DDOT sent another update that, weather permitting, construction will begin next week on Phase B of the Met Branch Trail extension. As noted in this post from two weeks ago, Phase B is the area between Gallatin Street NE and First Place NE. The project will include reconstruction of the existing trail in that location, as well as the installation of new lighting, security cameras, and improved drainage and stormwater management. A temporary trail will be added to ensure that pedestrian access to the Metro and schools will be maintained during construction activity. Please see the handout with map for more information. As you can see on the handout, it looks like the extension of the MBT from Brookland to Fort Totten is now anticipated to be completed in 2020 rather than December 2019 as previously expected.
After seeing the Riggs Park profile published by the Washington D.C. Economic Partnership, the Fort Totten Metro Station data intrigued me. And, yes, before you ask, there is nothing wrong with being intrigued by looking at administrative data held within public agencies! All the cool kids do it.
While searching the Public Records available on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA’s) website, I did find a few nuggets of ridership data related to Fort Totten metro that I’d like to share (see the original source data here and my manipulations on this Excel sheet here). WMATA publishes historical ridership figures for each station going back to 1977, with Fort Totten coming online a year later (read these articles here and here to see how residents felt about it back then). Figure 1 displays the average number of weekday boardings per year at the Fort Totten station from 1978 to 2018 (data for 1983 were not available). Note, I assume “boardings” in Metro language refers to those who passed through a faregate, not simply transferred to another train (e.g., red line to green line). Boardings grew from 2,969 on an average weekday in 1978 to 7,842 four decades later. Note, these data represent actual average weekday boarding counts and not normalized to population change.
Figure 1 shows the average weekday boardings at the Fort Totten metro station between 1978 and 2018.
For kicks, let’s take a look at how Fort Totten compared to other stations across the system for average weekday boardings in 2018. As the table below shows, we clock in at number 25—not too shabby, especially when considering some of those other stations our weekday boarding numbers beat!
Station
2018***
1
Union Station
28,315
2
Metro Center
24,532
3
Gallery Pl-Chinatown
22,613
4
Farragut North
22,184
5
Farragut West
20,348
6
L’Enfant Plaza
20,240
7
Foggy Bottom-GWU
18,299
8
Dupont Circle
16,542
9
McPherson Square
13,889
10
Pentagon
13,667
11
Rosslyn
13,020
12
Pentagon City
12,311
13
Silver Spring
11,682
14
Shady Grove
11,139
15
Navy Yard-Ballpark
11,013
16
Crystal City
10,795
17
Columbia Heights
10,448
18
NoMa-Gallaudet U
9,346
19
Smithsonian
9,331
20
Ballston-MU
9,029
21
Bethesda
8,999
22
Vienna/Fairfax-GMU
8,970
23
Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn
Quarter
8,226
24
Friendship Heights
7,900
25
Fort Totten (woot woot)
7,842
26
Wiehle-Reston East
7,785
27
Federal Triangle
7,576
28
Judiciary Square
7,475
29
King St-Old Town
7,131
30
Capitol South
7,003
31
Huntington
6,896
32
New Carrollton
6,584
33
Court House
6,420
34
Anacostia
6,305
35
Federal Center SW
6,014
36
Ronald Reagan Washington National
Airport
5,964
37
Franconia-Springfield
5,940
38
Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan
5,913
39
Georgia Ave-Petworth
5,889
40
U St
5,637
41
Van Ness-UDC
5,476
42
Glenmont
5,475
43
Brookland-CUA
5,436
44
Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood
5,417
45
Greenbelt
5,350
46
Eastern Market
5,303
47
Tenleytown-AU
5,286
48
Branch Ave
5,263
49
Medical Center
5,181
50
Takoma
5,033
51
Grosvenor-Strathmore
4,995
52
Southern Avenue
4,744
53
Braddock Road
4,376
54
Clarendon
4,375
55
Shaw-Howard U
4,314
56
Suitland
4,290
57
Waterfront
4,271
58
Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention
Center
4,238
59
Largo Town Center
4,181
60
East Falls Church
4,023
61
Prince George’s Plaza
4,012
62
Twinbrook
3,807
63
Dunn Loring-Merrifield
3,789
64
Rockville
3,756
65
Virginia Square-GMU
3,728
66
Cleveland Park
3,657
67
College Park-U of Md
3,650
68
White Flint
3,506
69
Potomac Ave
3,494
70
Tysons Corner
3,480
71
Wheaton
3,468
72
West Hyattsville
3,184
73
Addison Road-Seat Pleasant
2,652
74
Benning Road
2,604
75
Van Dorn Street
2,576
76
West Falls Church-VT/UVA
2,544
77
Stadium-Armory
2,423
78
Naylor Road
2,283
79
Congress Heights
2,223
80
Minnesota Ave
2,149
81
Forest Glen
2,045
82
Eisenhower Avenue
1,919
83
Capitol Heights
1,864
84
McLean
1,830
85
Morgan Boulevard
1,826
86
Landover
1,543
87
Arlington Cemetery
1,485
88
Greensboro
1,265
89
Deanwood
1,240
90
Spring Hill
1,203
91
Cheverly
980
I next wondered how much of the total Metro daily boardings Fort Totten represented. To answer this, I looked at the proportion of Fort Totten boardings on an average weekday compared to (1) the system as a whole or (2) only those stations in the District. Please keep in mind that not every metro station open today (n=91) was around at the beginning (n=24), so ridership data can change substantively with each new station opening (amongst other factors).
Figure 2 displays these results. As a percentage of all of the stations in the system (lower line), Fort Totten started around 2.2 percent of all Metro boardings in 1978, fell to below 1 percent between 1992 and 2010, and began climbing thereafter rising to 1.3 percent in 2018. When focusing on only stations in the District (higher line), the trends are the same, starting at 2.8 percent in 1978, dipping down in the 1990s and 2000s, and rebounding thereafter to 2.3 percent in 2018.
Figure 2 shows the percent of average weekday boardings at the Fort Totten metro station compared to boardings across all metro stations (lower line) and metro stations in the District (higher line) between 1978 and 2018
So, what do these limited data tell us? Well, we can see the growth over time in the number of riders beginning their trips at Fort Totten on an average weekday. And, that is likely commensurate with multiple factors, such as changes and growth in D.C.’s population over time and more residents preferring public transportation to personal vehicles. Further, as compared to the system as a whole, it is exciting to see our numbers creep up in recent years, even when considering how many stations are open now compared to in 1978. To me, this shows a healthy use of the Fort Totten metro station on a daily basis—providing additional evidence that the nearby vicinity is ripe for robust transit-oriented development as called for in the 2009 Small Area Plan. My hope is that, when recruiting shops, restaurants, and other potential business owners to the neighborhood, we can use the additional evidence that our community is worth the investment.
Lamond-Riggs Library Community Meeting June 12, 2019 7:00 pm Lamond-Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Ave. NE)
Join your friends and neighbors for the next community meeting about the new Lamond-Riggs Library. The design team will present initial concepts for spaces and services and will gather community feedback.
The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), is starting a compost training class. Do you want to learn how to turn your food and yard waste into valuable soil, a process called composting? If yes, please join the compost training class.
The class will meet seven times for two and a half hours. Participants must attend all seven classes to complete this training. Upon the successful completion of all training classes and the passing of the final exam, a certificate will be issued.
What is compost? Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Making compost keeps your yard and food waste materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a greenhouse gas.
Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost to soil improves its fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.
EVENT DETAILS Every Thursday May 30 – July 18, 2019 (Except July 4th) 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION Bertie Backus Urban Food Hub 5171 South Dakota Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20017
PAYMENT The cost of the compost training class is $100 now $50. Payment can be made before or at the time of the first class, by check or money order, made payable to the “University of the District of Columbia.” Please put “3901J” in the memo line. Limited fee waivers are available for qualifying registrants.
UDC is seeking volunteers to assist with cleanup of its native plant nursery located at the Bertie Backus Food Hub at UDC-CC Backus, 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE.
Two dates are available: May 23, 3:00 pm-7:00 pm and May 28, 3:00pm-7:00 pm
Register at the link. Some supplies provided, but bring gloves and wear closed-toe shoes. For questions, please contact Laura at (202) 274-7159.
Come one, come all! Let’s have some fun playing in a National Park in our backyard!
What: Fort Circle Field Day
When: Saturday, May 18, 2019, starting around 12:00 noon
Where: We’ll be set up somewhere on the grassy field at Fort Circle Park bounded by South Dakota, Galloway, and Gallatin NE
Who: Everybody is welcome! Tell your neighbor of 40 years across the street and the one who just moved in next door. Tell your friends in Lamond-Riggs. Tell your family in North Michigan Park. Tell your buddy in Manor Park. Tell your puppy we’ll have a yappy hour. Tell the 96 Bus driver, but they may look confused.
Why: Because who doesn’t enjoy just hanging out in the park, meeting some new faces, playing a couple field games, drinking some lemonade, taking in nature, strumming a guitar and thumping a drum, and watching puppies catch frisbees
This is a totally low-key social event. Come and go as you please. Bring some musical instruments. Bring some balls. Bring a lawn chair. Bring some SPF 40. Bring your grandma’s homemade sweet potato pie. And, don’t forget to bring grandma too.
Please spread the word to folks far and wide. Let’s begin reactivating Fort Circle Park for the benefit of our community!
Construction on the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Brookland to Fort Totten was suspended between January and March earlier this year so that DDOT could focus on finishing up the design. Construction resumed in April. I received information from DDOT that up next for construction is Phase B, which will include reconstruction of the existing trail between Gallatin Street and 1st Place NE. A temporary trail will be constructed adjacent to the existing trail to maintain access between Fort Totten metro station and the buildings west of the station. The MBT Fort Totten extension website should be updated with a new construction schedule soon.
I neglected to publish a recap of the Zoning Commission hearing for Art Place at Fort Totten Block B (it’s sitting in my draft box), but now is a good time to give an update since the developer has submitted its post-hearing statement. The public hearing was held on April 4. The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association was granted party status in support of the project and raised a number of issues for the developer to address. (Disclosure: I currently serve as president of LRCA). You can read LRCA’s testimony here. Two residents presented testimony, primarily concerning traffic and transportation issues (read those here and here), and Casey Trees testified, requesting that the developer keep a number of trees that are slated to be removed for construction. The Zoning commissioners also raised a number of issues, which you can read below and in the developer’s post-hearing statement.
Design adjustments to the planned pedestrian bridge.
Consider addition of balconies in residential buildings.
Provide samples of all building materials.
Either incorporate solar panels in the design or show why solar panels cannot be accommodated on the green roofs.
Consider whether some design elements are too busy. In particular, the commission recommended facade guidelines for retailers so that they can still be customized but also look like they are part of the same project.
Investigate using darker colors for the exterior of the residential buildings because lighter colors tend not to age well over time without extensive maintenance to keep the colors clean and fresh.
Make sure consideration is given to how seniors can benefit from the project.
Commit to relocating the dog run in the project site as future phases are constructed and Kennedy Street is realigned.
Work with community on a retail plan.
Consider deeper affordability (both in number of units and income limits) in future phases if total number of housing units exceed the number approved in the original PUD order (around 929).
Resolve various issues with DDOT related to the new light signal, and whether the developer can in fact make crosswalk, right of way, and sidewalk improvements near the project site, in particular on 3rd Street, and where Hamilton, Ingraham, and the public alley meet.
15% discounted admission fee for DC residents for Meow Wolf
25% discounted admission fee on quarterly basis for Ward 4 & 5 residents to Explore! Children’s Museum
Commitment to relocate dog run in future phase of project after Kennedy Street realignment
For artist/maker spaces, will lease at subsidized rate no more than 50% per square foot what other retail tenants will be charged
Commitment to having 3 employment open houses for Aldi grocery store in the 4 months prior to opening
Providing deeper affordability for artist housing to 60% of median family income
Will pay for installation of bikeshare near site
The circular hub that is the prominent feature of the FEZ design will no longer feature the much discussed “kinetic” facade. Ever since the developer revealed its plans, there has been discussion about what exactly is going on, what materials will be used, whether it would be lit, whether it would disturb nearby residences. So in response the developer has gotten rid of the kinetic elements. Below are updated and more detailed renderings. The Zoning Commission will review the project on May 20.
Fridays at Fort Totten free outdoor concert series hosted by the Modern at Art Place is back! Starting June 7, each Friday evening, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, there will be a band and food truck at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE. Check out this summer’s lineup.
June 7 – Jimi Smooth Band June 14 – Jarreau Williams Xperience June 21 – Jah Works June 28 – Allthebestkids July 5 – The Monster Band July 12 – Pebble to Pearl July 19 – Sol Roots July 26 – Cecily August 2 – Oh He Dead August 9 – The JoGo Project August 16 – Feel Free August 23 – Deacon Izzy & The Congregation August 30 – Rain Date
UDC is seeking volunteers to assist with cleanup of its native plant nursery located at the Bertie Backus Food Hub at UDC-CC Backus, 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE.
Two dates are available: May 23, 3:00 pm-7:00 pm and May 28, 3:00pm-7:00 pm
Some supplies provided, but bring gloves and wear closed-toe shoes. For questions, please contact Laura at (202) 274-7159.
The Washington, DC Economic Partnership released the 2019 Neighborhood Profiles. View the profile sheet for Riggs Park here. It is exciting to see some new additions to the neighborhood’s profile, including mention of the tenants secured for the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten (Meow Wolf and Aldi) and 24 Hour Fitness for the first phase of the project. The profile also highlights the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Brookland to Fort Totten and the forthcoming EYA mixed-use townhome project, which will feature roughly 160 townhomes and approximately 25,000 square feet of retail. It even has the contact information for the new neighborhood Main Street. The only thing missing from the profile is the neighborhood library’s upcoming $20 million rebuild! All in all, this profile sheet provides a cool, compact visual of the development on deck and a snapshot of the demographics in the neighborhood.
Today is the last day to sign up for the lottery to receive a garden plot at the Bertie Backus community garden, located at the Bertie Backus Food Hub at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. Apply at the link.
Come one, come all! Let’s have some fun playing in a National Park in our backyard!
What: Fort Circle Field Day
When: Saturday, May 18, 2019, starting around 12:00 noon
Where: We’ll be set up somewhere on the grassy field at Fort Circle Park bounded by South Dakota, Galloway, and Gallatin NE
Who: Everybody is welcome! Tell your neighbor of 40 years across the street and the one who just moved in next door. Tell your friends in Lamond-Riggs. Tell your family in North Michigan Park. Tell your buddy in Manor Park. Tell your puppy we’ll have a yappy hour. Tell the 96 Bus driver, but they may look confused.
Why: Because who doesn’t enjoy just hanging out in the park, meeting some new faces, playing a couple field games, drinking some lemonade, taking in nature, strumming a guitar and thumping a drum, and watching puppies catch frisbees
This is a totally low-key social event. Come and go as you please. Bring some musical instruments. Bring some balls. Bring a lawn chair. Bring some SPF 40. Bring your grandma’s homemade sweet potato pie. And, don’t forget to bring grandma too.
Please spread the word to folks far and wide. Let’s begin reactivating Fort Circle Park for the benefit of our community!
The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association is holding an election for new board officers and trustees at its next meeting on May 6 at LaSalle-Backus Education Campus (501 Riggs Road NE) at 7:00 pm. I am supporting the LRCA Forward slate in the election and I encourage my neighbors to do the same. The slate consists of Gwen Cofield for President, Tischa Cockrell for 1st Vice President, and Lisa Wray for 2nd Vice President.
Gwen currently serves as LRCA’s first vice president and chair of LRCA’s development task force. There’s a lot I can say about Gwen, but I think what really matters is that she is a kind person. She has lived in the community for over two decades now. She embraces and is respectful of everyone. She works hard and smart. There have been a lot of development issues to deal with over the past two years, and I think Gwen has represented the community well in these matters. She is terrific at listening to all sides and attempting to resolve conflicts in a respecful manner. As the community continues to grow, I trust Gwen to continue moving the organization forward and remind us all that at the end of the day we are indeed neighbors and should treat one another as neighbors.
I worked with Tischa a lot when she served as second vice president and I served as a trustee on LRCA’s board from 2015 to 2017. We planned the Riggs Park Community Day together last year, which was super fun. I think she accomplished a lot as chair of the youth committee when she was on the board. She works hard and has a lot of great ideas.
Lisa currently serves as a trustee on LRCA’s board and helped plan LRCA’s 70th anniversary celebration.
If you are an LRCA member and paid your membership dues by April 1, I encourage you to vote for:
Gwen Cofield – President Tischa Cockrell – 1st Vice President Lisa Wray – 2nd Vice President
UDC is accepting applications for community garden plots at the Bertie Backus community garden. The community garden is part of the Bertie Backus food hub located at the UDC-CC Backus campus at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. The deadline to apply is May 10.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 