Pennsylvania Ave Great Street Ribbon-Cutting Video

Thanks DDOT for this great video

Improvements in Hillcrest

Pedestrian Safety improvements on Naylor Road

If you haven't seen the pedestrian safety improvements on Naylor Road between Good Hope and 25th, go check them out. DDOT is doing a fantastic job. I biked down there today and cars are actually respecting the crosswalk.

Thanks to Commissioner Williams, Mr. Rufus Norris, Deborah Dillard, and community for your tenacity. HCCA will submit a thank you to DDOT on behalf of the community, but we urge everyone else to submit individual thank yous. Terry Bellamy terry.bellamy@dc.gov.

Updates:
- Alabama Ave between Pennsylvania Ave and Naylor Road is on "the list" to receive fresh pavement markings in April.

- Storm drain on Branch Ave and Alabama Ave is on the list for cleaning and repairs. The back-up during rain events is because there is cement in the drain. I haven't received a timeline for repairs, but we have a work order

- Anne Beers Safe Routes to School is finally getting ramped up. DDOT, school administrators and I met last week to observe behavior at the end of the school day. It was emphasized to DDOT that Friends of Francis A Gregory/Library Staff and adjacent community need to be included in discussion and we want high quality improvements.

- 2000 block of Fort Davis and 3800 block of W Street are on the list for pavement repairs

- WMATA has a major effort to replace bus stop poles.  I've been biking the routes in Hillcrest to note stops that need new poles and/or bus schedules.  I'm about 2/3 complete and so far so good.  I hope to get the list to WMATA by next week.

International Walk to School Day was a Success!!!

International Walk to School Day at Anne Beers Elementary School was a success.  The day started with great excitement and energy.  At the end of the day the kids had the same level of excitement.  This is great momentum for moving into the Safe Routes to School.

A special thanks to the District Department of Transportation, Children's Hospital, Safe Kids, Washington Area Bicyclists Association and the staff and Anne Beers for the countless hours spent planning and preparing for this event.  Thanks to Fed-Ex for all the goodies (coloring books, bracelets, necklaces, lights) for the kids.

The Secretary LaHood, has shared some photos on his blog.

Here are some photos from the day courtesy of DDOT.

US Secretary of Transportation to walk with our children

Government of the District of ColumbiaDepartment of Transportation

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Media Contact:  John Lisle at 202-486-5838

                              

MEDIA ADVISORY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

DDOT and DC Schools to Celebrate International Walk to School DayU.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will Participate in Walking School Bus at Anne Beers Elementary in SE

(Washington, D.C.)  On October 5, students and parents in the District will join thousands of school communities across the nation in celebrating the simple act of walking and bicycling to school. Wednesday is International Walk to School Day, an annual event that promotes the health and environmental benefits of walking and bicycling and draws attention to the need for safer routes to school.

This year a record 22 D.C. schools have signed up including Anne Beers Elementary School in Southeast DC where U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy will help escort students to their classes.

The event will feature four Walking School Buses that will walk from the neighborhoods surrounding the school starting at 8 am. The walk will be followed by a pep rally in the school auditorium. This event is the result of a partnership between DDOT, the DC Safe Kids Coalition, Children’s National Medical Center, FedEx, The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), and Anne Beers Elementary School and will also be attended by representatives from the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

WHAT:       International Walk to School Day – Walking School Bus

WHO:         Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Victor Mendez, Federal Highway Administrator
Terry Bellamy, DDOT Director

Kwame Brown, DC Council Chair
Yvette Alexander, Ward 7 Councilmember

Anne Beers Elementary School Community

WHEN:         Wednesday, October 4, 2011

    8:20 am

WHERE:       Fort Davis and V Streets, SE

(Group will walk to Anne Beers Elementary which is located at 3600 Alabama Avenue, SE)

In addition to students at Anne Beers, thousands of students from the following schools will also be walking to school with parents, teachers, and community leaders as part of International Walk to School events during the month of October:

·        Aiton Elementary School

·        Ron Brown Middle School

·        Burrville Elementary School

·        Capitol Hill Cluster School

·        Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan

·        C.W. Harris Elementary School

·        Drew Elementary School

·        John Eaton Elementary School

·        E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

·        Lafayette Elementary School

·        Lowell School

·        Kenilworth Elementary School

·        Maury Elementary School

·        Thurgood Marshall Elementary School

·        Kelly Miller Middle School

·        Nalle Elementary School

·        Ross Elementary School

·        Tyler Elementary School

·        Washington International School

·        H.D. Woodson High School

·        Whittier Education Campus

Across the nation, International Walk to School Day is expected to include 4,000 schools from all 50 states. Walkers from the U.S. will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.

Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.

Year-round, DDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program offers planning assistance for DC Schools that are interested in improving safety for student walkers and cyclists. For more information please visit the Safe Routes to School page on DDOT’s website.

Volunteers needed for International Walk to School Day

International Walk to School Day is almost here.  We are looking for the Hillcrest community to participate. 

How you can participate:

1. Join us at 7:15 am at the school OR meet at the beginning of the walking school bus to assist with walking the kids to school
2. If you live on a route, stand in front of your house and greet the kids as the pass
3. Meet us at the school at 8:30 am and cheer the kids as they arrive to school

Car-Free Pledge

Take the Car Free pledge and be entered to win great prizes like an Apple ipad.

Ways to get around without a car

Walk - Feet are free.  If you are physically able, consider walking to run errands or any other trips that you make in a day.


WMATA - The 32, 36, 39 M2, M6, V5, and W4 bus lines all serve the Hillcrest community.  To plan your trip, use the WMATA trip planner.

Capital Bikeshare - Stations are located at Skyland/Good Hope Shopping Center (Alabama Ave SE & Naylor Road SE), Fairfax Village (38th St SE & Pennsylvania Ave SE) and Penn-Branch (Penn-Branch Shopping Center.  Visit the website to join.

September Speaker

The September Guest speaker will be Aaron Rhones and Charles Thomas from the District Department of Transportation to discuss the findings and recommendation from the "Far Southeast II Livability Study" completed earlier this year. The recommendations will include presenting solutions at 32nd St/Alabama Ave SE and 36th St/Alabama Ave SE intersections, traffic calming on Naylor Road SE and safety improvements to Branch Ave SE.

The Hillcrest Community Civic Association has been advocating for a livable, walkable community through traffic calming and reducing through traffic on neighborhood roads. Last year the District Department of Transportation embarked on the "Far Southeast Livability Study" to examine a holistic approach to improving transportation. The goals of the study were to:

• Devise a neighborhood-wide and comprehensive approach to implementing traffic calming and other safety measures;
• Identify specific issues, such as reducing vehicle speeds, and locations that impact the safety of pedestrians, motorists, bicyclists, and transit riders
• Design cost-effective and system-wide improvements, with measurable benchmarks for success;
• Study truck travel within the target area and recommend ways to mitigate its impact on neighborhoods;
• Emphasize safety measures and improve access near public facilities including: schools, churches, parks, recreational centers and others key community service providers.

If you have any questions or concerns prior to the meeting, please contact Veronica O. Davis, the HCCA Street, Traffic and Transportation Chair, via email vod2@cornell.edu or phone 301-233-0011.

Documents from Far Southeast Livability Study Meeting #3

PublicMeeting-1

Far Southeast Livability Study Meeting #3

Testimony - Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

HILLCREST COMMUNITY CIVIC ASSOCIATION
BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE JUDICIATION

RE: ENFORCEMENT OF PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2010

We would like to thank Councilmember Mendelson and the honorable members of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary for the opportunity to speak this afternoon on the Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety. Today’s testimony is a joint effort of the Hillcrest Community Civic Association (HCCA) Committee on Public Safety and Preparedness and the Committee on Street, Traffic and Transportation.

The mission of HCCA is to work “to enhance the quality of life and prosperity of residents, families, community organizations and institutions located within the designated geographic boundaries.” As described in “the DC Real Estate Guide,” the Hillcrest neighborhood has a population of about 7,000, and the average age of its residents is 40. Hillcrest is one of the most residential zip codes in DC and approximately one in every four households has children.
Hillcrest includes the Good Hope Market Place, Skyland Shopping Center, Naylor Gardens Coop and Fairfax Village and its shopping center along with single-family homes.

We are here today to highlight the importance of enforcing pedestrian and bicycle safety in our neighborhood. Since Hillcrest sits on the borderline with Maryland, where there are typically higher speeds, a constant challenge for us is motorist speeding through the neighborhood. As a community, we have been actively working with the DC Department of Transportation to install traffic calming solutions such as speed humps, “Stop for Pedestrian” signs, changing the timing of traffic lights, adding medians on Branch Ave and repainting crosswalks.

Despite our best efforts, in 2010, motorists hit three pedestrians and one bicyclist. Fortunately, none of the accidents were fatal. One pedestrian was a child who was hit in front of Anne Beers Elementary School. The other two pedestrians were struck at the intersection of 32nd St. SE and Alabama Ave. SE. The bicyclist, who was the victim of a hit-and-run at the intersection of 38th St. SE and Alabama Ave SE, was an on-duty police officer on bike patrol. Because of that accident, the police officer was on medical leave for three weeks.

A vital link from our community to Capitol Hill is the Sousa Bridge (Pennsylvania Ave., SE). The street geometry makes it difficult for motorists to see pedestrians and bicyclists. Couple this with motorists who disobey the law by turning right on red from the off-ramp of the Southeast/Southwest Freeway creates unsafe conditions.

Motorists who drive through our neighborhood have a total disregard for pedestrians and bicyclists in our community. We have witnessed children and seniors struggling to cross Alabama Ave. SE at 32nd St. SE, and Fort Davis at Pennsylvania Ave despite a "Stop for Pedestrians" sign in the middle of the street, and a painted crosswalk. We have witnessed motorists go as far as to run over the “Stop for Pedestrians” sign. We have witnessed motorists regularly use the bike lanes on Alabama Ave. SE, between Pennsylvania Ave. SE and Massachusetts Ave. SE as an additional travel lane.

There is an obvious link between pedestrian safety and sidewalks. Many streets in Hillcrest still lack a sidewalk on either side, so pedestrians are forced to walk in the street. Kids, parents with strollers, young professionals with dogs, and seniors are forced to walk down the middle of streets such as Hillcrest Dr, Camden St, Fort Baker Drive, while hoping to avoid speeding motorists.

Our community has been very vocal regarding the need for more enforcement of traffic laws. We want motorists to respect the people who walk and bike in our community.

We thank you for your time. We look forward to working with the Committee for Public Safety and the Judiciary to develop solutions.

Veronica O. Davis
Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee Chair

David Kirkpatrick
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair

On behalf of the HILLCREST COMMUNITY CIVIC ASSOCIATION

Far Southeast Livability Study Meeting #2

The District Department of Transportation's plans for several major streets in Southeast could improve livability and mobility in several East of the River neighborhoods.

As a part of the Far Southeast Livability Study, DDOT has identified 6 corridors for further study. They held the second of 3 public meetings on Monday.

DDOT chose the six corridors to increase connectivity, accessibility, mode choice and build upon existing plans. These are the corridors:

1. Good Hope Road and Naylor Road between Minnesota and Southern Avenues
   
2. Branch Avenue between Southern and Pennsylvania Avenues
   
3. Naylor Road between Southern and Fairlawn Avenues
   
4. Alabama Avenue between Pennsylvania and Branch Avenues
   
5. Minnesota Avenue between Good Hope Road and Massachusetts Avenue
   
6. Southern Avenue between Pennsylvania and Branch Avenues. Additionally, the study looks at extending the street to Naylor Road.

The proposed improvements ranged from new streetscape and sidewalks to creation of new bike lanes.

DDOT presented typical sections along Good Hope Road and Naylor Road for both commercial areas and residential areas. The agency also recommended implementing Safe Routes to School improvements west of Minnesota Avenue where there are a cluster of public and charter schools.

During the feedback session, members of the community brought up a number of concerns:

• Extend the Alabama Ave study to Naylor Road: The section between Branch Ave SE and Naylor Road SE was the site of two pedestrian crashes this summer. Part of the problem is that Alabama Ave widens to two lanes in each direction. The stretch of roadway between Branch Ave SE and 29th Street SE is unsignalized, which leads to speeding in this section. There are crosswalks, but it is a difficult road to cross.
• Include bus routes in the analysis: The community wants to make sure that residents have sidewalks to be able to access the bus routes. For example, there are bus stops along Branch Ave SE where there are no sidewalks. People step off the bus into the grass.
• Find streets where bike lanes makes sense: Residents who do not have a preference for bike lanes expressed concern that DDOT wants to add bike lanes when most residents use public transportation and/or walk. They were very clear that they did not want to sacrifice on-street parking for bike lanes.

  Bike lane supporters stated there are people in the Ward 7 community that rely on bicycle as the primary mode of transportation, so bike infrastructure such as lanes and racks are needed. Both sides were able to agree that major roadways, such as Good Hope Road SE, may not appropriate for bike lanes, however. They recommended DDOT find alternative routes and solutions.

• Add access through the parks: One solution proposed by a resident was creating more access through the parks owned by the National Park Service. There is currently an underutilized hiker-bike trail running through these parks. Residents suggested considering a paved path and lighting to provide a higher level of comfort and security which can encourage travel through the park.
• Enforcement is part of livability: Several residents spoke of pedestrians along Good Hope Road SE who do not obey traffic signals. This summer there were incidents where pedestrians were hit. While there are some unsignalized intersections, many pedestrians cross against the light at signalized intersections.
• Find new routes for commuter buses from Maryland: Good Hope Road SE is a main corridor for commuter motor coaches from Maryland. DDOT is exploring alternative routes like Suitland Parkway.

Much of the discussion at the meeting covered topics from the numerous previous studies already conducted in some of the neighborhoods. For example, Branch Ave between Pennsylvania Avenue and the District line was studied in 2003. The community is still waiting for DDOT to implement some of the recommendations from that report.

At the next meeting in late January, DDOT will present the draft report to the community.

Cross-posted at GGW and Life in the Village

Far Southest Livability Study

The D.C. Department of Transportation is ready to hold its second public meeting for the Far Southeast II Livability Study. At the first meeting, many of you expressed your concerns related to safety, traffic, and other transportation issues, and identified specific problem areas. This second meeting will be your opportunity to comment on various alternative solutions to address your concerns.

Please save the following date and time:

When: Monday, December 6
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church,
3000 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. (In the Chapel)

For additional information about the plan, please go to http://www.farsoutheastlivability.com/ .