The popular Fridays at Fort Totten summer concert series kicks off next Friday May 31, 2024. The series, sponsored by The Modern at Art Place & DC Fray, features a different artist 6pm to 8pm each Friday through August.
Bring a chair, hang out with neighbors, and enjoy live music, a food truck, and games.
Metro will be doing construction on a good chunk of the red line starting June 1, 2024. Takoma station will be closed June 1 – June 29, 2024. Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, & Silver Spring stations will be closed June 1 – Aug 31, 2024. Plan accordingly.
The three-month closure will allow the Maryland Transit Administration Purple Line project to build a new mezzanine at Silver Spring which will improve the connectivity between the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and the future Purple Line Station with Metro.
The outage will also provide Metro with an opportunity to complete maintenance, repairs, and customer experience improvements on the Red Line, condensing eight months of weekend closures and disruptions into the summer months.
SERVICE INFORMATION
June 1 – June 29, 2024
Free shuttle buses replace trains between Glenmont and Fort Totten
Stations closed: Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma
Green Line service and Red Line service to/from Shady Grove available at Fort Totten
June 30 – Aug. 31, 2024
Free shuttle buses replace trains between Glenmont and Takoma
Stations closed: Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, and Silver Spring
Green and Red Line service available at Fort Totten
Takoma Station reopened. Customers traveling between the closed stations and Takoma should use the local shuttle bus, or limited stop shuttle bus to the Red Line via Fort Totten
TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES
Free Shuttle Service
Free local, limited-stop, and express shuttles available during Metrorail operating hours. Shuttles will be available at all closed stations for customers with accessibility needs. To request an accessible shuttle, please ask a Metro team member onsite.
Saturday, June 1 to Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024
Local: Local service stopping at all stations between Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Takoma, and Fort Totten
AM/PM Peak – approximately every 4 minutes
All other times, weekends, and holidays – approximately every 8 minutes
Estimated travel time: 61 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
Limited 1: Limited-stop service between Glenmont, Wheaton, and Fort Totten
AM/PM Peak – approximately every 4 minutes
All other times, weekends, and holidays – approximately every 8 minutes
Estimated travel time: 37 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
Limited 2: Limited-stop service between Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Fort Totten
AM/PM Peak – approximately every 4 minutes
All other times, weekends, and holidays – approximately every 8 minutes
Estimated travel time: 25 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
Express: Express service between Silver Spring and Metro Center (pick up location 12th & G streets NW)
Weekday only – approximately 4-8 minutes all day
Estimated travel time: 39 minutes between Silver Spring and Metro Center during peak traffic
Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing is constructing Riggs Crossing Senior Residences, an income-restricted, affordable senior housing building on the corner of South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE. Individuals interested in leasing who are 62+ and who have an income at or below 50% of median family income should fill out the interest form.
Now that Metro has approved its Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the agency is turning its attention towards its bus network redesign initiative known as Better Bus. Metro recently released its proposed 2025 Bus Network redesign proposal. The proposal includes changes to routes, route names, service frequency, and hours of operation.
Review and provide feedback on the proposed 2025 Network by using Metro’s interactive comment map, taking a survey, submitting written comments, or uploading a document at https://betterbus.wmata.com/share by 5:00 p.m. on July 15, 2024.
Or, provide testimony at an in-person or virtual Public Hearing. To view the full schedule of in-person events, visit https://betterbus.wmata.com/events.
Take a look at Metro’s handy Resource Page, which includes documents that make this gigantic proposal manageable to understand. One thing to keep in mind is that when Metro initially rolled out the Better Bus initiative in spring 2023, it was premised on receiving about 35 percent more funding to create a “better bus” route redesign. Metro is not getting that additional money but wants to proceed with a redesign based on current resources, so you will notice some of the proposed frequency levels are not great.
Proposed Route Name Changes
As part of its network redesign, Metro is proposing new route names. Metro explained that, decades ago, it inherited route names from a bunch of jurisdictions so it is now taking the opportunity to make the routes easier to understand. The proposed naming convention makes enough sense to me. Read the explainer.
The first character will be one of six letters:
“D” or “C” for DC routes.
“D” for routes traveling downtown.
“C” for crosstown routes.
“M” for Montgomery County routes.
“P” for Prince George’s County routes.
“F” for Fairfax County, Fairfax City, or Falls Church routes.
“A” for Arlington County or Alexandria routes.
The second character will be a number based on the corridor or neighborhood in which the route runs.
The third character will be another number to distinguish it from other routes in the area, or an “X” to represent a limited-stop route.
Neighborhood Impacts
Neighbor Gavin and I took a quick look at the 2025 Network proposal. In theseposts, we described changes Metro contemplated during the initial Better Bus rollout in spring 2023. Some of the routes Metro initially contemplated did not make it into the 2025 Network proposal. Metro created a handy comment/response summary document that provides a bit of the rationale for how it got to the proposal that is now open for public comment.
Let’s take a look at some of the neighborhood routes in the proposed 2025 Network.
E2 –> C71 Fort Totten – Union Station E4 –> C81 Sibley Hospital – Fort Totten E4 –> C83 Friendship Heights – Fort Totten 80 –> D30 Fort Totten – Federal Triangle via North Capitol Street 64 –> D44 Fort Totten – Federal Triangle via 11 Street NW K6 –> M62 White Oak Medical Center – Fort Totten via New Hampshire Avenue K6 –> M6X White Oak FDA – Fort Totten R1, R2 –> P13 White Oak Medical Center – Fort Totten via Riggs Road E4, F6 –> P32 Fort Totten – College Park F6 –> P35 Fort Totten – New Carrollton K2 –> P42 Takoma – New Carrollton
The one big change we commented on last spring was Metro’s preliminary proposal to cut crosstown service to the neighborhood along Chillum Place NE. One E4 crosstown route operates between Friendship Heights and Fort Totten station and another operates between Friendship Heights and Riggs Park. Last spring, we noted that Metro did not include a comparison crosstown map for the E4 terminating in Riggs Park for comment, and we asked Metro to keep one of the terminal points in Riggs Park, terminating at Eastern Avenue.
Those comments do not show up in the discussion for proposed crosstown routes C81 and C83. Instead, Metro took the comments saying, “Please keep the crosstown route to Riggs Park” and decided to treat those comments as a request for a connection from Fort Totten station to Chillum Place. So, Metro continues to propose shortening the crosstown route so that it ends at Fort Totten station.
And then, Metro is proposing to provide service along Chillum Place via a different route, Proposed Route P32. Metro states Proposed Route P32 will provide more frequent service along Chillum Place because according to Metro, current Route E4 serves Chillum Place every 40 minutes. Transferring from the crosstown bus to Proposed Route P32 at Fort Totten would add time though. Also, it is hard to tell from the map exactly what direction of travel Proposed Route P32 would take through the neighborhood (the arrows look like Metro is proposing to reverse the direction of travel), so it would be good to have clarity from Metro about this. And I kind of think it would be nice to keep a crosstown route as it exists now traveling along Chillum Place to Eastern Avenue.
It seems like service frequencies are not great on many of the proposed routes. I think we need better frequencies for daytime and weekend service if we are really serious about getting people out of private cars and using public transit.
Metro is proposing to continue providing 24-hour service on certain routes such as Proposed Route D30 (equivalent to existing Route 80).
Ward 5 Engagement Forum
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker is hosting a Ward 5 Bus Network Engagement Meeting with Metro on June 3, 2024, at 6 pm. Register at ward5.us/busmeeting. Councilmember Parker’s feedback to Metro last year did not address issues in this part of the ward so the scorecard that his office prepared for this proposal likewise does not address issues in the neighborhood. But residents should certainly feel free to share comments with his office and that of Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George.
Public Meeting Notice: South Dakota Avenue Corridor Safety Project
(WASHINGTON, DC) —The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in partnership with Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, invites you to attend public meetings for the South Dakota Avenue Corridor Safety Project from Riggs Road NE to Bladensburg Road NE. DDOT will be hosting two meetings: a virtual meeting on Thursday, May 30, 2024, and an in-person meeting on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
The meetings are an opportunity for community members to share their feedback on ongoing issues, challenges, and opportunities for the corridor. DDOT staff will also provide information on existing conditions and will be available to answer questions and gather comments.
For voice-only participation on a telephone, dial (301) 715-8592.
Meeting ID: 821 0059 5853. Passcode: 975068.
1. Call to Order & Roll Call
2. Administrative Items:
A. Instructions for Participation in Virtual Meeting
B. Consideration and Approval of May 2024 Regular Public Meeting Agenda
C. Approval of April 2024 Regular Public Meeting Minutes
D. Treasurer’s Report
3. Commissioner Updates
4. Community Concerns
*Please use the “Raise Hand” button via Zoom or *9 via telephone to speak during community concerns. The Commission will provide additional details regarding how to present community concerns via the virtual meeting at the start of the meeting. This is the time for questions or statements from members of the public about issues on the agenda or other areas of concern. Please limit your statement or question to one minute. You may also contact members of the Commission before and after Commission meetings.*
5. Reports:
A. Representative, Metropolitan Police Department (3 minutes)
B. Sophia Tekola, Mayor’s Office on Community Relations and Services(3 minutes)
C. Barbara Rogers, Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George(3 minutes)
D. Frazier O’Leary, Ward 4 State Board of Education (3 minutes)
E. Housing Justice Committee(2 minutes)
F. Vision Zero Committee(2 minutes)
G. Youth Advisory Committee(2 minutes)
H. Community Safety & Support Committee (2 minutes)
6. Presentation: Delano Hunter, Director, District Department of General Services, Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Proposal (20-minute presentation; 15-minute discussion)
7. Presentation: Samer Alhawamdeh, Project Manager, District Department of Transportation and Shaun Davis, PE, Construction Manager, Mid-Atlantic Construction Services, Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Construction Project (10-minute presentation; 10-minute discussion)
8. Presentation: Spiro Gianniotis, Lee Peterson, and Shiri Subbar, Project Consultants, Alphatec, Removal and Replacement of Communications Towers at Metropolitan Police Department 4th District Station (6001 Georgia Avenue, NW) (10-minute presentation; 10-minute discussion)
9. Consent Calendar:
Letter: Detailing Procedural History of Proposed Development at 6928 Maple Street, NW, and Highlighting Continued Concerns re Petra Development (Commissioner Palmer, Commissioner Brooks, Commissioner Yeats, and Commissioner Smith)
Resolution 4B-24-0501: Noting History of Requests and Calling for Installation of Meaningful Traffic Safety Infrastructure at the Intersection of South Dakota Avenue, NE, and Riggs Road, NE, and the Intersection of Missouri Avenue, NW, and New Hampshire Avenue, NW (Commissioner Brooks, Commissioner Yeats, Commissioner Palmer, and Commissioner Smith)
10. Adjournment
The next ANC 4B Planning Meeting is scheduled for June 11 at 6:30 p.m.
The next ANC 4B Regular Public Meeting is scheduled for June 24 at 7:00 p.m.
The next ANC 4B Housing Justice Committee Meeting is scheduled for June 5 at 7:30 p.m. (Pease check the Commission’s website as this meeting date is likely to change.)
The next ANC 4B Youth Advisory Committee Meeting is June 22 at 7:00 p.m.
The next ANC 4B Vision Zero Committee Meeting has not yet been scheduled.
The Metropolitan Branch Trail is a multiuse path for people to walk, bike, jog, and scoot. The trail is being built in stages between Washington Union Station and Silver Spring, roughly parallel to the Metropolitan Branch railroad tracks and the Metrorail Red Line. The trail’s Brookland to Fort Totten section opened in 2022.
The asphalt is now open north from the Fort Totten trailhead along 1st Place NE and west along Riggs Road to 1st Street NE. There will probably be some finishing touches, such as striping, when all is said and done, but it’s open for use now.
Looking north along 1st Place NELooking south along 1st Place NELooking west along Riggs Road NELooking east along Riggs Road NE
During the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J Huff Community Library “Heritage Wall” dedication event and artist talk last year, many attendees expressed an interest in an “index” to complement the artwork. Artist Michelle Lisa Herman and Stephanie Mills Trice have been awarded a Humanities DC grant to develop a printed publication to serve as both an “index” of the Heritage Wall and to highlight the history of the Lamond-Riggs and Fort Totten area. Copies of the final publication will be distributed to neighborhood organizations and the library.
Michelle and Stephanie are now asking for previous participants and contributors to tell the story of their contributed materials and their connections to the Lamond-Riggs and Fort Totten neighborhoods so they may include them in this publication.
They would love for you to fill out this form to supply information about your contributions, or if you prefer, provide contact information so they can conduct a short oral history interview.
Retail space is delivering 1st Quarter of 2025 in Riggs Park near the Fort Totten metro station. Seeking local and unique tenants for exclusive under-market lease. Tenant improvements available. Flexible retail split option may be considered (similar concept to Black & Forth).
Offers received by May 23, 2024, will be given priorty.
A few days ago, DDOT contractors started work to install a roundabout at the 2nd/3rd Street NE intersection.
We described what the final product will look like in this post. People in cars exiting Walmart’s garage will have to turn right. No more abrupt U-turns in the middle of the road. Two new crosswalks are being installed.
NOI design for 2nd/3rd Street NE.
I have seen people driving the wrong way as installation progresses, so exercise caution over the next few days while workers are in the road.
Wrong way driver in roundabout.
Hopefully once all the signs and arrows are installed, people will understand it’s pretty easy to navigate. Drive on the right around the circle and yield to traffic in the circle.
DDOT still needs to address the intersection at South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE that was poorly reconfigured in 2011 to eliminate the slip lanes. The intersection is too wide. All of the turning radii are completely off. People think they can make U-turns when they cannot. People always block the intersection during the morning commute. And people are still parking right up to the crosswalk and intersection on the corner where Wing Stop will be opening. A few days ago a driver of a large truck got stuck for over 10 minutes trying to make the turn with parked cars in the way.
Absurdity at South Dakota Avenue/3rd Street/Riggs Road NE, May 13, 2024.
It would be nice to have the parking addressed, at a minimum. Something tells me it will continue to take years for simple stuff to be addressed though.
In any case, pack some patience as people get used to the new traffic pattern at 2nd & 3rd streets.
IV. Commission Business A. Minutes (April 2024) B. Treasurer: 2nd Quarter Financial Report C. Website Payment for Zoom Recordings D. Public Safety Committee Update
V. Commission Action Items/Updates
VI. Community Updates A. MPD B. Mayor’s Office C. Councilmember Parker’s office
VII. Reports & Presentations A. Christopher Berg DDOT Bike Lanes on Riggs and Taylor Street NE B. Sayra Molina, Transportation Specialist, South Dakota Ave NE Safety Project C. Casey Dyson, Government Relations and Public Funding Director Food & Friends
Free shuttle buses replace trains between Takoma and Rhode Island Avenue. Normal Service frequencies with trains operating between Shady Grove and Rhode Island Avenue and between Glenmont and Takoma. No Red Line service at Brookland and Fort Totten stations.
Green Line
Trains single track between Naylor Road and Branch Avenue. Trains run every 8 minutes between Greenbelt and Southern Avenue and every 16 minutes between Southern Avenue and Branch Avenue.
Gather with neighbors for Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B’s Second Annual Earth Day Fair at Takoma Elementary School (7010 Piney Branch Road, NW) on Saturday, May 18, 11 am-2 pm. Join government agencies, non-profits, neighborhood groups, student organizations, and more with the goal of sharing resources and opportunities for engagement around environmentalism!
Elevator roof deck, hoist beams, and divider beams
All interior metal stud framing and pre-rock for ceilings below podium.
Mock-Up Unit Rough-Ins and level 1 unit ceiling framing
Garage ramp waterproofing and topping slab
Drain, Waste, and Vent Riser Completion and Inspections through level 4
Gypcrete Pre-Pours Levels 3 and 4
Ongoing and Upcoming Work
Work is taking place in many facets of the building at once and is broken down as follows:
Exterior Work and Power
DAVIS continues our ongoing perimeter layback, pile burnoff, and backfill. We have to cut down all of the steel piles that supported our excavation so it doesn’t interfere with future sitework and since the top 4’ of these piles interfere with waterproofing, we need to expose this area to complete our waterproofing accordingly. We’re 85% complete through the building, awaiting the backfill on the NW corner and the north side of the site.
Brick will be starting at the SE corner and the east side of the building near the townhomes. Expect to see mortar mixers, forklifts, scaffolding, and a lot of workers on the side of the building facing the townhomes! Before brick starts, we need to finish all of our air barrier and waterproofing systems to ensure they’re complete and that the building remains watertight.
Bulk roofing is commencing on Thursday 05/09/2024. We will have a mobile crane to boom material up to the roof that will be staged within the project extents on the Riggs Road side of the building (West Side). We will start craning roof materials as well as mechanical equipment up to the roof shortly.
Framing + Facade
Below Podium (Level 1 and Garage)
We’re installing our stick-pinned insulation and drywall pre-rock. We have to install drywall slab-to-slab for fire ratings, but we need to frame ceilings before hanging bulk drywall. In order to do so, we install drywall from the structure above down to the ceiling elevation.
Blocking QC —> DC inspects all of our blocking to ensure it meets accessibility standards/requirements such that every unit, not just ADA units, can meet accessibility requirements in the future (e.g. every unit is convertible).
Masonry infill work and preparation for elevators.
Final air barrier and waterproofing tie-ins
Above Podium (Level 2 and Up in Wood Framing)
Installation on balcony knife plates. The balconies have cables that attached to the building for structural support. The “knife plates” are the blades on the east side of the building that stick out and are black. These will be visible in our finished facade.
Structural and blocking punchlists. MEP installation damages our structure and the framers have to follow after the trades to ensure our structure remains in tact.
Now that the building should be substantially weathertight, our focus is on completing balcony doors and knife plates.
Interior Work (Rough-Ins and Finishes)
Garage level MEP rough-ins have started and are ongoing. This will be a process as parts are dependent upon the building becoming dried in and there are many building systems that need to be installed in a specific sequence for coordination.
Level 1 OH plumbing and HVAC is complete until ceilings are fully framed. Next up is pulling refrigerant lines and completing water lines.
Main plumbing drain, waste, and vent rough-ins, including final roof drain tie-ins, are forthcoming in conjunction with roofing.
Plumbing waterline rough-ins on level 2, moving up to level 3.
HVAC ductwork installation on levels 2 and 3; Finishing up 100% and then moving to level 4
Electrical box out and pulling wire level 2 and 3.
MEP Post Dry-In activities have started (insulation and pulling wire)
Interior pre-rock and setting tubs
Community + Safety
As we approach the summer months and hotter days, DAVIS is ensuring that we have our heat stress plan in place for worker safety. This includes having a large misting fan on site, electrolyte powder. electrolyte popsicles, and cooldown stations for our workers. We have also set up picnic tables in our retail space for a lunch break area to keep workers out of the sun and for them to have a comfortable space to take breaks when needed.
As for our ABC CORE Training Program, we held a job fair with (6) of our trade partners on 05/02/2024 and we’ve heard feedback that at least 5-6 of our candidates have been hired after the fair. Telligent, Platform, CA Klein, Justin Company, Benchmark Building Enclosure, and Muller all attended. Atlas Foundations and Miller & Long DC have also contacted candidates as has A. Wash & Associates and Miscellaneous Metals, Inc. We’re pushing to get our trainees hired as we near our class completion on 05/16/2024.
The Riggs Park Traffic Control Box Art Project is now open for Community Voting!
16 local artists have submitted designs. The top 6 vote getters, by star rating, will be selected based on all participant votes.
Voting Instructions
1. Access the Voting Page. After reading all of the instructions, click on the “Community Voting” link at the end of the instructions to access the voting page. All votes are anonymous.
2. View 16 Eligible Designs.
3. Information About Each Design. Click the lowercase “i” in the lower right-hand corner to see additional information about the design.
Artist Name
Title of the Design, if included by artist
Description of Design
4. Star Voting. Rate each design by clicking the stars from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) stars based on how you feel the design fits one or more of the community selected Themes.
DC Proud
Community
Nature/The Environment
5. Vote for All Designs. Vote for all 16 designs as each artist put their heart into each creation. This helps ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of all design submissions.
6. Submit Your Vote. After you have rated all designs, click “Save & Finish”.
7. Cast your vote by Friday May 24, 2024, at 11:59 pm.
An Italian restaurant is looking at space next to the brewery.
One Life Fitness is expanding with construction anticipated to finish up by end of this year.
A dentist office is looking at space.
One other sit-down restaurant has looked at space, but it is not at letter of intent stage just yet.
Phase 2 – The FEZ (Block B under construction along South Dakota Avenue between Ingraham and Kennedy streets NE)
Aldi plans to open on the corner of South Dakota Avenue & Kennedy Street NE around October 1, 2024. The store plans to hold three job fairs over the summer.
Kids Museum is looking at opening along South Dakota between Ingraham and Kennedy in 3rd or 4th quarter 2025. They are finishing up a feasibility study.
There is interest from a couple of retailers, but the development team is not ready to share details yet.
The development team is still looking at financing for the residential portion of this phase (294 rental units).
The team is sequencing construction and occupancy for the second phase.
Social Justice School Relocation
Social Justice School, a public charter middle school, is currently subleasing space from Rocketship Public Charter School at 5450 3rd Street NE. Recall that Rocketship signed a 35-year lease with the Cafritz Foundation for the 3rd Street property. After renovating and combining a couple of the older warehouses on the site, Rocketship opened its Infinity Prep preK/elementary school campus in August 2020. Rocketship decided to sublease to Social Justice School for a few years while Rocketship gradually expanded its grade offerings. Now it is time for Social Justice to vacate the space for Rocketship’s use.
Social Justice School wants to stay in the neighborhood and worked with the Cafritz team to find space nearby. They recently filed an application to amend their charter to relocate to 333 Kennedy Street NE, which is across the street from their current location.
The DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) hearing on Social Justice School’s proposed relocation will be on May 20, 2024, at 6:15 pm. Instructions on how to submit testimony are in the hearing notice. The school’s application notes that they want to relocate in time for the 2024-2025 school year. The application states that the school will use prefabricated modular classrooms, which will be delivered and installed in the new location.
The application notes that the school contacted ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08), who is the chair of ANC 5A, as well as Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker. The school sits in ANC 5A09. ANC Commissioner Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) is the commissioner for that area.
The DCPCSB plans to vote on the planned relocation on June 24, 2024. If the request is approved at the time, I imagine we will start to see movement around the site pretty quickly so that the school can open in time for fall.
I am sure I am forgetting some updates, but more to come.
Community Basketball Game May 10, 2024 Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center 501 Riggs Road NE WMATA 10U vs. Riggs Park 10U – 5:00 pm MPD vs. Metro All Stars – 6:00 pm DC Fire vs. WMATA – 7:00 pm
, 
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
