The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is soliciting public comment on the 90% design of the Riggs Road NE two-way cycletrack (NOI #24-150 PSD; 90% design plan). This is the proposed cycletrack on eastbound Riggs using part of the existing dedicated right-turn only lane between South Dakota Avenue and 1st Place NE. DDOT is reissuing the NOI for this project after it stalled last year. The project sits in ANC 5A09. Send comments to bike.lanes@dc.gov by July 23, 2024.

DDOT states:

DDOT proposes to reconfigure the 100 block of Riggs Road between First Place NE and South Dakota Ave NE to remove the curbside eastbound travel lane for 800 feet and convert that space to a two-way protected bike lane as shown in the attached plans.

The purpose of this change is to assist cyclists in crossing under the railroad tracks to reach the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

We are re-issuing this NOI at the 90% design stage to solicit public feedback through the ongoing development stages of this project.

Rendering of proposed cycletrack from NOI

It is worth looking at the 90% design plan for details. For example, DDOT expects that people on bikes will follow the pedestrian signal rather than having a separate bike signal. It looks like DDOT plans to install a yellow flex post in the cycletrack at the corner of 1st Pl & Riggs that will hopefully stop cars from entering the cyletrack. Plenty of other details to comment on.

Send comments to bike.lanes@dc.gov by July 23, 2024.

DDOT and Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker recently held two kickoff meetings for the South Dakota Avenue NE Corridor Safety Study. DDOT is looking at ways to address issues on South Dakota from Bladensburg Road NE to Riggs Road NE.

See DDOT South Dakota Avenue Safety Kickoff Meeting Presentation Slides

Let DDOT know what you think about what is needed along the corridor by completing this questionnaire and providing information on this public input map (where you can identify important changes you’d like to see at specific intersections like more visible crosswalks, better pedestrian accommodations, etc).

Councilmember Parker earmarked funds in the FY2024 budget for a road diet on the corridor:

“fund efforts to improve safety on the corridor in the short term, preferably by constructing a road diet on a segment of the corridor […] the Committee recommends that DDOT consider either the segment between Bladensburg Road and Monroe Street NE or the segment between Sargent Road NE and RiggsRoad NE.”

Most agree speeding is a problem on South Dakota. There is a relatively low volume of vehicles during off-peak hours, which makes the wide road ripe for speeding. There are too many crashes and near misses. People feel unsafe crossing the street. Too many pedestrians have been injured or killed walking along the corridor. People want to be able to safely walk and bike to points along the corridor. Everyone wants the situation to be addressed. The question is how to get there.

Project Scope

DDOT is going to study the entire corridor, examine three concepts for a road diet, select one concept, and design and build the concept on one portion of the corridor. DDOT plans to start construction on the southern end (near Bladensburg) because they state that is where there is highest need.

DDOT is looking at three options for the corridor.

Option One: 3 lanes with full-time parking

Option one would have three lanes with parking on each side of the street.

• Maintains one lane in each direction
• Uses curbside space for full-time parking
• Center space can be left turn lanes or pedestrian islands depending on needs

(Currently, no parking is allowed on South Dakota except for limited parking on the west side of South Dakota between Galloway and Ingraham (soon extending to Kennedy). A couple of churches closer to the southern end of the corridor use a lane for parking on Sundays.)

Option Two: 3 lanes with parking and two-way protected bike lanes

Option two would have three lanes with parking and a two-way protected bike lane:

• Maintains one travel lane in each direction
• Uses curbside on one curb face for protected bike lanes
• Uses opposite curb for parking
• Center space can be left turn lanes or pedestrian islands depending on need

Option Three: 3 lanes with protected bike lanes in each direction

Option three would have three lanes with protected bike lanes in each direction.

• Maintains one lane in each direction
• Uses curbside space for protected bike lanes
• Center space can be left turn lanes or pedestrian islands depending on needs

Project Timeline

DDOT plans to gather data, explore concepts, and gather input before holding a second round of public meetings in fall 2024, having a third round of public meetings in winter 2024/2025, beginning work on design plans in spring 2025, and finally starting construction just on the southern end in summer 2025.

Ways to Give Input

Let DDOT know what you think about what is needed along the corridor by completing this questionnaire and providing information on this public input map (where you can identify important changes you’d like to see at specific intersections like more visible crosswalks, better pedestrian accommodations, etc).

Though DDOT is going to focus the limited construction money on the southern end of the corridor, please take the time provide input to DDOT about neighborhood issues through this public engagement effort.

(I am going to exercise restraint from getting too soapboxy about how it would have been amazing if our city agencies would have required safe street design while the streets have been torn up for all of the development plus the city’s own street reconfiguration on the northern end of the corridor the past several years. Would have been amazing if our planning agency did not greenlight a new drive-thru on South Dakota on the northern end. Please complete the surveys & advocate for funding to complete the entire corridor.)

As part of its bus network redesign, Metro is looking to consolidate some of its bus stops. View the full list of bus stops that Metro is proposing to eliminate: Metro Bus Stop Consolidation Report (May 2024). Metro states:

Metro used our Board adopted Service Guidelines, which provide guidelines of the average number of bus stops per mile for different kinds of service. We focused on stops that were about 660 feet apart or less and then assessed ridership at the stop and the availability of safe access for customers. For stops that were close together with low ridership or without safe pedestrian access were considered for consolidation.

Share your input with Metro

In this post, we discussed some of the neighborhood impacts of the 2025 Network Proposal. Residents should also comment on the proposed elimination of bus stops. Remember to provide input to Metro at https://betterbus.wmata.com/share by 5:00 pm on July 15, 2024.

Proposed Bus Stop Consolidation Neighborhood Impacts

Metro is considering removing several bus stops in the neighborhood and nearby.

I looked at closest bus stop info for a few routes.

Metro Engagement on 2025 Network Proposal

Virtual Public Hearings

By phone: Call (206) 899-2028 and enter the meeting code.

By video: Email speak@wmata.com by 5:00 p.m. the day before the virtual Public Hearing.

All Public Hearings will be streamed online at youtube.com/MetroForward.

• Virtual Public Hearing Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Meeting Code: 490 122 856#

• Virtual Public Hearing Monday, June 24, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Meeting Code: 787 960 816#

Metro is holding popup events about the 2025 Network Proposal around the region.

Pop-Up @ Rhode Island Ave Metro Station
Monday, June 17, 2024
3:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Rhode Island Ave Metro Station
919 Rhode Island Ave NE
Washington DC 20018

Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker cohosted a virtual Ward 5 meeting on June 3.

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George is cohosting a meeting with Metro on June 27 at 6:30 pm at Coolidge High School.

See more engagement events at https://betterbus.wmata.com/events.

Remember to provide input to Metro at https://betterbus.wmata.com/share by 5:00 pm on July 15, 2024.