, rather than closing down its emergency room on December 14, 2018, as previously anticipated. See press release below.

—

Providence Health System to Continue Providing Emergency Services through April 30, 2019

Dec 10, 2018

(Washington, D.C.) December 10, 2018 – Reflecting its continued commitment to the residents of the District of Columbia, Providence Health System will operate its Emergency Care Center with necessary support services through the current flu season. The Emergency Care Center will remain open through April 30, 2019 and supported by services needed for emergency care, including lab, diagnostic imaging, respiratory care, discharge planning, and other ancillary services and support. All other Providence services not necessary to support the Emergency Care Center will end as planned on December 14, 2018. Providence will continue to provide services at Carroll Manor as well as primary care and outpatient behavioral health related services.

“This decision reflects our ongoing commitment to serving the needs of the community and was reached following conversations with our internal team, elected officials, the Department of Health, the DC Hospital Association and members of the community,” said Patricia A. Maryland, Dr.PH, Executive Vice President, Ascension, and President and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension Healthcare, the care delivery division of Ascension.

“To support the provision of emergency care, we will continue to provide an appropriate level of supporting services, such as laboratory, imaging and inpatient beds through the end of April,” said Keith Vander Kolk, Providence Health System President and CEO.

“Providence and Ascension remain committed to the District and are pleased to be able to respond to the community need for this extended period,” Dr. Maryland said. “We continue to build a new vision for the future and look forward to partnering with key local leaders in collaboratively building those plans.”

Providence Health System has been engaged in discussions with key local leaders, in addition to examining public and private data to thoughtfully understand and explore how it can best meet the evolving health needs of the District. As Providence embarks on this innovative approach to improve the health of the community, its focus will be inclusive of both health and services not traditionally considered part of healthcare but that have an impact on the health of individuals and communities.

“Changing the focus to providing preventive health and wellness services in collaboration with the community marks a new phase in Providence’s commitment,” said Dr. Maryland. “We want to truly improve the health and well-being of all persons in the community by taking a greater and more active role in their overall healthcare.”
“With that being the case, we will be transforming the services Providence provides with a focus on the specific needs of the community, including primary and behavioral health, senior living and health services, community outreach and engagement; and access to care,” Dr. Maryland said.

“We will build on our longstanding history of servicing the District’s health needs by redeploying our resources, and we are committed to investing upwards of $30 million in the future of Providence.”

About Ascension
Ascension (www.ascension.org) is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2018, Ascension provided nearly $2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 156,000 associates and 34,000 aligned providers. Ascension’s Healthcare Division operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 151 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 21 states and the District of Columbia, while its Solutions Division provides a variety of services and solutions including physician practice management, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, clinical care management, information services, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.
###

December 12: Community Brainstorming Session on South Dakota Ave. Pedestrian Safety

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Guest post by David Kosub

What:
Special Community Brainstorming Session Focused on Pedestrian Safety on South Dakota Avenue

When:
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 6:30 pm

Where:
Lamond-Riggs Library, Meeting Room 1

Why:
To identify and implement solutions as well as engage community members, elected leaders, and city agencies to make crossing South Dakota Avenue safe for all pedestrians

Please come with your thinking caps on! We will hear  what strategies our neighbors have used thus far, any new ideas for possible future solutions, and determine next steps for a unified approach to continue addressing this concern. Though we will be targeting the Jefferson and Ingraham intersections, we welcome hearing your best practices learned following similar concerns related to traffic safety at other intersections too. Please recognize that this is just the start of  direct joint community engagement and partnership to solve this problem, rather than simply viewing this meeting as an opportunity for a blame game or to bash city government.

All are welcome to attend, so please share this with others.

MBT Progress Report

Posted by nextstoprp in Met Branch Trail

DDOT has a dedicated website for the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) Brookland to Fort Totten extension. The agency posts weekly progress reports and two-week look ahead reports on the site, so it is a good way to stay abreast of where work is being performed and will be performed in the future. At the ANC 5A meeting on November 21, I managed to catch up with DDOT Bicycle Program Specialist Michael Alvino to get an update. I left before his formal presentation to the ANC, as the discussion around Pax Liquor took up most of the meeting. We spoke separately though, and he gave me a few updates on the trail.

The project is being done in phases. Construction work is currently taking place on Phase A near the southern end on John McCormack Drive NE. DDOT is finishing up design for Phase B, the northern end near 1st Place, Gallatin Street, and Fort Totten Drive NE. Residents will start to see some construction impacts near the northern end around February/March 2019, especially those who access Fort Totten metro station from the northwest.

As the most recent progress report notes, the agency has combined Phases C & D. This is the longest and the most complicated portion of the trail, going from Bates Road to 1st Place NE. Part of it will wrap around the Fort Totten metro station tunnel. There have been some concerns that DDOT does not have approval from Metro for this part yet. That is because it is still in the design phase, and Metro is reviewing that part of the plan to make sure everything is okay. Things like what kind and weight of construction equipment will be near the tunnel, adequate plans to properly protect the tunnel during construction operation, are all things that Metro is looking at. In addition, the middle portion will be built close to the train tracks in essentially what is a ditch. That ditch apparently carries stormwater from the Aggregate Industries cement plant. If DDOT is going to cover that ditch with a trail, DDOT will need to have an appropriate stormwater plan in place, so that also needs to be addressed in the design. The design is mostly done, and DDOT does not expect issues with getting the final design approved. Mr. Alvino said he expects construction on this phase to begin around summer 2019.

Mr. Alvino noted that the contractor is behind schedule, but he did state that the project is still on track to be completed in 2020. Expect a visit from DDOT’s team to the neighborhood early next year to discuss the impacts on the northern end near Fort Totten metro station. Until then, be sure to visit the project website for weekly updates.