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| Image: Author |
Partly because it was time, partly because Google made us, the site look has been updated. It’s a little more interesting to look at, maybe a little better to work with, still kinda boring.
You may continue to see minor changes as the site is refined. Let me know what you think.
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| Rendering of MBT Connector at NoMa Green Park Image: Nelson Byrd Woltz |
The NoMa Parks Foundation held a community meeting on the planned “NoMa Green” park. The meeting was held at the Hilton Garden Inn at 1225 First Street NE and presented updated concept designs that reflected comments received on the design presented at the October 2016 meeting.
The meeting was the first opportunity for the winning design firm, Nelson Byrd Woltz, to publicly display its “100 percent design” of the NoMa Green project. The presentation didn’t contain the specific details of all park areas but represented the overall direction of the park, its structure, potential programming, and how they hope the park will develop from the initial opening through the next 20 years.
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| Concept Design, Current Site Plan for “NoMa Green” Park R Street is left, Harry Thomas Way is top, New York Avenue is bottom right Image: Nelson Byrd Woltz |
Participants listened to the initial presentation and then broke out into three smaller groups to discuss certain park elements. The design team expanded the centerpiece of the park, the open lawn, by 30 percent. To accommodate this, the meadow, which acts as a natural buffer and contains plantings that help remediate contaminated soil, was reduced.
The plan also called for an expanded boardwalk over the meadow to create additional programming and recreational space. For dog owners, the plan slightly expands the dog park, creates separate access points for large and small dogs and adds other play features, and the addition of a fountain, among other improvements.
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| Proposed markings to aid in wayfinding, trail identification will retain its current appearance Image: Author |
For bicycling, initial park plans called for the realignment of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) for improved travel and the elimination of the infamous “z curve” that effectively bring bicyclist to a halt. The plan creates an “s curve” that travels past a future commercial and residential development that abuts R Street NE, past a dog park and through the parks meadow and south plaza.
To accommodate all park users, changes to the original presentation include the widening of park entry points. This includes the expanding of the MBT connector, a paved multi-use stretch that links the trail to Harry Thomas Way NE, from 15 to 18 feet. The connector, which runs past a stage and a small café, also contains directional pavement markings to clearly identify bike travel. The presenters noted that the park contains 40 bike locking posts that provide space for over 80 bikes.
To help reduce interactions between park and trail users, this section of the MBT is expanded from 11 to 15 feet. Presenters noted that the trees and other vegetation would not obscure sight lines, helping to reduce the possibility of crashes. The trail and certain paths that lead to it are illuminated with recessed lighting.
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| Looking from R Street, at the MBT and the dog park. Image: Nelson Byrd Woltz |
Many participants voiced support for the park and the modifications made. There were certain concerns about bicycle interaction on MBT as these improvements would likely force cyclists to reduce speeds on the popular commuter route.
However, Katie Harris of the Washington area bicyclist association explained that the Metropolitan Branch Trail is more than just a bicycle trail, but is a public amenity that everyone should use. She suggested that while bicyclists may need to slow down, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Jeanie Osburn, Facilities Committee Co-Chair of the D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council also noted that the addition of a high-quality park along the trail also makes people who use the trail feel safer as more people would use it more frequently.
Below are additional images from the meeting.
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| Concept art Image: Nelson Byrd Woltz |
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| Potential trail and connector cross-sections Image: Nelson Byrd Woltz |
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| Cafe and MBT Connector Concept Art Image Nelson Byrd Woltz |
Construction could begin in next two years, but no firm date was announced.
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| Along Water Street Below the Whitehurst Freeway Image: Randall Myers |
The Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID), Toole Design Group and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) participated in an Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E (ANC) meeting held Monday, April 3 at the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School. They discussed draft plans of the Water Street NW bike lane project.
Something interesting happened, the ANC, with a few reservations, supported it. This is a win for bicycling.
According to The Georgetown Current, the construction of the first phase of the project will begin this fall. It will include a protected bike lane, also know as a cycle track, between 34th and 30th streets NW. The proposed plan also improves and expands crosswalks, provides for a system to handle tour bus operations, and other road improvements. While the plan addresses some short-term bicycling, pedestrian and vehicular issue, it is flexible enough to accommodate future Streetcar extensions or further development as shown in the BID’s K and Water Street corridor concept plan.
Years ago, the idea of removing parking in Georgetown for any reason would be the non-startiest of non-starters. The headline of the Georgetown Current’s article on the meeting evoked that feeling in stating that “K/Water Change Would Cut Into Parking Spaces“. In reality, the planned extension of the popular bicyclist commuter and recreational trail – the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) – was endorsed. In fact, some members of the ANC wanted to extend the lanes as quickly as possible.
A resolution introduced by Lisa Palmer – Commissioner, 2E05 – supported the protected lanes. In her statement, she noted that metered parking makes traffic for her constituents worse. Allured by the hope of free parking, she said that drivers are encourage to drive around, making it difficult for those she represents to leave their homes. Some commissioners and members of the public voiced concerned that the removal of 43 metered spaces could be disruptive and potentially put pressure on other free or low-cost parking spaces. However, the measure supporting the lanes passed unanimously.
This draft concept layout consists of a two-way protected bike lane, between 30th Street NW and the old Aqueduct bridge, below the Whitehurst Freeway. The draft rendering listed below show a 10′ to 12′ protected lane with a 3′ buffer and protection on the south side of Water Street, providing a link to the entrance of the CCT.
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| Illustration of the protected bike lane, potentially removing angled parking and narrowing travel lanes. Image: Google |
At intersections, other improvements include green safety paint, the realignment of crosswalks to match ADA compliant ramps, and the extension of striped bulb-outs with flexposts to protect crossing pedestrians from turning vehicles. The plan also adds bike lanes along Wisconsin Avenue that may connect with the C&O Canal or continue to M Street.
The draft plan is below.
Katie Harris of Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) discussed the potential of this trail extension in her organization’s blog in September of 2016. Basically, the CCT is a bike superhighway that ends in a see of parked cars. She also notes that the plan as it currently is shown misses certain connective elements. Wayfinding signage and additional bike parking would be necessary to help bicyclists and pedestrians navigate and visit the Georgetown waterfront. Also missing is an actual connection to the Rock Creek Trail. Again, this is a preliminary plan but showing how bicycles will be from 30th Street to the Rock Creek Trail is critical.
Potential ideas could include the rebuilding of the sidewalk along the connector road to the Rock Creek Parkway and trail, near 29th and Water streets. The current sidewalk is narrow, high, and without ADA-compliant ramps but reducing the width of the vehicle travel lane a few feet would give pedestrians or bicyclists a safer connection. A second alternative could be to bypass that area and have bicyclists and pedestrians use 30th street to connect to the Rock Creek Trail. However, during peak and not-so-peak hours that route can be pack with visitors.A more direct connection to downtown along K Street is also absent. This is the complicated intersection of 27th, K, Water, and Whitehurst, which probably needs it’s own study and may be rebuilt to accommodate the Georgetown branch of the Streetcar.
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| Angled parking will be eliminated Image: Google |
Vehicular travel along Water Street will remain two lanes in each direction, with turning lanes at most intersections or major driveways. The plan removes the painted median that separates traffic from 29th and Water to Wisconsin. The removal of angular vehicular parking along the south side of Water Street and replacing it with parallel parking along the protected bike lane route eliminates about 30 vehicle parking space in this area. Another 10 spaces are removed elsewhere along the corridor.
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| The center median will be removed to free up space for the protected bike lane on the left Image: Google |
The Current also reports that a turnaround at Water and 34th streets NW — previously slated for the project’s first phase has been delayed until 2019, when the Key Bridge reconstruction is complete. Long-term plans for K and Water streets include accommodating the proposed DC Streetcar extension by relocating the bike lane onto a pathway through Georgetown Waterfront Park.
This plan connects an otherwise suburban trail with the rest of the District. While the current plan is tentative, its ANC approval and support by the Georgetown BID shows that the District is making progress on a goal of creating a cohesive bicycle network.
On Tuesday, April 4, 2017 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, the District Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss concept designs for intersection of Florida Avenue and New York Avenue NE, “Virtual Circle”.
The meeting will be held in the lobby of 1200 First Street NE.
Also known as Dave Thomas Circle, the meeting will discuss potential safety and practical improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. The meeting will also discus streetscape deficiencies and improve vehicular circulation.
The design concepts developed by DDOT and its consultants will be presented to further refine the options considered, and complete this phase of the project. As one of the more progressive pieces of bike infrastructure in the District, an extension of the First Street NE Protected Bike lane as well as safer accommodations through the area for pedestrians would be a welcomed and complementary addition to the Metropolitan Branch Trail that runs parallel to it. In addition, the east / west bike and pedestrian travel along Florida Avenue is poor and hopefully will be addressed.
DDOT has come full circle with this intersection.
Decades ago, there were plans to extend the Center Leg Freeway above or below New York Avenue. In 2006, DDOT proposed a freeway style overpass. In 2014, Greater Greater Washington reported that a new study of pedestrian and bicycle safety along Florida Avenue NE was underway and that the “circle” and the nearby Wendy’s could become a simpler intersection and green space.
The most recent iteration of the Circle was discussed by DDOT in June of 2010 as shown in the video below, with most of the improvements completed as of December of that year.
Late last year, the Prince of Petworth blog noted that on some days, especially due to WMATA’s Red line SafeTrack shuttle busing, the intersection becomes impossible to navigate.
Hopefully, the circle of Wendy will come to an end.
The trail extension would connect the current terminus near Bates Road, NE with an area near the Fort Totten Metrorail station. This represents a modest increase of the trail of approximately 2,000 feet.
According to DDOT, the trail extension will include LED lighting, security cameras, and wayfinding signage. Using the Design/Build process, the extension is expected to be complete within 18 months.
The project requires the partnership of DDOT, the National Park Service, which control s a section of the train near Fort Totten; and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Administration.
DDOT also stated that the Fort Totten to Takoma section of the trail was underway and will soon initiate final design on the final segment of the trail connecting Fort Totten to Takoma and the Maryland border.
Lastly in 2017, DDOT will replace lighting on the MBT between Florida Avenue and Franklin Street NE with new hard-wired LED lights. The NoMa Business Improvement District, in partnership with DDOT, recently added signage on the trail bridge over Florida Avenue to raise awareness of the trail.
