Category: Meetings

The Morning Commute – January 27, 2017

The Morning Commute is an occasional look at meetings or other #BikeSpecific discussions happening in the District.

It also looks at interesting bike ideas or concepts from other places across the globe that could possibly work around here.

Maybe.

  • The Rhode Island Avenue NE Streetscape gets another look
  • Tactical Urbanism comes to North Capitol Street and Lincoln Road
  • A discussion regarding ideas to get the most out of commuter benefits so that employers can get the most of of employees

Rhode Island Avenue NE Streetscape
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 from 5:00pm-8:00pm, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will hold a public meeting regarding streetscape plans for the Rhode Island Avenue corridor. The meeting will be held at the Woodridge Neighborhood Library, 1801 Hamlin St NE, Washington, DC 20018.

According to the Rhode Island Avenue NE Streetscape Master Plan, the project area includes 28 blocks of Rhode Island Avenue, NE, from 4th Street, NE to Eastern Avenue, NE. DDOT envisions an outcome that is pedestrian friendly and includes amenities like distinctive sidewalks, useful street furniture, lighting improvements, employs low-impact development strategies, street trees and other green spaces.

Generally, the project hopes to recreate the this section of the avenue from a commuter freeway to a cohesive neighborhood street. The project also hopes to spur nascent commercial development This project was initially posed to begin construction in 2015 but was delayed.

This is not the first project aimed at reshaping Rhode Island Avenue. In 2008 and 2011, the Office of Planning completed its Great Streets Initiative and Small Area Plans. The plans took a more commercial focus, suggested thinking of the corridor as a “diamond–a largely un-mined yet valuable investment opportunity“. This corridor was also a potential route for the much maligned DC Streetcar. The most recent DDOT Streetscape Master Plan for the areas was completed in 2014 and has few suggestions to improve bicycling in the area, other than additional bike parking.

Since then, plans for the corridor continue to expand. They include  the planned development of the massive MRP Realty Rhode Island Center, redevelopment of the Rhode Island Shopping Center; and the controversal redevelopment of the Brookland Manor apartments.

This meeting provides an opportunity for bicyclists to request additional amenities. Amenities could include the expansion of the three Capital BikeShare stations on or close to the project corridor. Other improvements could include way finding signage or (GASP!) a road diet for Rhode Island Avenue to include the introduction of protected bike lanes (Pearls!) or a shared trail (OMG!).
(Rhode Island Streetscape Project)

Tactical Urbanism at North Capitol Street and Lincoln Road
No, this isn’t the militarization of the street but an attempt to add pedestrian safety components at the intersection of North Capitol and Lincoln Road, NE.

DDOT will hold a public meeting Monday, February 13, 2017, 6:30 – 8:00pm at the NoMa BID Lobby, 1200 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 to discuss how to make immediate and temporary improvements to this intersection.

Citylab states that Tactical Urbanism is quick, often temporary, and cheap projects that hope to make a small part of a city more lively or enjoyable.These projects include the closing of streets to vehicular traffic or other temporary changes, like the District’s annual Park(ing) day, that allows people to enjoy public space.

This tactical meeting will help DDOT gather information about ongoing or new concerns at the intersection as well as collect data to aid in a future, larger intersection reconstruction project that aims to add permanent structures. DDOT will present a draft design concept and gather comments from the community at this public meeting.

According to DDOT, the initial improvement are based on recommendation from the Mid-City East Livability Study, completed August 2004. Initial plans include closing  a portion of Lincoln Road where vehicles merge on to North Capitol Street. Eventually, the plan hopes to expand to incorporate more of the Mid-City East recommendations.

Funding for these improvements are supported in part through a grant from the Knight Foundation, obtained from the Office of Planning. Using the grant funding, DDOT will use data gathered from this initial project to help inform the larger scale design project. (DDOT)

Changing the Commuter Equation
Just when you thought that you were done with math, Thursday, February 9 from 6:30 to 8:30pm, the Coalition for Smarter Growth will discuss ‘how we can use flexible commuter benefits to create less traffic and pollution and happier workers’. The discussion will occur at ZGF Architects, 1800 K Street, NW, Suite 200.

The discussion hopes to marshal efforts in cities, towns, and other jurisdictions to encourage the use of commuter benefits for more than just cars.  A panel of experts will discuss what it would look like if employers in the District offered a more flexible commuter benefit that converts an employer-subsidized parking space into commuter cash, perhaps encouraging the use of sustainable commuting choices like biking and walking.

Speakers include: Steven Higashide, Senior Program Analyst, Transit Center; Michael Grant, Vice President, ICF;  Marina Budimir, Transportation Planner-TDM, District Department of Transportation; and Cheryl Cort, Policy Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth. Registration requested. (Coalition For Smarter Growth)

Bike, Pedestrian, and DDOT Budget Oversight Hearings Scheduled

A Plethora of BikeShare Bikes
Image: Author

Why hasn’t the District Government built or maintained this or that bike infrastructure?

Ask them yourself.

The Council of the District of Columbia has posted its Performance Oversight hearings schedule for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Approved Budget for the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council (DCBAC), and Pedestrian Advisory Council.

Hearings for these agencies are scheduled for Monday, March 13, 2017 at 11am in the fifth floor Council Chambers, room 500, within the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

The agencies will make presentations before the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, chaired by Council member Mary Cheh (Ward 3). Oversight hearings give residents the opportunity to ask bike or transportation-specific questions, like why the 6th Street NW protected lanes are taking so long or why vehicles continue to make u-turns on Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

The Oversight hearings provide a forum for Council and the public to ask questions regarding the current operations of District Government agencies like DDOT, committees, and other government organizations during the current fiscal year, which began October 1, 2016 and provide information about successes (and failures) during the prior year.

The hearings also provides an opportunity for residents to submit testimony on bicycling-related issues before Council. DDOT representatives will be present and may answer questions about the District’s bicycle-related policies or address concerns or certain community needs.

Testifying before Council also helps you become an advocate for more bicycle infrastructure. Council members, or their staff, may ask questions about your issue and direct government witnesses to explain it or take corrective action.

While advocates always ask people to testify, they rarely explain what that entails. As BikeSpecific has testified a few times before, it has some thoughts on what to expect. If you are ready to testify for the first time, great. Below are some tips:

  • Sign up now. Contact Aukima Benjamin at 724-8062 or e-mail her at abenjamin@dccouncil.us.  She coordinates with the the Committee on Transportation and the Environment.
     
  • The Panel. Once the Committee chair begins the hearing and provides opening remarks, she will empanel witnesses by calling out names and having them sit at a table placed in front of the dais. There can be several panels depending on the total number of speakers. Sometimes, organizations go first, then public witnesses, then government witnesses. The panel table has up to 4 microphones and sometimes a pitcher of water. Have a drink.

    When called, make sure you turn the microphone on and bring it within about 12 inches of your mouth. Say your name, speak normally. If they can’t hear you, make sure the microphone is on and closer to you. When you’re done speaking, turn the microphone off.

    At the center of the witness table, their are 3 lights: green (keep talking), yellow (you’ve got less than 30 seconds), and red (times up and electronic buzzing will commence). They may give you a few more seconds to finish your thought but don’t press your luck.
     

  • Written testimony. Council encourages, but does not require, the submission of written testimony in advance of the hearing, typically three business days before. If you do not submit written testimony beforehand, Council requests that you bring 10 copies with you to the hearing so that they can circulate it among the members and staff.

    If you read what you write, practice reading it. Do this to ensure that you don’t go over time and sometimes written statements sounds strange or cause you to stumble when spoken. The hearing will be televised live on the District’s Cable channel. Tell your friends and warm up the VCR.
     

  • Watch your time. While written testimony can be longer, your oral testimony must be under 3 minutes as they can be strict with regard to time. Those representing organizations tend to have more time, up to 5 minutes. So if you represent a group, you’ll have extra time to make your case.

    Generally, public witnesses are have 3 minutes to voice concerns or praise. Most witnesses read from their written testimony while more experienced speakers tend to highlight particular points so that they have time to discuss them later.

  • You are not the only person with questions. Typically after the panel has made their statements, Council members may ask follow up questions. The Committee Chair begins first. The questions are usually asked in the same order as witness statements. Once the Committee Chair has completed asking her questions, she will ask if members of the committee have questions. If it’s an issue they value, council members may ask more than one question or may ask your thoughts on what someone else says at the witness table. If the Council members don’t ask questions, don’t be offended, time may be an issue. Rarely, Council members who are not member of the Committee may participate. Lucky you.
     
  • Cannot make the hearing. Not everyone is capable of attending due to work or they are out of the area. Council accepts written testimony now and up to two days after the end of the hearing.

    The DCBAC also encourages you to submit comments to it directly. As they will be testifying as an entity of the government, you can contact them about what they’ve done or let them know if you’ve experienced issues while biking. Last year’s Council oversight hearing submission documents for DCBAC as well as other agencies under the purview of the Transportation committee provide insight into what issues are generally discussed.
     

  • Talking in front of large crowds isn’t my thing. Hearings are open to the public so if you have issues with public speaking, the option of just sitting in the hearing room may be for you. As the hearing will be shown live, having a full room shows the Council members and the public the importance of bicycling. Also, attendance is important for the public witnesses, as it lets them know that you have their back.
     
  • No need to freak out. This process can be intimidating. Relax. Hundreds of people of all ages are public witnesses so it’s really not that hard. Talk about what you know, don’t talk about what you don’t. For most public witnesses, the process is not adversarial so be cordial and topical. Council and government agencies really want to know what almost all of you think – but keep it about transportation. If you need to talk about boxing and wrestling, there’s a hearing for that…

For those who want to testify but don’t know where to begin, below is a sample copy of a witness hearing statement or testimony. Depending on how quickly you read, two and a half pages equals about 3 minutes.

Rebuilding of Eastern Avenue to Add Bike Lanes that May Go Nowhere

Eastern Avenue project corridor
Image: BikeSpecific

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a well-attended public meeting on the rebuilding of a section of Eastern Avenue that hopes to provide a functional and safe street space that will reduce vehicle speeds and add bicycling and other amenities.

The meeting, held December 7 at the EF International Language Center, 6896 Laurel Street NW, introduced the project to the public and helped define its scope. With planners and co-facilitators from Century Engineering, this meeting was the first of several that will occur through next year.

Project Details

The area along Eastern Avenue generally runs within the northeast section of the District, roughly from just beyond New Hampshire Avenue NE to Whittier Street NW, generally between the neighborhoods of Manor Park and Takoma. The street and much of the sidewalk, frontage, and retaining walls are within the District’s right-of-way with some homes technically in Maryland but with portions of their front yards within District control, which would space for new sidewalks. The total project area is about 0.7 miles or about 3,700 feet.

The goal of the project is to improve the existing pavement and landscape of the study area and to address deteriorated sidewalks, retaining walls, curbs, gutters, manholes, catch basins and sidewalk ramps.  The project also hopes to improve pedestrian and bike safety; and to introduce other safety improvements or amenities along this corridor.

Existing Conditions

Currently, Eastern Avenue acts as a 4-lane arterial roadway from the intersection of Sheridan Street and Sligo Mill Road NE to roughly near Kansas Avenue NE. Technically, the roadway was constructed for two  lanes of travel, with parking on either side. North of Kansas, the roadway narrows to two travel lanes with vehicle parking on the south side of the road.

Also in this section, the road sits on an embankment and parallels “Little” Eastern Avenue, which runs adjacent to the construction area from just south of North Capitol Street to Walnut Street NW, which is just beyond the project area. To reach Little Eastern, residents and visitors created a “social trail”, which informally connects to Eastern along the embankment.

As the roadway is built to traverse a valley that reaches its lowest point near Kansas Avenue, most vehicles exceed the speed limit, contributing to several reported crashes over the past several years. The steep grade and poor pavement make travel by bike difficult and potentially dangerous. At its steepest point, the Eastern Avenue gradient exceeds 10 percent.

While bicyclists use the road to connect with the Kansas Avenue bike lanes, current conditions make it difficult for many. In each direction from Kansas, cyclists must travel up steep roads with virtually no protection from on-coming traffic. Traveling downhill is just as difficult as cyclists must compete with fast-moving vehicles and poor road conditions.

Residents who attended the meeting complained that vehicles tend to travel a high rate of speed along the street and due to the terrain crossing the street feels unsafe. During winter, melting snow and refreezes, also contributing to crashes. Residents also noted the that sidewalks were particularly narrow, degraded, not Americans With Disabilities Act compliant or non-existent, particularly near the northbound bus stop where they also requested a bus shelter and pavement. Also, attendees requested that the project reduce road noise cause by speeding vehicles and large trucks using the road as a connector. Lastly, in the area of the Eastern Avenue embankment, some residents voiced concern about improvements that may make committing crimes easier.

Proposal Details

The key objectives for the project are to improve the quality of the roadway, provide safe bike access, and reduce vehicle speeds.

For bicyclists, the project calls for a reduction of travel lanes to two in each direction, with a combination of  8-foot bike lanes to allow for “hill climbing” and sharrows in certain flat or down hill sections. Certain section will maintain vehicle parking close to the curb, with bike lanes between them and the travel lanes. According to Paul Hoffman, the DDOT project manager, the Bicycle Program staff reviewed these initial plans.

Bike lanes end abruptly at this potentially difficult intersection
Image: BikeSpecific

A disappointing aspect of the current plan is that the proposed lanes do not actually go anywhere. At the southern end of the project area, the bike lanes and sharrows end abruptly at Sligo Mill Road NE, with most bicyclist likely continuing to New Hampshire Avenue.

Not currently in the project scope but less than a block to the south, the intersection of  Eastern Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue is congested and has a history of accidents. According to a DDOT traffic safety report, the intersection of Eastern Avenue and New Hampshire had 46 collisions from 2002 through 2004.

Without wayfinding signage or a destination in mind, early plans suggest that the bike infrastructure may act to slow vehicle traffic but would not be particularly attractive to many bicyclists.

Additionally,Eastern doesn’t provide a natural or direct North/South or East/West connection through the city. The street also does not connect with any particular point of interest south of the project area. The scope of the project ends at Whittier Street, about 1,000 feet short of Laurel Avenue in Takoma Park, MD. Attendees requested that bike lanes or sharrows be extended to Laurel Avenue near downtown. The project director stated that funding was limited to rebuilt further sections along the corridor but that comments would be included the study continues.

A cyclist rides up Eastern Avenue on the embankment near
Whittier Street NW Image: BikeSpecific

The road will be reconstructed in 4 phases. Phases 1, 2, and 4 will completely close the road with limited space for street parking. Phase 3 has limited closures and focuses on the rebuilding of sidewalks and other pedestrian structures.

The design component of the project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2017 with construction to begin during the Summer of 2018. DDOT projects that the rebuilding will conclude by the winter of 2019.

The Far Southeast Livability Study Community Workshop Hopes to Bridge the Ward 7 Divide

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host the second of three public workshops for the Far Southeast III Livability Study.  The workshop is Saturday, November 19, 2016, 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Plummer Elementary School, 4601 Texas Avenue SE, Washington DC 20019.

According to the project website, livability refers to the creation or maintenance of a community’s quality of life as experienced by the people who live, work, and recreate there.

You Can’t Get There From Here

Study would hopes to make river accessible
Image: Google

Unique factors in this areas separate it from the rest of the District, particularly in terms of bicycling and walking. These include topography, arterial roads, freeways, and other aspects of the built environment. Historically, the ability to bike, walk or play safely in the community or enjoy amenities such as the Anacostia River and the rest of the District have been limited.

For many, the Anacostia Freeway and the CSX Benning Yard create a barrier along the west side of the study area. The map to the right shows that if someone wanted to access the Anacostia River Park and lived adjacent to it at D Street SE, about a few hundred feet from it, they would need to travel at least 2.3 miles to access the park and its amenities.

The East Capitol Street, from approximately 40th Street to the Whitney Young Bridge has virtually no pedestrian access. A primary artery for motorists, who can traverse the distance in seconds at highway speeds, pedestrians and bicyclists must travel miles to reach the Bridge to reach a narrow sidewalk to cross the Anacostia River.
  
The Purpose of the Workshops – So Far

Focused in Ward 7, this workshop allows community residents and visitors to discuss potential improvements to the infrastructure within and out of the area. The study areas is roughly bound by East Capitol Street to the north Southern Avenue to the southeast and Massachusetts Avenue to the southwest.

SE Livability Study Area
Image: DDOT

At the initial meeting of this phase, held June 26, 2016, DDOT staff along with public participants identified opportunities for improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods within the study area. The DDOT study team also presented an overview of the project goals, process, to help residents understand the importance of low-impact development, green infrastructure, and potentially fix long-standing issues.

According workshop summary documents, attendees at the June meeting focused on traffic calming and transportation infrastructure safety improvements that increase pedestrian safety; greater access to bicycle sharing and improved bicycle infrastructure; limitations regarding resident’s ability to cross major streets that focus more on moving cars than on moving people; and the mitigation of sewer overflow due to poor drainage. Many of the transportation concerns may be also addressed in Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero initiative.

The second meeting will discuss and review the potential concepts, using information gathered to draft final recommendations for the final meeting in this series, scheduled for winter of 2017.

We’ve Been Here Before

This is not the first study for this area that relates to livability. In 2011, DDOT held similar meetings to address issues pedestrian and bicycle accessibility. Preliminary plans incorporated many ideas associated with MoveDC, a long-term, multifaceted transportation planning process initiated by former Mayor Vincent Gray. The DC Bicycle Advisory Council also held a “rolling meeting” in that same year near and within the study area to determine bike-specific concerns.

Prior to that, DDOT proposed several plans that attempted to provide greater connectivity an included pedestrian improvements at the Benning Road, East Capitol, Texas Avenue SE intersection and the extension of Massachusetts Avenue SE over the Anacostia to connect it with Reservation 13. Given the structural, economic and environmental changes in the study area, DDOT reopened the process to allow additional community input.

Pin the Tale on the Problem

To help determine where livability improvements should be made, the study website includes an interactive map that allows the public to label areas of potential improvements. If you are unable to attend the meeting and are familiar with some of the area’s challenges, using this map is an alternative.

Community suggestions within and near the Livability study area.
Image: DDOT

Map users have suggested several improvements that include additional Bikeshare docks, particularly along the East Capitol Street corridor as well as making the street more bicycle and pedestrian friendly by adding protected lanes and providing better access to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail at the East Capitol / Whitney Young Bridge. 

Eleanor Holmes Norton to hold Bike and NPS urban parks Community Roundtables

Image: BikeSpecific

The federal government has a key role in how the District creates and maintains its bicycling infrastructure and recreational parks. The District’s delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has invited officials from the District Department of Transportation Office and the National Park Service (NPS) to sit on a panel with her to hear testimony from the District’s bicycle and pedestrian community. This community roundtable discussions will help to determine what the federal role should be and how to best apply federal resources to the District’s bicycle network and federally-operated national parks.


The first roundtable, entitled “How New Federal Funds Can Help Residents Bike and Walk with Less Risk and More Pleasure” is on Thursday, October 27, 2016, at 6:00 pm, in room 2167 of the Rayburn House Office Building. This roundtable provides a forum for local bike and pedestrian leaders and District residents to discuss the best ways to use new federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects within the recently approved surface transportation bill, also know as the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation or FAST Act.

The FAST Act provides over $305 billion in funding over fiscal years 2016 through 2020 for surface transportation infrastructure planning and investment across the nation. Unlike prior authorizations, this allocation allows new flexibility in how states and the District may use these funds. The Transportation Alternatives section, which is comprised of smaller-scale transportation projects, allocates a total of $835 million per year for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 and $850 million in 2018 through 2020 is available. Small scale projects include on or off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school projects, and other community improvements.The District will received approximately $3.2 million.

The second roundtable, “Focusing on our Neighborhood Crown Jewels: The National Park Service’s Urban Parks in DC”, is on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 6:30 p.m., at the African America Civil War Museum located at 1925 Vermont Avenue NW. Delegate Norton will be joined by NPS National Capital Regional Director Bob Vogel and the regional NPS superintendents. Many advocates and residents say that NPS could be more proactive in working with District residents add programming and provide maintenance to area parks. The roundtable enables District residents and NPS to discuss opportunities to work with each other to maintain the District’s neighborhood parks under NPS control and determine how to effectively spend funds from Congress.