Category Archives: Transportation

Updated Metro Plan on RI Ave & Brookland Station Closures

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

From Metro’s press release:

One month from today, following Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week, Metro will close two stations on the Red Line – Rhode Island Ave and Brookland – to complete structural repairs at Rhode Island Ave, Metro’s oldest outdoor station. The work will begin Saturday, July 21, and continue through Labor Day, Monday, September 3. The structural work cannot be completed while trains are running on either track and will resolve platform conditions that affect the alignment between the platform and trains, presenting challenges for customers with disabilities.

Metro and the District Department of Transportation have worked together to develop a comprehensive alternate transportation plan that includes operating MetroExtra G9 service during all hours of the rail system, seven days a week, and using a dedicated bus lane along Rhode Island Avenue NE to provide a faster trip to and from Downtown DC.

Red Line customers are advised:

  • Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland stations will be closed for 45 days, from July 21 through September 3.
  • There will be no Red Line service between Fort Totten and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations. Red Line customers should transfer to Green or Yellow line trains between Fort Totten and Gallery Place to avoid the work zone. Metro will add capacity to the Green/Yellow lines to accommodate Red Line riders, including running some Yellow Line trains to/from Greenbelt. During rush hours, Red Line trains will operate every 6 minutes between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet, and every 10 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten.
  • For customers traveling to/from Brookland or Rhode Island Ave stations, free shuttle buses will provide alternate service between Fort Totten, Brookland, Rhode Island Ave, and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations. In addition, Metro will operate express shuttles between Brookland and Rhode Island Ave and the areas of Metro Center, Gallery Place and Union Station.
  • MetroExtra G9 will operate at all hours the rail system is open, seven days per week, connecting Rhode Island Ave with Downtown DC and other rail and bus lines.
  • To reduce travel times, Metro has received approval from the District Department of Transportation to use a new dedicated bus lane along Rhode Island Ave. NE for MetroExtra G9 from North Capitol St. to 12th St. NE. The lane will operate Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Rush Hour Promise will not be in effect for trips to or from stations between Glenmont and NoMa-Gallaudet U. The program will remain in effect for Red Line travel between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet U.

MBT Extension Construction Phases

Posted by nextstoprp in Met Branch Trail, Transportation

DDOT released information on the construction phases for the Met Branch Trail extension from Brookland to Fort Totten. This information may change over the course of the project. For up-to-date information, visit the project website at https://www.metbranchtrail-forttotten.com

From the website:

Metropolitan Branch Trail Projected Design and Construction Schedules

Phase A – John McCormack to Bates Road
Design – October 2017 to July 2018
Construction – July 2018 to September 2018

Phase B – Gallatin Street to First Place
Design – October 2017 to October 2018
Construction – October 2018 to December 2019

Phases C and D – First Place to Bates Road
Design – October 2017 to December 2018
Construction – December 2018 to January 2020

Actual schedule of completion for each phase will vary based upon several factors including, but not limited to weather conditions, size and degree of difficulty of the area, material and contractor availability, crew sizes, and complexity of the changes that may be inevitable after construction has already begun.

 

ANC 5A October 25, 2017 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A, Backus Urban Food Hub, Met Branch Trail, Transportation

On Wednesday, October 25, 2017, ANC 5A held its monthly community meeting.

Present: Commissioners Grace Lewis (5A02); Keisha Cofield-Lynch (5A03); Isaiah Burroughs (5A04); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); A. Jamaal Lampkin (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon Fletcher (5A08)

Police Report

PSA 405 October 2017 Crime Stats

Crime was up slightly for the month of October. See PSA 405 Oct 2017 Crime Stats.

Cellphone thefts are up, so be careful walking and using your cell phone, especially now that it is getting dark earlier.

Be on the lookout for an all-black tow truck with no identification that is stealing vehicles during the early morning hours between midnight and 4:00 am. Hondas in particular are being targeted.

National Park Service – Fort Totten Park

Rock Creek Park Superintendent Julia Washburn, Civil War Defenses Project Manager Kim Elder, and Rock Creek Park Chief of Resource Management Nick Bartolomeo gave both good and mixed news related to Fort Totten Park.

First the good news. An asphalt path between Gallatin Street and Galloway Street NE in Fort Totten Park near Fort Totten metro station will be constructed likely next summer. The path is a long time coming and should be really useful for residents of North Michigan Park to access the metro station. See the project website for details.

Separately, lighting and the trail by the Mamie D. Lee community garden near the western edge of Fort Totten Park will be upgraded as part of the construction of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Brookland-to-Fort Totten extension. DDOT has awarded a design-build contract for this extension. Construction will begin some time next year.

The mixed news. NPS is testing soil samples from a hillside near the access road for Aggregate Industries concrete company on the western side of Fort Totten Park. When Metro’s green line was under construction, NPS permitted Metro to use that area of the park for staging. Metro was required to rehabilitate the area after construction and did so by bringing infill dirt from Spring Valley, a superfund site in Northwest DC. NPS only recently discovered that soil from Spring Valley was brought into the park all those years ago. They say that out of an abundance of caution they have hired a contractor to test the soil to find out if there are any contaminants. They mentioned possibility of an herbicide that is present in the Spring Valley area, but they stressed they simply do not know what the soil may contain and that they are testing out of an abundance of caution. They do not believe there will be any health effects because of the topography of the land. They said that waterways in that area of the park are scarce, so they are not concerned about leeching into any waterways. Work will begin around November 9 and last approximately nine months. This area is not near any pedestrian access paths or trails.

In other Rock Creek Park news, NPS plans to improve the Rock Creek Park visitor center located at 5200 Glover Road NW. An information meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 1, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the visitors center.

Basilica of the National Shrine

The ANC passed a resolution to support the Basilica’s request for a special exception from the Board of Zoning Adjustment for continued use of its accessory parking lot, which is across the street from the Basilica. The exception is necessary because the parking lot is not on the same lot as the Basilica.

Marriott

Marriott has appeared before the ANC several times for support of its long planned project consisting of a hotel (160-room Residence Inn and 100-room Courtyard by Marriott), ground floor retail, and residences near Michigan Avenue and Irving Street NE. The property is federal property which was transferred to the District for hotel “and other compatible uses.” The developer and District officials had assumed all this time that residential use would be considered a compatible use, but apparently GSA does not believe residential use is a compatible use with a hotel. Marriott is working with District officials and Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton’s office to get GSA to permit residential use. The Commission passed a resolution to send a letter to Congresswoman Norton in support of the project, including residential use as a compatible use.

Marriott has made a couple of changes to their plan since its last iteration. They have moved the residential portion to the front of the site on Michigan Avenue and moved the hotel portion to the rear of the site. Access will be off Irving Street and they plan to reconfigure the slip lane on Irving Street to a T-intersection. They reduced the height of the project from 90 feet to 75 feet. They will need to establish a zoning district for the project and anticipate a hearing on this in February or March 2018. All of this though is contingent on getting approval to build residential in the first place.

Price Grocery

The ANC passed a resolution to support Price Grocery’s alcohol license renewal application. Price Grocery is located at 5018 Rock Creek Church Road NE.

Trinity Deli

The ANC passed a resolution in support of Trinity Deli’s alcohol license renewal application. The Class B grocer sells beer. It is located at 200 Michigan Avenue NE.

UDC CAUSES Bertie Backus Food Hub

UDC’s Bertie Backus Food Hub, located at South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE, is opening a community garden. They are looking for residents interested in serving on a management committee for the garden. If interested, contact Matthew Gardine at matthew.gardine@udc.edu.

Council Report

The Ward 5 holiday party will be on December 13, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at Dock 5 at Union Market. Bring an unwrapped toy.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie has introduced three bills (see Councilmember McDuffie 2017 Bills (pdf)).

  1. The Accessible and Transparent Procurement Act of 2017 (B22-0395) would require District government to put all solicitations for over $25,000 on a single website.
  2. The Quick Payment Amendment Act of 2017 (B22-0439) would require District government to disburse payment to contractors within 15 days of receiving an invoice.
  3. The Government Contractor-Subcontractor Dispute Resolution Act of 2017 (B22-0440) would permit the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development to conciliate disputes between District government prime contractors and subcontractors.

Mayor’s Office Report

The Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement has opened in Ward 7. The mayor’s office is offering a number of MPD recruitment tools, such as six-month rental assistance, student loan forgiveness, and zero percent interest loans up to $20,000 for housing. An Uber driver resource center has opened in Ward 7. The mayor’s office offered $3 million in grants to support additional grocery options for Wards 7 and 8.

Reinvest DC

DC Reinvest Flyer (pdf)

A coalition of grassroots advocacy groups called DC Reinvest sought ANC support for its initiative to get the District to divest from Wells Fargo, which the group says funds the Keystone pipeline and the private prison industry. The ANC tabled consideration of a resolution to do more homework on the initiative.

New Lamond-Riggs Library

President of the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends group Robert Oliver announced that the deadline for LRLF’s survey on the new library was extended to October 27. Councilmember McDuffie will select two residents to serve on the official advisory panel for the rebuilding project. An interim library is planned during construction. Ideally the space should be 3,000 square feet and move-in ready with electrical and plumbing in place.

Mr. Oliver asked for the ANC’s help because about $45,000 in an inactive bank account held by the former Friends group is in jeopardy of being forfeited unless the former leader permits the new group to access the funds. The former group had been defunct for several years before a new group was formed this past summer.

USPS

The postal service was listed on the agenda but no representatives attended the meeting.

Next ANC meeting

The next ANC meeting will be on November 29 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

 

 

Met Branch Trail Petition

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B, Transportation

The Ward 4 MBT Coalition has created a petition to show support for completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail beyond Riggs Road NE into Takoma (Ward 4 route). DC’s Department of Transportation released a design-construction request for proposals for the Brookland to Fort Totten extension. DDOT has not selected a contractor for that portion just yet, but a selection could be made soon. The extension beyond Riggs Road though has been the subject of lots of meetings and compromise. ANC 4B’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee held a public meeting on the proposed Ward 4 route on September 5, 2017. Details of that meeting are available here and here.

We wrote about the proposed Ward 4 route in this post. It will essentially be an enlarged sidewalk along Riggs Road, sharrows along 1st Street NE and contraflow bike lane on McDonald Place NE (compromise design), and then an enlarged sidewalk on Blair Road NW into Takoma. There is some disagreement about which street to branch off Blair into Takoma, but that is the gist of the route. ANC 4B Commissioner Tanya Topolewski (4B02) raised the possibility of having the route run along 3rd Street NW to provide access to the Takoma Recreation Center, but it is not clear at this point how many people support that option.

The National Park Service has shown new willingness to have the route run parallel to the metro tracks past Riggs Road. Therefore, some commissioners want to be sure that any resolution in support of the Ward 4 extension will have an assurance from DDOT that the agency will diligently pursue the option of having an off-road trail parallel to the tracks, since that is the option that mostly everyone believes is best. It is not clear when ANC 4B will take up a resolution on the extension, but if you are interested in showing support for the MBT’s completion before then, here’s a petition.

September 14: DDOT Public Meeting on Eastern Avenue Rehabilitation Project

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is holding the second public meeting to discuss the Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE Project (from New Hampshire to Whittier Street NW). DDOT will present design concepts based on community feedback and gather additional comments from the community at this meeitng.

When: Thursday, September 14, 2017
Where: EF International Language Center, 6896 Laurel Street NW, Washington, DC 20012
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Eastern Avenue Info Card FINAL

 

July 13: Ward 5 DDOT Roundtable

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation, Ward 5

On July 13 come out and express your concerns with traffic, sidewalk repairs, overgrown trees, pedestrian safety, and other issues at the Ward 5 DDOT Roundtable. If you are interested in testifying or have concerns that you would like addressed, let us know in the comments.

http://www.kenyanmcduffie.com/ddot2017/

Public Oversight Roundtable on The District Department of Transportation’s Responsiveness to Council and Resident Inquiries

DATE: July 13, 2017
TIME: 6:30 P.M
LOCATION: Edward J. Pryzbyla Center, Great Room A
620 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20064

The public is invited to testify and can sign up to do so by contacting Ms. Aukima Benjamin, Staff Assistant to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, at (202) 724-8062 or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us. Persons representing organizations will have five minutes to present their testimony. Individuals will have three minutes to present their testimony. Witnesses should bring eight copies of their written testimony and should submit a copy of their testimony electronically to abenjamin@dccouncil.us.

If you are unable to testify in person, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to Ms. Benjamin at the following address: Committee on Transportation and the Environment, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 108, Washington, D.C. 20004. Statements may also be e-mailed to abenjamin@dccouncil.us or faxed to (202) 724-8118. The record will close at the end of the business day on July 27, 2017.

ANC 4B MBT Fort Totten-Takoma Expansion Presentation

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Catching up on news…

On June 1, 2017, the public safety committee of ANC 4B held a meeting with DDOT to discuss the expansion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Fort Totten (Riggs Road NE) to Takoma.

See: DDOT ANC 4B June 2017 MBT Fort Totten-Takoma Expansion Presentation (pdf)

An RFP for design-build construction of the Brookland-Fort Totten expansion was announced earlier this year.

As currently planned, the Fort Totten-Takoma expansion will essentially be an enlarged sidewalk (shared use path) with bi-directional lane markings, running along Riggs Road NE, up to Blair Road into Takoma.

Trail under Design (Riggs Road NE to Takoma)

Specific plans for the trail from Riggs Road to Blair Road include:

  • New traffic signal at Riggs Road and First Street NE
  • New traffic signal at New Hampshire Avenue and McDonald Place NE
  • Shared lane markings and speed humps on First Street NE
  • Contraflow bike lane on McDonald Place NE

Design plan and alternative plan

So the feel of this portion of the trail will be very different (and perhaps not feel trail-like at all). The land abutting the metro tracks in this expansion area belong to the National Park Service. While there have been murmurings about potentially getting NPS approval to build on federal land, that would require a new environmental impact assessment and therefore would involve even more delay.

 

 

DDOT Preliminary Plans for Eastern Avenue NE

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

On December 7, 2016, DC’s Department of Transportation held a public meeting to present draft plans for improvements to Eastern Avenue NE between New Hampshire Avenue NE and Whittier Street NW. Those familiar with the area know it is a difficult road to travel. According to DDOT, the project’s goal is to “improve the existing pavement and landscape of this study area and to determine the best solution to address deteriorated sidewalks, retaining walls, curbs, gutters, manholes, catch basins and ADA ramps; to improve traffic and pedestrian/bike safety; and to introduce public realm improvements along this corridor.”

To view a copy of the presentation, click here: DDOT Eastern Avenue NE Rehabilitation Presentation 12-7-2016

DDOT is still finalizing design plans. Much of the work will consist of full pavement reconstruction, except for one small section between Sligo Mill Road and Kansas Avenue, which will consist only of pavement milling and overlay.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-2

DDOT asked its contractor to analyze a possible roundabout at Eastern Avenue and Sligo Mill Road. Because the contractor concluded that a roundabout in that location would result in backups towards New Hampshire Avenue, that possibility will likely be rejected. DDOT will not approve a plan that would result in traffic backups at a major intersection. ANC 4B07 Commissioner Judi Jones asked about the possibility of a roundabout at Kansas Avenue to slow down traffic and make it easier for drivers to make a left-hand turn onto Kansas Avenue. DDOT said they would consider it, but thought its feasibility was unlikely because of the results of the analysis of a roundabout at Sligo Mill showing traffic backups. Draft plans currently show a left turn lane will be installed at Eastern and Kansas Avenue with bump-outs at the corners.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-6

The plan also includes installing a sidewalk on the north side (Takoma Park, MD side) and landscaping on both the north and south side (DC side). Unfortunately, DDOT said there is not much room to install more than just a few new trees on the south side because of gas and water lines, but the agency will install other landscaping and bioretention and stormwater facilities (such as permeable pavement in the parking lanes) where possible.

There was protracted discussion about the location of a potential staircase leading from Eastern Avenue to Old or Little Eastern Avenue in Takoma Park, which runs parallel to the road. The draft plan proposes a staircase on Eastern Avenue between North Capitol Street and Whittier Street. Some residents expressed a preference for the alternate location, which would be at the corner of Eastern Avenue and North Capitol Street. Some residents believed the proposed location would have the undesired effect of encouraging individuals to cross the street mid-block and would also put a staircase right next to a resident’s front yard. A couple of residents expressed concern that a staircase in either location would abet crime by making it easier for individuals to move between Maryland and DC jurisdictions more quickly and evade police.

eastern-avenue-sidewalk-locations

 

The good thing about the plan is that bike facilities are included. The not so good thing is that plans currently show a combination of bike lanes and sharrows on both the north and south side due to bump-outs in some locations. The bump-outs are ostensibly designed to narrow the road and slow down traffic, making it safer for pedestrians. But we are not big fans of forcing cyclists to cycle in and out of travel lanes because that can be dangerous if drivers are not anticipating that cyclists will be traveling in a bike lane for some distance, share the road for a short distance, and then go back to a bike lane. Drivers do not really pay attention to sharrows. So it seems that a continuous bike lane would be preferable to protect cyclists and still have the desired effect of reducing speeds. One resident asked about extending the project area to Laurel Street in order to make bike lane connections to the Old Takoma commercial district. DDOT said there is a limited pot of money and that there has to be a defined project area where work is most necessary. Bike lanes can always be installed outside of the project area.

eastern-avenue-ne-display-board-1

Preliminary plans call for the work to be done in four phases. Only the first phase is expected to result in full road closure. Expect partial roadway closures and detours for the other phases of work. DDOT was not ready to discuss possible relocations of bus stops while construction is ongoing or after the project’s completion.

eastern-avenue-ne-phase-work

 

Current timeline anticipates design to be finalized in fall 2017; construction to begin in summer 2018; and construction to be completed in winter 2019.

Take a look at the plans and send any comments to the project manager Paul Hoffman at paul.hoffman @dc.gov.

 

December 7: Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE Project Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

From DDOT:

Wednesday, December 7, 2016
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Location: 6896 Laurel Street NW
Building: EF International Language Center
Room: Lecture Hall

Details:

DDOT invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE Project (New Hampshire Avenue NE to Whittier Street NW).

The project’s goal is to improve the existing pavement and landscape of this study area and to determine the best solution to address deteriorated sidewalks, retaining walls, curbs, gutters, manholes, catch basins and ADA ramps; to improve traffic and pedestrian/bike safety; and to introduce public realm improvements along this corridor.

DDOT will present design concepts and gather comments from the community at this public meeting.

Be sure to check out www.goDCgo.com to learn about transportation options for getting to this public meeting. (Meeting location is 0.29 miles from Takoma Park Metro Station)

Fort Circle Park Amenities

Posted by nextstoprp in Recreation, Transportation, Ward 5, Youth

img_20150814_113542315

On November 1, 2016, Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton hosted a town hall with the National Park Service (NPS) on improving and maintaining NPS land in the District. Nine-year old Riggs Park resident Lucas Uriartecuellar testified at the town hall to support constructing a trail and building a playground at Fort Circle Park, located on South Dakota Avenue between Gallatin and Galloway Street NE.

Back in March 2016, Lucas met then Council candidate Robert White and told him about his desire for a playground. Councilmember White put Lucas in touch with Congresswoman Norton’s office. Lucas and his family walked the neighborhood with a petition* and collected approximately 230 signatures from residents close to Fort Circle Park to support his effort. At the town hall, Lucas presented to NPS and Congresswoman Norton the petition as well as a blueprint of some his ideas for transforming the park. For his efforts, Lucas received a big round of applause from those in attendance. We applaud him too.

Two other residents testified about the need for trails in Fort Totten Park. NPS stated that design of a trail to connect Gallatin to Galloway Street NE near Fort Totten metro station will be completed in 2017 and the agency is seeking funding sources to actually construct the trail.

Generally, the tone of the town hall meeting was positive. The leadership of NPS is very open to partnering with communities to make NPS parkland flexible, sustainable, and active. For example, in recent months, NPS has partnered with the Golden Triangle business improvement district (BID) and the Capitol Hill BID so that those BIDs can fund the upkeep of NPS parks in the downtown and Capitol Hill areas. However, in neighborhoods like this one, where there is not a BID or a significant number of businesses willing or able to take on activating and maintaining the parks, funding for park amenities and activities remain a challenge. NPS Superintendent of the Fort Circle Parks Tara Morrison noted that there is certainly work to be done with these parks. They hold great historical significance and they should be places of interest and use for the community and the greater public. In August 2016, NPS completed a Paved Trail Study. The agency expects to complete its Small Parks Master Planning effort in the near future. Any change to NPS parks in the neighborhood will have to start with a planning effort with NPS. It may take some time, but at least we know NPS is amenable to working with residents to make the parks fun, interesting places.

*The petition reads:

Dear Council at Large Robert White

I’m writing to Request that the Fort Circle Park be redeveloped and improved to include a paved trail. This park is located on South Dakota Ave NE, across from the future Children’s Museum. An enhanced trail would complement the Children’s Museum.

A safe, well-maintained trail away from the street and traffic would allow the children and adults a safe place to walk, jog, or bike ride. My family has lived in this area since I have memories (seven years) and have seen the neighborhood grow with many new young families. At this time, the parents find it difficult, walking with strollers and tricycles. The elderly are at risk of falling due to the poor condition of the sidewalks.

I know that you have been responsive to resident issues in the past and I hope that you will support this request. With your leadership and support for a park with a trail, our neighborhood will have the appropriate place to get together, exercise, and for us to play and ride. Thank you for your help and we hope that the effort, yours and ours, to have a park in the neighborhood will have effective action to become reality. Signatures of neighbors supporting the improvement of Fort Circle Park are list[ed] below.

October 29 – November 22: No red line service between Fort Totten & NoMa

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

From October 29 to November 22, 2016, there will be no Metro red line service between Fort Totten and NoMa. DDOT’s goDCgo site provides a handy list of transportation options. To access downtown, use the green line at Fort Totten. Metro plans to increase peak hour service for the Route 80 bus and will have limited free shuttles buses between Fort Totten and NoMa. For up-to-date information, visit Metro’s website.

godcgo-safetrack-surge-10-plan_page_1 godcgo-safetrack-surge-10-plan_page_2

 

DDOT mitigation plans for SafeTrack red line single tracking beginning August 1

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Metro SafeTrack Surge #6 begins August 1, 2016. Red line trains will continuously single track between Takoma and Silver Spring metro stations from August 1 to August 7. Residents are advised to use the green line to access downtown to mitigate crowding on red line trains. See below for DDOT’s press release with important transportation information for this next round of metro improvements.

media advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

 

Media Contacts

Terry Owens — (202) 763-8635, terry.owens@dc.gov

Michelle Phipps-Evans — (202) 497-0124, michelle.phipps-evans@dc.gov

DDOT Prepares for SafeTrack Surge #6

(Washington, DC) – The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) advises residents, commuters, and visitors to the District of Columbia to prepare for major rush hour delays on Metrorail’s Red Line due to WMATA’s SafeTrack Safety Surge #6.  The next round of repair work runs from Monday, August 1 through Sunday, August 7. Trains will continuously single track between Takoma station in the District and Silver Spring station in Maryland.

DDOT Traffic Mitigation Strategy

Extended morning and evening rush-hour parking restrictions will be expanded to include the following corridors:

  • 1500-3100 Rhode Island Avenue NW to NE
  • 1500-3000 North Capitol Street
  • 1000-8000 16th Street NW

Expanded rush hour times: 7 am-10 am and 4 pm-7 pm

Construction Moratorium for the following key corridors:

  • 6900-7800 Georgia Avenue NW
  • 400-900 Butternut Street NW
  • 6900-7000 4th Street NW
  • 200-300 Cedar Street NW
  • 5700-6900 Blair Road NW
  • 5300-5700 North Capitol Street
  • Riggs Road NE from North Capitol Street to 1st Street NE
  • 5200-5300 1st Street NE
  • 300 Block of Galloway Street NE

Traffic Management:

  • Enhanced real-time retiming of traffic signals
  • Traffic control officers deployed at key intersections
  • Roadway Operations Patrols during rush hours
  • Additional staging areas for Metro buses

Capital Bikeshare

  • Corral service at Union Station 7 am-11 am and 3:30 pm-6:30pm Monday–Friday
  • $2 single-trip fares

DDOT will continue to use all of its resources to alleviate traffic impacts during SafeTrack. For more information on the District’s response to SafeTrack and to learn about alternative transit options, visit safetrack.godcgo.com.

 ###

The mission of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is to enhance the quality of life for District residents and visitors by ensuring that people, goods, and information move efficiently and safely with minimal adverse impact on residents and the environment. 

Follow us on Twitter; like us on Facebook and visit the website at www.ddot.dc.gov. Visit goDCgo.com for more information on transportation options in the District.

 

MBT Update

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Speaking of bikes, the facebook group for the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) shared DDOT’s rough timetable for extending the trail from Brookland. The timetable breaks up the next phase into two segments: (1) Bates to Gallatin Street and (2) Gallatin Street to Maple Avenue. Based on this timetable, looks like those of us near Fort Totten should expect to be able to ride south on a permanent trail in 2018, while the ride north on a permanent trail will have to wait until 2019.

MBT Phase II Schedule

MBT Phase II Schedule Source: metbranchtrail.com

May 20: Bike to Work Day & PSA 406 Community Walk

Posted by nextstoprp in Public Safety, Transportation

Tomorrow is Bike to Work Day. Check the website for information about registration and pit stop locations. WMATA is hosting a pit stop at Fort Totten metro station from 6:30 am to 9:30 am.

Also tomorrow, MPD Fourth District PSA 406 Lieutenant Ozetta Posey is hosting a community walk in the neighborhood. Details from Lt. Posey:

As we approach the summer months, we would like to walk and talk about our community concerns  while discussing possible solutions.

The first community walk will take place on Friday, May 20, 2016, at 7 PM. We will meet in front of 501 Riggs Road, NE. We will walk the area of Oneida, Oglethorpe, Kennedy, Madison, Eastern Avenue and Riggs Road, along the NE corridor.  During this time we will be walking, talking to neighbors, and gathering input on issues within the community. Please put on your walking shoes and come out and join us.

This comes on the heels of abatement of a “nuisance house” in the 800 block of Kennedy Street NE on the PSA 405 side, so it definitely helps to get to know your PSA officers. (Kennedy Street is generally the dividing line between PSAs 405 and 406.)

Pedestrian Improvement Projects

Posted by nextstoprp in North Michigan PArk, Transportation

Guest post by Robert Oliver, North Michigan Park resident

Two pedestrian friendly projects are earmarked for Fort Circle Parks/Civil War Defenses of Washington near Fort Totten metro station. The National Park Service (NPS) owns the parkland, parcel 136/114, bound by South Dakota Avenue NE to the east, Galloway Street NE to the north, Fourth Street NE to the west, and Gallatin Street NE to the south. Social pathways cross this park due to the lack of decent, paved sidewalks on all sides. The lack of sidewalks has forced many, including seniors, to use an often muddy, rocky path to Fort Totten metro station.

Sidewalk on Galloway Street NE

The first project involves installing a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street between Fourth Street and South Dakota Avenue. According to District Department of Transportation Planner Stephen Rice, the project is funded through the Federal Lands Alternative Program (FLAP) and is managed by the federal Department of Transportation. Mr. Rice said the project is in the preliminary engineering phase and construction should be completed in March 2018. (According to the latest project chart, we should be nearing the start of the construction phase.) Also, the DC Council’s Transportation Committee was notified to track this project. See images below for an area map and view of the trail.

Galloway Street view lack of sidewalk

View of Galloway Street NE social trail heading west from South Dakota Avenue NE towards Fort Totten metro station. Please take notice of both the pedestrian and taxi cab in the street.

Direct trail to metro station through parkland

The second project involves constructing a direct multi-use trail between Gallatin and Galloway Streets. It is long overdue, and should have been part of the 1978 Fort Totten Metro Station build-out.

According to the project website, planning and constructing the trail will cost $279,000. According to Nick Bartolomeo, NPS Chief of Resource Management for Rock Creek Park, funding has been approved for design, but not for construction. NPS expects to issue a contract for the work this spring or early summer. For more project information, please reference the project website.

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Project area under consideration for improvements. Source: National Park Service

Why do these projects move at such a glacial pace? Part of the problem lies with the community itself. The public input was abysmal. NPS hosted two community meetings. The first was on March 19, 2014, at UDC-CC, Backus Campus. The next was on February 2, 2015, at the Lamond-Riggs Library.  Only 16 attendees appeared in the March 2014 meeting, and only 14 in the February 2015 meeting. I know that many will say, “I did not receive any notice.” I can only say that the information was available.

Community support and pressure are a must to keep these projects on track and moving forward. Hopefully, there will be more to report by year’s end.

Weekend of April 2: Galloway Street closed between South Dakota Avenue & 4th Street (Buses will detour)

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Update #2: The crane dismantling will take place as scheduled this weekend. Plan accordingly

Update: According to the construction team safety manager, there is a possibility the street will not be closed if winds are too high to remove the crane. They will know by this afternoon and we will update the post accordingly. If the street is closed, pedestrian access will also be restricted. The dirt path on the south side of Galloway Street is not part of the construction plan so that will remain open, but they do recommend for pedestrian safety that pedestrians not use that dirt path to access the metro station and bus bays. They advise pedestrians to detour around the entire site.

Original Post

According to this construction notice, Galloway Street NE between South Dakota Avenue and Fourth Street will be closed this weekend to remove one of the tower cranes at Art Place at Fort Totten. Bus stops at 4th and Galloway and at South Dakota and Galloway will not be served during the closure.

Bus detour information for routes 80, E2, & E4 is available on Metro’s website at this link (reprinted below):

—

Advisory

Posted: Mar 30, 2016 Expiration: Apr 03, 2016

Detour for Construction on Galloway St NE, April 2-3

Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 3:00 am to Sunday April 3, 2016 at 3:00 am

Routes 80, E2 and E4 will detour due to construction on Galloway St NE at the entrance to Fort Totten Metrorail station.

80 North Capitol St northbound toward Fort Totten Metrorail station
E2 Ivy City-Fort Totten northbound toward Fort Totten Metrorail station

  • Buses begin detouring on South Dakota Ave NE at Galloway St NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at 1st Place NE

80 North Capitol St southbound toward Kennedy Center
E2 Ivy City-Fort Totten southbound toward Ivy City

  • Buses begin detouring on the Fort Totten station roadway at 1st Place NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at South Dakota Ave NE

E4 Military Road-Crosstown eastbound toward Riggs Park

  • Buses begin detouring on South Dakota Ave NE at Galloway St NE to resume regular route on Riggs Rd at 1st Place NE

E4 Military Road-Crosstown westbound toward Friendship Heights

  • No Detour

The following bus stops will not be served:

  • Galloway St & 4th St NE (southbound)
  • Galloway St & South Dakota Ave, NE (southbound)

We apologize for any inconvenience these detours may cause.

DDOT crosstown transportation study kickoff tonight

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation and tagged with ,

DDOT is hosting a public workshop tonight to kickoff its crosstown study to identify improvements to east-west connections between Wards 1 and 5 (Columbia Heights and Brookland).

Date: February 2, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Trinity University O’Connor Auditorium (125 Michigan Avenue NE)

Boundaries of the study area

  • 16th Street (west)
  • South Dakota Avenue (east)
  • Irving Street (north)
  • Michigan Avenue (south)

crosstown-map_thumb

 

 

Peapod grocery pickup now available at Fort Totten metro station

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation and tagged with , ,

You have probably seen a giant Peapod container sitting at Fort Totten metro station for the past few weeks. Starting this week, you can now pick up your Giant groceries at the metro station, according to the Washington Post. We covered Metro’s six-month pilot partnership with Peapod in this post last year. Customers can place online orders for pickup between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. The pickup address is 550 Galloway Street NE.

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Personally, since I do not have a car, I usually walk the mile to the Giant on Eastern Avenue for my grocery shopping. That is not a big burden as long as it is not freezing outside. Being able to pick up groceries on the way home from work will be a convenience for which I would consider paying a fee.