what is livability? - Rock Creek East II Livability Study

ROCK CREEK EAST II LIVABILITY STUDY

Final Study Report and Recommendations

Lead Agency

District Department of Transportation Planning and Sustainability Administration Ted Van Houten, Project Manager 55 M Street SE, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20003

Consultants Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. 1400 I St NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20005

Rhodeside & Harwell 510 King Street, Suite 310 Alexandria, VA 22314

COVER PHOTOS BY BILL MCNEAL AND CHRIS WEISLER

STAY CONNECTED www.RockCreekEast2.com WeMoveDC @wemovedc

Nspiregreen, LLC 1012 14th Street NW, Suite 915 Washington, DC 20005

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION What Is Livability?

EXISTING CONDITIONS Community Character

1 2

7 8

Connections to the District And Region

13

Getting Around the Area

15

Green Infrastructure

21

PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT

25

General Themes Throughout The Study

26

Public Outreach Methods

27

Public Outreach Events

29

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS

35

Major Project Types

36

Curb Extensions at Intersections

40

Traffic Calming

62

Pedestrian Enhancements

70

Extending the Bicycle Network

82

Green Infrastructure

88

Special Project Focus Areas

92

IMPLEMENTATION

99

Project Cost Estimates and Organization by Timeframe

103

Coordination with Other DDOT Efforts

107

APPENDIX A: DATA COLLECTION SUMMARY APPENDIX B: TRANSPORTATION COUNT APPENDIX APPENDIX C: PUBLIC WORKSHOP SUMMARIES APPENDIX D: GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE | iii

INTRODUCTION

The Rock Creek East II Livability Study is an effort by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to improve transportation safety in the study area neighborhoods of Petworth, Crestwood, Brightwood Park, and 16th Street Heights. The Rock Creek East II neighborhoods are challenged by transportation safety problems and quality of life issues caused by speeding, aggressive driving, challenging intersection geometry, outdated infrastructure, and multi-modal conflicts. DDOT sought a proactive approach to addressing demonstrated and potential problems and finding solutions at a network level. This study, performed from March through September 2016, identifies specific projects to address these issues that DDOT can advance and program for implementation. In addition to transportation improvements, the study includes a major green infrastructure component. Green infrastructure is a larger piece of this Livability Study than it has been in previous studies in DDOT’s Livability Program. DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project includes areas to implement green infrastructure, and their Rock Creek area roughly overlaps with the study area of the Livability Study. One reason DDOT initiated this Livability Study is because of DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project, and the study lays the groundwork for further collaboration between DDOT and DC Water.

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INTRODUCTION | WHAT IS LIVABILITY?

WHAT IS LIVABILITY? In 2010, DDOT launched the Livability Program, which provides a framework for multiple livability studies throughout the District. Livability is a term that refers to community quality of life as experienced by the people who live, work, and recreate there. Livability studies are essentially quality of life studies, and they examine opportunities in the public right of way to find improvements to transportation safety, access, and sustainability. Livability studies look at traffic calming from a network perspective, instead of an isolated intersection, block, or corridor. Livability studies focus on streets that serve neighborhood connectivity as well as local streets, instead of only focusing on principal arterials that move the highest amount of traffic. Livability studies have a proactive approach, using existing conditions and data to understand transportation challenges and opportunities and to

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recommend specific project actions to address them. DDOT uses these studies as an opportunity to partner with other District of Columbia agencies also pursuing their own paths toward more livable neighborhoods. As part of the livability study, DDOT assembles interagency groups of stakeholder agencies to find opportunities to collaborate and to receive feedback on the study process, data collection methods, and recommendations as they develop. Green infrastructure is a common opportunity to collaborate on, but it is not the only one. These opportunities are identified at the onset of each project, and help to shape it as the study develops.


ROCK CREEK EAST II Study Area

The Rock Creek East II study area lies mostly within the District’s Northwest quadrant. All references to streets in this report assume a NW suffix, unless otherwise stated. Data displayed in maps and figures in this report is detailed in Appendix A, Data Collection.

THE ROCK CREEK EAST II LIVABILITY STUDY This Livability Study area lies directly north of downtown Washington in Ward 4. It encompasses the neighborhoods of Petworth, Crestwood, Brightwood Park, and 16th

Street Heights. Each of these neighborhoods has its own unique identity, and the study area as a whole is primarily residential with pockets of commercial areas, abundant parks and open

space, a mix of institutional land uses, and small areas of industrial use.

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The overarching goal of the Rock Creek East II Livability Study is to identify opportunities for safer travel for residents of and visitors to the study area, and to improve the transportation network, regardless of how you get around. This will be done through a three-part approach focusing on safety, accessibility, and green infrastructure. The objectives of the study are to: • Develop a comprehensive approach to traffic calming and operational improvements for all users living in and visiting the area • Identify specific issues that impact safety and comfort of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists • Identify areas where Green Infrastructure (GI) can be implemented by DDOT or DC Water to better manage stormwater impacts • Design cost-effective and measurable system improvements that benefit all users • Emphasize safety and access improvements around neighborhood facilities including but not limited to: schools, parks, recreation centers, and other key community facilities • Enhance comfort and livability for residents and visitors to the project area The diagram on the following page illustrates the process that the Livability Study followed in its analysis and recommendations, and how each of these steps were communicated through the study’s public outreach and engagement process. The following sections of this report provide detail on the analysis and findings of the study area’s existing conditions as well as the study’s outreach process.

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Rock Creek East II Livability Study Process

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EXISTING CONDITIONS The Rock Creek East II study area’s geographic position in the District makes it a convenient residential area for downtown and other central destinations, but also places it at the crossroads of many intersecting travel paths. At the same time, it is a series of neighborhoods with many residential streets and a land use pattern including schools, parks, small commercial districts, and direct connections to Rock Creek Park. These conditions create a complex set of challenges and needs, and the Livability Study’s recommendations are intended to follow opportunities to balance these.

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Existing Conditions | COMMUNITY CHARACTER

COMMUNITY CHARACTER As one of the three components of the study’s overarching goal is a safer transportation system, the study paid attention to how current streets fit into their community context. The transportation network design of the study area mostly echoes that of older parts of the District: a rectilinear grid of streets that is overlaid with diagonal avenues. The growth in vehicle use over time has led to Rock Creek East II streets being classified and managed for different purposes, some with a focus on vehicle movement. It is possible for streets to move traffic and to have minimal community impact, though this involves reaching a balance through street and intersection design to manage speeds and motorist behavior. The nature of the street grid can also create visibility challenges at intersections, which creates transportation safety issues and can disrupt traffic. The study explored how streets designated for vehicle movement can achieve these objectives without creating harmful neighborhood impacts.

LAND USE PATTERNS

The study area is primarily residential, with over half of its non-right-of-way land area in residential use. Attached residential (rowhouse or townhouse) housing common in many District of Columbia neighborhoods is the predominant residential type, with nearly 30 percent of the study area’s land area in this use. The study area also includes a large supply of public and institutional land uses, such as schools, churches, and other facilities. The study area also includes a portion of Rock Creek Park. What is important about this primarily residential nature is that many of the transportation conditions occur in a residential context. As will be discussed in the later section on transportation safety, many of the relatively high speeds, crash locations, and high crash rates occur on residential streets that are classified as minor arterials or collectors, and serve a purpose in the network to move a certain amount of traffic. The prevalence of residential streets also suggests that curbside parking is important to these neighborhoods. The Rock Creek East II study area’s population density follows its land use patterns, as areas with denser housing have a denser population. The highest population density occurs in the area bounded by Spring Road, Georgia Avenue, Upshur Street, Arkansas Avenue, and 16th Street.

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Study Area Land Use Patterns

LOWER-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL: DETACHED SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ARE MORE COMMON

NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS: PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS FOR WALKING AND BICYCLING

MODERATE DENSITY RESIDENTIAL: ATTACHED ROWHOUSES AND SOME APARTMENT BUILDINGS LEGEND Land Use Low-Density Residential Medium-Density Residential High-Density Residential Commercial Institutional Educational Parks | 9


DEMOGRAPHICS

Just under half of the study area’s residents are in the work force, underscoring the prevalence of families with children and retired residents in the area. Most of these workers commute out of the study area for work, although around 5,400 workers from outside the study area commute in for jobs. In most parts of the study area, half of working residents or less commute to jobs by driving alone, pointing to the importance of transit service and other non-driving commuting options for the area. In some locations of the study area, over 75% of residents are traveling to work using a method other than driving alone. The population of the Rock Creek East II study area features notable diversity of race and ethnicity, income, age, and housing types. In particular, two age-based cross-sections of the overall population have particular needs relative to the Livability Study’s goals: schoolage younger residents (defined as ages 6 to 17) and residents age 65 or over. The former is mostly a non-driving population (DC residents can get learner’s permits at 16), and the latter represents an age cohort of legal driving age that is most likely not to drive, due in part to disability or comfort level. The total number of children in the District of Columbia has been increasing since 2010, and the neighborhoods in the study area have seen notable gains in population of this age group. In fact, these neighborhoods have added almost 2,200 children between 2010 and 2014, the largest increase in the District. The number of school-age children, who may walk or ride bicycles to schools in the study area, helps to illustrate where special attention must be given to meet the needs of this group, such as safe crossings, speed management, and safe routes for bicycling. Routes between high concentrations of school-age residents and major clusters of school facilities merit special attention. Senior citizens also make up a significant portion of the population in some parts of the study area, and it is important to consider the needs of these neighborhood residents – especially those who are unable to drive or choose to do it less often. Access to transit is an important consideration for this population, as is access to certain destinations, such as recreation and community centers, neighborhood-serving retail, and places of worship. It is important to understand the needs along paths between these areas of an older population and key community destinations.

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Study Area Population and Density

38,400 residents in the Rock Creek East II study area

5 or fewer

Population Density residents per acre

120 or more

Study Area Commuting Patterns

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Children in the Study Area LEGEND Share of Population Age 6 to 17 Less than 15% 15% to 20% 20 to 25% 25 to 30% 30% or more Schools Recreational Centers

Seniors in the Study Area LEGEND Share of Population Age 65 or greater Less than 5% 5% to 10% 10 to 15% 15 to 20% 20 to 25% Transit Routes Bus Metrorail

Schools Recreational Centers

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Existing Conditions | CONNECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT AND REGION

CONNECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT AND REGION Because of its location in the District, the Rock Creek East II area is both a large area composed primarily of residential neighborhoods and a confluence of routes across the District and connecting into Maryland. Most of the study area’s streets are residential streets defined as local in function under the District’s formal system of classifying streets and roads. However, many streets, including several of the diagonal avenues in the area, are classified as arterial or collector streets, intended to move traffic safely and efficiently. The area is at the intersection of several principal arterials, including 16th Street, Georgia Avenue, Missouri Avenue/Military Road, and North Capitol Street, and it also includes four transitions from the limited-access parkway streets of Rock Creek Park into the regular street network. For these reasons, large volumes of traffic pass through the study area during commuting hours; although traffic volumes suggest that a large portion of the volume of this traffic uses the principal arterial streets in the study area, some traffic connects through the neighborhood by way of its minor arterials (such as Arkansas, Kansas, and New Hampshire Avenues) and other collector streets (such as Kennedy and Upshur Streets). As mentioned in the introduction to this report, at the heart of the Livability Study is transportation safety and balance of the street network’s many transportation functions with neighborhood quality of life. Many of the challenges of the study area are closely linked with opportunities for enhancing the transportation system to be safer and more neighborhoodfriendly—because of its location in the District’s street network, the area will continue to carry traffic only passing through the neighborhoods, but managing the speed and behavior of this traffic to lessen safety challenges and other environmental impacts such as noise and traffic congestion will keep this traffic from degrading neighborhood quality of life.

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Existing Conditions | CONNECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT AND REGION

Vehicle Traffic Patterns in the Study Area

LEGEND Traffic Volumes (ADT) 8,000 16,000 24,000 32,000 32,000 +

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Existing Conditions | GETTING AROUND THE AREA

GETTING AROUND THE AREA The study area’s street network is well-connected, though due to the presence of the diagonal avenues, several intersections are large and complex. In some cases, multiple smaller intersections have been combined into a single intersection for ease of operation. Often, these combined intersections were designed primarily to serve automobiles, and all other street users are accommodated as a secondary priority.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC PATTERNS

The major north-south corridors of the Rock Creek East II neighborhoods carry high traffic volumes, with 16th Street, Georgia Avenue, and North Capitol Street serving as principal arterials connecting downtown to the northern District and Maryland. However, the area’s diagonal avenues are also key links through the District and within the neighborhoods. While the principal arterials feature multi-lane designs, New Hampshire and its fellow diagonal avenues (Kansas, Illinois, Arkansas, Iowa, and Colorado) are smaller streets with a residential neighborhood character. A portion of New Hampshire is a four-lane street divided by a median, but otherwise these streets feature two travel lanes and not every intersection is signalized. Neighborhood concern regarding these streets is that they are prone to speeding and cut-through traffic, which adds to traffic congestion at key locations, endangers bicyclists and pedestrians, and generates negative impacts for the neighborhoods’ quality of life. The traffic volumes shown are based on counts taken at specific locations on each street and are meant as a general illustration of volumes along the entire corridor. Although the principal arterial streets of the study area carry larger volumes of traffic, generally above 20,000 vehicles per day, other streets carry relatively high volumes of traffic for the context of the surrounding neighborhoods. This presents a challenge for these streets, but it also limits approaches that might be taken to address them based on use of good planning, engineering judgment, and DDOT policies. For streets that carry higher volumes of traffic, some traffic calming measures cannot be applied.

PEDESTRIANS

There is a high degree of pedestrian activity in the study area around the area’s public facilities, parks, places of worship, and neighborhood-serving retail. There is also a high degree of pedestrian activity around transit corridors with high-ridership bus routes, such as Georgia Avenue, 14th Street, and 16th Street, and at the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail station. The convergence of diagonal streets throughout the neighborhoods creates a high number of complicated intersections for not only motorists to navigate, but pedestrians as well. In many cases, pedestrian crossings are restricted to a few locations deemed safest to cross, rather than at the actual desire line where most pedestrians cross anyway. | 15


Pedestrian Activity in the Study Area LEGEND Commercial Corridors Number of Pedestrians

100

500

1,000 +

Counts at Signalized Intersection Counts at Unsignalized Intersection

Most of the study area contains sidewalks on both sides of the street, which is a standard design throughout most District neighborhoods, especially the oldest ones. However, some streets lack sidewalks on either side of the street. This condition is found primarily in the west side of the study area, especially in Crestwood. This part of the study area is newer than the rest, developed in the second half of the twentieth century with a more estate-residential character; prevailing preferences at the time were not to include sidewalks on streets. Residents and stakeholders have expressed a desire for enhanced access to Rock Creek Park through the street network, and the lack of sidewalks limits access. 16 |


Bicycle Activity in the Study Area

LEGEND Existing Bicycle Lane Existing Shared Street (sharrow markings) Number of Bicyclists (peak hours only)

25

100

200 +

Schools Recreation Centers Place of Worship

BICYCLISTS

There is currently bicyclist activity throughout the Rock Creek East II study area owing to a bike-friendly local street grid. Existing bike lanes accommodate a significant number of bicyclists. Kansas Avenue, 5th Street, and 14th Street represent the most heavily traveled corridors with dedicated bicycle infrastructure. Of the dedicated bicycle facilities in the study area, 14th Street is the only corridor that has a continuous connection through the study area. Other than this, there are no dedicated | 17


facilities west of Kansas and Georgia Avenues. Many of the streets in the study area feature limited rights-of-way and do not readily fit two bicycle lanes in their cross-sections without removal of on-street parking.

TRANSIT

The study area has one Metrorail station, the Georgia Avenue-Petworth station on the Yellow and Green lines, although the Fort Totten station lies just outside the study area’s eastern boundary and serves the Yellow and Green lines as well as the Red line. Because the Georgia Avenue station is located at the southern end of the study area, most of its transit service is provided by buses, with the majority of this service on the 14th Street, 16th Street, Kennedy Street, and Georgia Avenue corridors. These routes provide frequent service and some of the highest levels of ridership per corridor in the District, with over 60,000 daily riders on the 14th, 16th, and Georgia Avenue corridors combined.

SAFETY

As a major component of the study’s goal is a safer transportation system, potential safety challenges in the Rock Creek East II neighborhoods are a primary concern and will be at the forefront of the study’s recommendations. Some of the individual street corridors in the Rock

Transit in the Study Area

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Creek East II neighborhoods experience high crash rates, and in six of its corridors over half of all accidents involved an injury. This is driven by multiple factors - speeds certainly play a large role. Vehicle speeds have been a significant factor on minor arterials like Arkansas Avenue. On Rock Creek Church Road, rear-end collisions are the most commonly-occurring crash type and at least five percent of observed traffic travels more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. It is important to note that the highest volume streets, such as Georgia Avenue and 16th Street, may not be the most crash-prone. Iowa Avenue, Rock Creek Church Road between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, Kennedy Street, Illinois Avenue between Kennedy and Sherman Circle, Arkansas Avenue north of Emerson Street, and Upshur Street west of Georgia Avenue all feature crash rates of more than 2,000 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled over the period of 2012 to 2014. 16th Street, by comparison, has a rate of under 500 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled for the same time period.

VEHICLE SPEEDS

Due in part to its location in the District at the intersection of several regional connecting routes, the Rock Creek East II area carries significant volumes of vehicular traffic through the area, as opposed to originating in or destined for the area. Although the study does not have available data on overall regional origins and destinations, the study team’s observation of traffic turning movement counts, its field observations, and feedback from public outreach all underscore the potential for this regional cut-through traffic to occur. While the Livability Study is not focused on preventing this traffic altogether—after all, the Rock Creek East II streets are public right-of-way and part of the overall District street network, and therefore open for public use— it emphasizes ways to manage speeds of traffic in the study area’s neighborhoods. The study analyzed locations of observed speeds and compared these with point locations where the Metropolitan Police Department has issued photo-generated (speed camera) citations since 2009, drawn from a database of moving violation data (see page 20). These locations are not exactly aligned, and relocation of cameras over time has meant that data is available on speed-related citations for only select periods. Nonetheless, this allows an average daily number of citations to be estimated and offers a useful comparison to observed speeds through the study. It is important to note that the MPD data does not provide information on precise speeds measured at all of its locations, but does provide the reason for issuance of the citation: vehicles were measured traveling at least 11 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. | 19


Speeding Violations and Observed Speeds One-time location of MPD Speed Camera

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85th Percentile Speeds (by direction, in miles per hour)

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

The locations where pedestrian crashes occur appear to exhibit more overall pedestrian activity, which is reasonable to expect. Intersection geometry appears to be a major factor in pedestrian crash occurrence. Pedestrian crashes have occurred in notable frequency near pedestrian destinations such as schools, community facilities, parks, transit routes, and the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail station. The following are among the intersection locations with the highest numbers of pedestrian crashes: • Georgia Avenue’s intersections with Kennedy Street and Illinois Avenue, closely located to

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one another and featuring a complex set of intersection angles • Arkansas Avenue at Georgia Avenue • Grant Circle • New Hampshire Avenue, First Street, and Hamilton Street

BICYCLE SAFETY

As with pedestrian crashes and as might be expected, the numbers of crashes are generally higher on corridors with higher volumes. Specific clusters with higher numbers of crashes, however, do not always follow high-volume intersections, suggesting other factors may be partly responsible for the frequency of crash occurrence. The following are among the intersection locations with the highest numbers of bicycle crashes: • • • •

14th Street and Quincy Street Georgia Avenue’s intersections with Kennedy Street and Illinois Avenue Grant Circle 16th Street at Arkansas Avenue, notable due to relatively low bicycle volumes on 16th Street • Kansas Avenue/Georgia Avenue/Upshur Street intersection complex. Although this is the confluence of two of the study area’s bicycle lane corridors and features relatively high bicycle volumes, it also has the highest number of crashes — 10 over the data collection period (2012 through 2014).

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE Along with using street and intersection design to create a safer system, the Livability Study also explores how management of stormwater—including current efforts led by DC Water, with whom DDOT coordinated with through this study—can be integrated into projects more conventionally associated with traffic calming and transportation safety, reducing stormwater flow that the underground pipe system must handle and in turn reducing risk of polluting streams, rivers, and natural resources. The Rock Creek East II study area contributes stormwater to both the District’s older combined sewer overflow (CSO) system, and the newer, municipal separated storm sewer system (MS4).

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Existing Conditions | GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Their difference is largely a function of age, as the MS4 system was added as newer portions of the study area were developed in the second half of the twentieth century. Approximately 85 percent of the Rock Creek East II study area watershed contributes stormwater drainage to the CSO, which has 47 total outfalls along Rock Creek, the Anacostia River, and the Potomac River combined. DC Water has focused on the CSO for its Clean Rivers project, which seeks to reduce overall intake into the stormwater system and to focus on onsite stormwater treatment through a series of infrastructure enhancement projects, or best management practices (BMPs), that represent new approaches to extending the useful life of stormwater infrastructure. Planners and engineers refer broadly to this kind of treatment as green infrastructure, and the Livability Study is designed to identify opportunities for green infrastructure to fit within the public right-of-way. This is important to include in a livability study because of the environmental effects of excessive stormwater runoff, especially once it exits the underground pipe system and enters natural waterways. The quality of the Rock Creek ecosystem is directly impacted by the quality of the stormwater being emptied into the creek, and strategically placed green infrastructure can capture stormwater runoff and improve water quality before it reaches these outfalls.

ELEVATION OF THE STUDY AREA

It is important to keep in mind the varied topography of the study area due to its proximity to the Rock Creek basin. From high points at the north and southeastern edges, elevation decreases toward the center of the study area, which is within a valley generally following Arkansas Avenue. Overall, elevation changes by around 250 feet between the lowest and highest elevations. As low points are generally more prone to flooding due to the dynamics of stormwater drainage, potential stormwater management projects and approaches will be emphasized in this central portion of the study area.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN USE

Green infrastructure approaches are also not new to the District or to the Rock Creek neighborhoods. There are over 90 completed BMP sites within the Rock Creek East II study area. Five large scale projects were completed in 2014 alone, which included rainwater harvesting, permeable pavement, bioretention, green roofs, and tree infill. The total has and will continue to increase with the in-progress initiatives of DDOT Green Infrastructure, DC Clean Rivers, DOEE Stormwater regulations, the National Park Service, and others.

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SEWERSHEDS MS4/CSO SEPARATED SYSTEMS: Stormwater has its own set of pipes and inlets for drainage and collection, and sanitary sewers are separate.

MS4 MUNICIPAL SEPARATED STORM SEWER SYSTEM

COMBINED SYSTEMS: Both stormwater and sanitary sewers are combined in a single system. During heavy rainfall events, untreated wastewater is released directly into the Rock Creek Watershed.

Makeup of Sewer Systems Today

CSO COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW SYSTEM

TOPOGRAPHIC CHANGES

NORTH

Analysis: the project study area contributes

stormwater to both the, older, combined sewer system, and the, newer, separated storm sewer system.

Approximately 85%HPof310’ the Rock Creek East study area watershed contributes stormwater drainage to the combined sewer system, which has 47 total outfalls along Rock Creek, the Anacostia River, and Potomac River combined.

Topography and Drainage in the Study Area HP 320’

LP 70’

LP 60’

ARKANSAS AVENUE: Some of the lowest points of the Rock Creek East II area are along the Arkansas Avenue corridor.

NORTH

Analysis: Approximately 95% of the entire

study area watershed drains to Rock Creek or its secondary and tertiary stream connections, which makes up the western and southwestern borders of the study area. The center of the study area is within a valley between one ridgeline to the northwest and one to the east. There is over 250’ of grade change between the lowest and highest elevations.

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PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT The Rock Creek East II Livability Study was built on a foundation of active and ongoing public engagement, with three public workshops, a series of engagement activities at neighborhood public spaces and markets, and ongoing communication with residents, ANC Commissioners, the DC Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Councils, and other stakeholders who provided the study team with information and feedback.

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Public Outreach and Engagement | General Themes Throughout the Study

Throughout the duration of the Livability Study, there were three public workshops, two Citizens Advisory Group meetings, and two series of community engagement events. Additionally, the study team attended ANC meetings, citizens association meetings, and meetings with churches and other stakeholders throughout the study. The feedback gained at these events was used to develop, refine, and assist in the selection of recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term improvements intended for positive impact on livability in the Rock Creek East II study area.

GENERAL THEMES THROUGHOUT THE STUDY Many participants in the study brought a particular area or issue of concern to the study team, providing a broad base of local knowledge to help make and refine recommendations. The public engagement process can be summarized with a series of major themes reflecting community concerns, listed as follows.

CONNECTIVITY

• Better east-west connections throughout the study area • Better-maintained pedestrian facilities and an expanded network for bicycles throughout the study area • Greater access to and through Rock Creek Park

STREETSCAPE

• Incorporate green infrastructure along streets and sidewalks • Concern over maintenance of current facilities, and a desire that new enhancements will be properly maintained

SAFETY

• Frequent concerns over speeding and a need for traffic calming • Study recommendations must discourage cut-through traffic • Better pedestrian crossings and enhanced accessibility (e.g., ramps, crossing time) • Better visibility and improved sightlines throughout the study area

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PUBLIC OUTREACH METHODS The study team used a variety of different outreach methods to reach as many residents and area stakeholders in the study area as possible. A project website, printed materials, electronic communications and contact with the media, and a Citizens Advisory Group were all used to notify the public of meetings and other events.

PROJECT WEBSITE

The study team maintained a website that posted available resources about the study, including maps, informational documents, and printable notices of meetings and engagement events. This website also hosted a Wikimap, an online mapping tool that allowed users to identify locations and add comments about desired improvements. The online Wikimap was available for several weeks after the first public workshop, enabling those who were unable to attend public meetings an opportunity to share their concerns and ideas for improvements. The Wikimap garnered over 700 comments from community stakeholders. Participants could also e-mail the study team any comments or questions they had through the website.

PRINTED MATERIALS

Rack cards, posters, and flyers were placed in businesses and community sites across the study area. These materials were available in English, Spanish, and Amharic. In total, around 1,000 rack cards, 30 posters, and 100 flyers were distributed across the study area. These items were placed in local businesses, churches, libraries, grocery stores, recreation centers, public housing, and other sites that would allow us to leave informational materials. During the draft recommendations refinement phase, the study team distributed over 1,200 door hangers featuring a website link to the draft recommendations and information about the upcoming public engagement events. These door hangers were distributed to residences and businesses along corridors and within areas that the study had proposed multiple recommendations or a change in traffic patterns. The corridors that received door hangers included Blagden Avenue, Colorado Avenue, New Hampshire Avenue, Grant Circle, Sherman Circle, Illinois Avenue, and | 27

Public Outreach and Engagement | Public Outreach Methods

Upshur Street. Study documents were also made available at the Petworth Library.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Throughout the study, a mailing list was maintained to keep those interested in the study informed of all upcoming meetings or events. Event notifications, links to posted materials, and reminders of upcoming events were sent out to those on the mailing list. As of September 2016, there are nearly 400 individuals, businesses, and institutions on this list. The list includes media contacts which encompass District-wide news sources as well as local bloggers. Listservs were also included on this mailing list as a means of reaching a wider audience. Social media was also used to promote study activities, documents, events, and meetings. The moveDC Twitter and Facebook profiles, with a combined reach of nearly 3,000 followers, were utilized to notify the online community.

CITIZENS ADVISORY GROUP

The Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) was formed to help extend the planning process and expand the reach of our team’s engagement efforts. CAG members included representatives from each ANC in the study area as well as the DC Pedestrian Advisory Council and DC Bicycle Advisory Council. All CAG meetings were open to the public and listed on the website. At each meeting, CAG members were given outreach materials about upcoming events to distribute to their constituents. Invitations and reminders were sent out to CAG members as each event approached.

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PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS FIRST PUBLIC MEETING AND ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

The study team introduced the study to the Rock Creek East II communities at a public meeting held on April 28, 2016 at the Petworth Library. At this meeting, the study team presented materials that provided context for the overall goals, objectives, and process of the study; helped residents understand the importance of green infrastructure; presented existing conditions and preliminary findings; and gathered information on the vision of the community and existing issue areas. There were no formal concepts or suggestions for recommendations presented at this meeting, which was intended to focus more on how residents and other community members use the study area’s transportation system and what challenges they perceive. In particular, the first workshop activity featured a public feedback exercise to help define livability and ensure that community members understood the general mission of the Livability Study. Feedback on this helped the study team to expand its ideas on potential project recommendations and understand the types of impacts that these recommendations should seek to address. Meeting participants provided feedback relating to the following areas: • Sustainability: Environmental issues such as clean air and clean water contribute to the participants’ view of livability. Use of renewable energy and plantings also contribute to a livable neighborhood. • Safety: Desire for dedicated space and safer facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. Reducing speeds and traffic calming were factors in livability. • Clean: There was concern over the amount of littering and trash in the streets and public spaces, especially during trash collection. • Connected: Participants noted the desire to maintain | 29

Public Outreach and Engagement | Public Outreach Events

and establish connections for all modes, but especially walking, bicycling, taking public transportation (eastwest movements), and across Rock Creek Park. Connectivity, aside from the physical transportation network, also meant social connectivity through public spaces to meet friends and neighbors. • Diverse: Participants wrote about the desire to maintain diversity in the neighborhood in terms of housing affordability and the variety of family and household types. People mentioned that livability meant children should be able to run freely around the neighborhood without concerns of traffic safety. • Peaceful: Some participants mentioned siren and horn noise. Noise pollution was a major factor for neighborhood satisfaction. In addition, the study held two outreach events at highpriority public spaces in the study area: at the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail station on May 12 and at the 14th and Kennedy Farmers Market on May 14, 2016. The purpose of these events was to bring maps and informational materials into the neighborhoods and allow participants unable to attend the public meeting to share thoughts and offer feedback.

SECOND PUBLIC MEETING AND ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

The second public meeting and set of community workshops shared draft ideas for project recommendations and organized these into corridors in the neighborhoods and types of projects. This included a second public workshop held on June 13, 2016 at the Truesdell Education Campus. The study team presented materials that provided a study overview,

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discussed process and goals, helped illustrate the importance of low-impact development and green infrastructure, summarized public comments from previous feedback activities, discussed Opportunity Areas identified for recommendations, and provided opportunities for public feedback. In addition, draft recommendations were shared at a second round of neighborhood engagement events held on August 13, located at the Petworth Farmers Market and 14th and Kennedy Farmers Market. These used a similar format to the May engagement events, speaking directly with neighborhood residents and sharing printed materials, such as maps and project summaries, to guide conversations and gain feedback. As these public activities began presenting draft ideas for recommendations, much of the discussion focused on how these ideas might be advanced further, with the following among the particular suggestions: • Arkansas Avenue- support for recommendations with desire for green infrastructure, better accessibility, and slowed traffic. Requests for new traffic controls like stop signs at Emerson Street and intersection redesigns at Taylor Street • Grant and Sherman Circles- support for lane reduction with desire for enhanced green space in the National Park Service land • Upshur Street- support with request to consider areas east of Georgia Avenue • 14th/Varnum/Arkansas- participants would like more attention to this intersection to relieve congestion and better guide turning movements • Rock Creek Park- support for Blagden Avenue

| 31

Public Outreach and Engagement | Public Outreach Events

recommendations, but requests for more entry points to the park

THIRD PUBLIC MEETING

The purpose of the final public workshop was to present the final recommendations for improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods of Petworth, Crestwood, Brightwood Park, and 16th Street Heights. The study team presented materials that provided a study overview, summarized public comments from previous feedback activities, discussed final recommendations, included information on project implementation, and provided opportunities for public feedback. The workshop was open-house style with informational boards around the room. The study team demonstrated how the feedback from the preceding meetings and engagement events—as well as findings from the existing conditions and data collection— informed the final recommendations. DDOT gave a brief presentation of the study process, outlined final recommendations, and discussed next steps for short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations. After the presentation, there was a brief question and answer period. However, most of the discussions occurred during the open house session. Feedback from this meeting reflected concerns heard previously in the study, including:

32 |

• Support for many of the recommendations with requests for more detail: Participants requested more detail on some of the project descriptions that were unclear or vague. It was noted to many that some of these projects will be better defined during the design phase. • Need for area-specific outreach as projects advance: Participants requested more area-specific outreach for corridor improvements as the projects advance towards construction. This is especially true for New Hampshire Avenue, Kansas Avenue, and all of the sidewalk recommendations. • Parking Impacts: Many participants expressed general concern over the impacts to parking with the implementation of bicycle and traffic calming facilities. • Request to implement road design that increases adherence to posted speed limits: Participants liked the increased access for people walking and biking on Blagden Avenue, but some wanted other entry points to Rock Creek Park to be better established.

| 33

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS To address these existing conditions, the study recommends a series of physical design projects and more detailed analysis steps to introduce traffic calming measures and enhance the study area’s bicycle and pedestrian environments.

| 35

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | MAJOR PROJECT TYPES

MAJOR PROJECT TYPES The Livability Study’s project recommendations can be described as five major types: Projects at intersections that expand the curb dimensions at intersection corners into the existing street space. This is intended to reduce the footprint of the overall intersection without disrupting vehicle movement, while at the same time reducing the distance that pedestrians have to cross and making them more visible to turning motorists by placing crosswalks in a more immediate location relative to vehicle paths. These projects are among the key opportunities to integrate green infrastructure. Traffic calming, that manages tendency for higher speeds or that helps restrict intersection movements or speed patterns. Most other recommendations by this Study serve dual purpose of traffic calming along with improvements to walking, biking, or other safety or accessibility measures. Individual projects identified in the traffic calming project type have the primary purpose of managing vehicle speeds to improve safety. Traffic calming has typically focused on speed humps, requiring vehicles to slow for vertical deflection off their path. The Livability Study recommends locations with horizontal deflection of vehicle paths as well, intended to discourage the ‘speed-up’ effect that often results from motorists passing over speed humps but sensing no other physical constraints or changes to the roadway. Although a small number of locations were recommended for further study of traffic characteristics to determine if fourway stops or other traffic control methods might be warranted, these are typically applied only when traffic conditions are appropriate as determined by warrant analyses, and are not typically used as a replacement for physical traffic calming. Pedestrian Enhancements that make walking safer and more convenient. This focuses on crossings at intersections and mid-block locations, but also includes additions to sidewalks in some parts of the study area where sidewalks are missing. This also includes recommendations for traffic control warrants, such as pedestrian hybrid beacon (HAWK) crossing signals or rapid flashing beacons that bring traffic to full stops when activated by pedestrians. This also includes formalizing pedestrian paths in places where there is already pedestrian activity. Bicycle System Expansions that extend the current bicycle network. This includes a mix of a variety of bicycle facilities, including bicycle boulevards, bicycle lanes, and contraflow bicycle lanes. In some locations, the type of bicycle facility is not yet known, and would require further study. Green Infrastructure projects have also been identified by the study. There are several standalone green infrastructure projects that do not have an immediate tie to the transportation objectives discussed previously but can still make positive contributions to livability in the Rock 36 |

Creek East II neighborhoods.

PROJECT CODES AND DESCRIPTIONS

Project Code Classifications B

Bicycle Facility. Bike lanes or shared-street/bicycle boulevard treatments. These projects are all on street.

IC

Intersection Signalization/ Traffic Control. Recommended traffic control treatment for pedestrian safety, traffic calming and speed management.

IN

Intersection Enhancement. Physical design treatments to include curb extensions or other features to enhance pedestrian safety and potentially calm traffic at key locations.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS AND EXISTING ON-STREET PARKING

MU

Multi-Use Path. Off-street, non-motorized connection.

It is important to note that intersection curb extension and mid-block traffic calming projects recommended in the study are intended to improve transportation safety. At some curb extension locations, legal parking locations have already been delineated with parking ‘boxes’, or lines marking the pavement where parking is allowed. Curb extensions are not proposed to extend into the current parking area unless there is an opportunity to improve transportation safety. In most cases, it is anticipated that the study recommendations can be implemented without a loss in parking. If implementing a recommendation would result in a loss of parking, the tradeoffs will be clearly communicated with the community.

RD

Lane Repurposing. Repurposing of lanes to allow non-vehicular modes or public realm enhancements within right-of-way.

PC

Pedestrian Crossing. Enhancement or placement of marked crossings.

SI

Signage or Marking Enhancement. Installation or replacement of signage or pavement marking.

SW

Sidewalk Installation. Installation of new sidewalk on streets where they do not currently exist.

TC

Traffic Calming Installation. Using diverters, speed tables, or other treatments to enhance transportation safety. Intended to be distinct from intersection-based treatments.

For purposes of developing and refining the study’s recommendations, projects were assigned a unique code based on its use and to associate into each project type category, a combination of a letter code (detailed in the table to the right) and a unique number. This was for organizational purposes only, and project identification codes and numbers do not suggest any order of preference, timing, or benefit over any others. Some project candidates were eliminated or altered throughout the process and therefore numbers may be skipped. DDOT may choose to use different project numbers in future project development efforts or eliminate these altogether, but they have been used here to refer to how they appear on project maps and other diagrams.

The primary losses of parking associated with recommendations are anticipated to be for the bicycle lanes along Kansas Avenue between Spring Road and Georgia Avenue and for the sidewalk extension along Blagden Avenue, which are discussed in subsequent sections on the bicycle and pedestrian networks.

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PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | MAJOR PROJECT TYPES

Map of All Project Recommendations M IL IT

LN

MU-01

PKY

AV E AS EA VE HIR PS

B-0

8 B-0 IC-04

RD H RC HU

IN PC-02

IN-15

IN-16

QUINCY ST

IN-13

Intersection Enhancement

Bicycle Facility

Existing Bike Lanes

Pedestrian Crossing

Lane Repurposing

Existing Shared-Street Bike Route (sharrows)

Intersection Signalization/ Traffic Control

Sidewalk Installation

Parks

Multi-Use Path

Rock Creek East II Livability Study Area Boundary

Signage or Marking Enhancement Traffic Calming Installation

38 |

SHEPHERD ST RANDOLPH ST

RD-02 .C

-1

1

NS KA AR 14TH ST

TAYLOR ST

S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

B-04

AS

17TH ST

RG A 18TH ST

IN

ST

IC-06

R.C

R TE YL E

2

-0

T

I LD EN

NS

a 05 TC RD

TE R EN

09

D

B-

G A BL

AV E N GD E BL A

SW-03

IN-01/ IN-19

4TH ST

9

-0

IN

UPSHUR ST

SW-04

SW-01

WEBSTER ST 8TH ST

SW-02

IN-17

A W

VARNUM ST

B-07

IO

IN-12

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

CRITTENDEN ST

RD-01 VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

5

SW-05 SI-0 2

EMERSON ST

DECATUR ST

B-05

BUCHANAN ST

IN-18 2a

0

TC

DELAFIELD PL

IN-14

-0

CH EA

B-03

-01

IC

IN-04

IN-08

IN

16TH ST

TC-01

2b

IC-07

IN-10

B-02

-0 TC

IN-06

FARRAGUT ST

PINEY BRANC H

PC-01

15TH ST

04

1

N O RT H C A P ITO L S T

GALLATIN ST

HAMILTO N ST

VE IS A

PC-04

IC-03 TC -

SI-0

NO

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSO N ST

2ND ST

I ILL

TC-03a

7TH ST

8TH ST

TC-05b

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST

TC-03b

9TH ST

W DR

B-10

LONGFELLOW ST

PC-03

KA

IN-03

IN-07

5TH ST

MO R

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

HA M

CO L

MADISON ST

W

MONTAGUE ST

NE

ER

6

ST

RD

AV E

HE

A RY

13TH ST

NC

OR AD O

MA

(refer to detailed map on page 83)

Guide to Project Descriptions in the Report The map on the previous page shows locations of all of the study’s recommended projects. These are discussed in more detail in subsequent sections of the report focused on the five major project themes, and the tables below specify the page on which each project’s description is found. Project ID

Page

Project ID

Page

B-02 B-03 B-04 B-05 B-06 B-07 B-08 B-09 B-10 IC-01 IC-03 IC-04 IC-06 IC-07 IN-01 IN-02 IN-03 IN-04 IN-05 IN-06 IN-07 IN-08 IN-09 IN-10 IN-11 IN-12 IN-13

84 84 84 85 85 86 87 85 87 68 72 72 72 68 42 42 51 44 46 47 52 48 54 54 55 49 56

IN-14 IN-15 IN-16 IN-17 IN-18 IN-19 MU-01 PC-01 PC-02 PC-03 PC-04 RD-01 RD-02 SI-01 SI-02 SW-01 SW-02 SW-03 SW-04 SW-05 TC-01 TC-02 TC-03 TC-04 TC-05

50 58 59 60 61 42 74 75 76 77 77 96 95 84 78 80 79 81 81 81 64 65 66 66 67

| 39

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | Curb Extensions at Intersections

CURB EXTENSIONS AT INTERSECTIONS Throughout the study area, a primary approach to traffic calming and increasing pedestrian safety is to introduce curb extensions at intersections. These projects are intended to serve multiple objectives: they reduce pedestrian crossing distances, especially on longer crossings of diagonal streets; they require vehicles making turns to navigate an intersection more slowly, discouraging cut-through traffic on local streets and the high speeds that non-local traffic may be inclined to take; and, when designed to allow planting of grass, shrubs, or trees, they increase the permeable area at intersections, thus reducing the amount of stormwater runoff that must be processed through the underground storm system. Most of the curb extensions recommended in the study follow designs used in other parts of the District in that they would remove portions of the street and roadway sub-base and allow soils and planting. However, these may also include drainage infrastructure enhancements, such as extension pipes and grates, to combine percolation-based stormwater management approaches with use of the existing system. In general, recommendations have been made based on preserving the existing location of drainage inlet structures, which will greatly control cost of the projects and allow more to be implemented in a shorter amount of time.

Georgia & Webster- Existing

Montreal, Canada - Proposed

40 |

Map of Curb Extension Projects M IL IT

LN

RD

CRITTENDEN ST

EA VE HIR

NE

R TE

RD H

1 -1 IN

AR

BL A

WEBSTER ST 8TH ST

VARNUM ST

IN-17

4TH ST

IN-12

A W

KA

NS

ALLISON ST

IO

17TH ST

AS

BUCHANAN ST

YL E

RG A

IN-14

7TH ST

AV E

DECATUR ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

N

DELAFIELD PL

W

PINEY BRANC H 15TH ST

16TH ST

TE R EN D G A BL

IN-04 IN-08

5

GD E

IN-18 EMERSON ST

-0

B

AV E NS

VE IS A

IN-06

FARRAGUT ST

IN

CH EA

IN

ST

PKY

RC HU

IN-16 QUINCY ST

S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

.C


2

-0

T

I LD EN

IN-15

TAYLOR ST

R.C

9

-0

IN-01/ IN-19

14TH ST

18TH ST

UPSHUR ST

IN

IN-10

HAMILTO N ST


NO

GALLATIN ST

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

I ILL

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSO N ST

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST 9TH ST

W DR

LONGFELLOW ST 5TH ST

MO R

IN-03

IN-07

AS

OR AD

CO L

MADISON ST

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

O

MONTAGUE ST

PS

ER

KA

ST

RD

HA M

HE

A RY

AV E

NC

13TH ST

MA

IN-13

Intersection-Based Curb Extensions

Parks Rock Creek East II Livability Study Area Boundary

| 41

PROJECTS IN-01, IN-02 AND IN-19

ARKANSAS AVENUE: 16TH TO TAYLOR The southern end of Arkansas Avenue features three challenging intersections where traffic operations and pedestrian safety are often in conflict. At Piney Branch Parkway, a curb extension intended to reduce the footprint of the northbound turning traffic from Piney Branch to Arkansas is complemented by a median that would permanently restrict left turns out from Taylor Street to Arkansas Avenue. The recommendations are conceptual, and permanently restricting left turns from Taylor Street to Arkansas would need further analysis to see the impacts on the transportation network and determine the most appropriate treatment. At 16th Street, the study advances a recommendation from the 16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study to extend the southeastern curb and tighten the corner radius so that northbound turning vehicles move more slowly and pose less of a risk to pedestrians crossing Arkansas Avenue.

IN-01 (Arkansas/Piney Branch)

IN-02 (Arkansas/16th)

IN-19 (Arkansas/Taylor)

Location

Arkansas Ave & Piney Branch Pkwy

Arkansas Ave & 16th St

Arkansas Ave & Taylor St

Implementation

Medium Term (2-4 years)



Estimated Project Cost

$33,550

$57,200

$10,500

Right-of-way needed?

No

No

No

Coordination Needs

None outside of DDOT



1 to 2 spaces, based on adding a curb ramp to the west/north side of Arkansas to make this crossing ADA-compliant.

None. All curb extensions are proposed in places where parking is prohibited by signage or through DC Municipal Code restrictions on parking.

None. Median is the center of the roadway; its design should still allow moving traffic to pass by cars.

This project is not specified as having high potential for green infrastructure benefit, although its addition of permeable planted area nonetheless represents potential for reduction of stormwater runoff from streets and paved surfaces.



On-Street Parking Reduction

Green Infrastructure Project

42 |

PROJECT CONCEPTS lor

Tay

IN-19 Extends a median across the Taylor/ Arkansas intersection

IN-01 Adds a curb extension to reduce the turning radius from Piney Branch northbound to Arkansas

ey

Pin

Arkansas

h

nc

Bra

th

16

IN-02 Adds a curb extension to reduce the turning radius from 16th Street northbound to Arkansas; continues previous DDOT design

| 43

PROJECT IN-04

ARKANSAS/EMERSON CURB EXTENSIONS Throughout the Livability Study’s public outreach process, Arkansas Avenue was repeatedly mentioned as a street carrying cut-through traffic at speeds not appropriate with the neighborhood context. Many neighborhood residents and meeting participants also noted that Emerson Street has carried increasing volumes in recent years, though data was not available to confirm this. This recommendation adds curb extensions at all four corners of this intersection to reduce its footprint, shorten pedestrian crossings, and manage the speeds of turning vehicles (especially from Arkansas Avenue). The project is an opportunity to introduce green infrastructure, not only in the curb extensions themselves, but also through removal of impervious surface areas.

Implementation Timeline



$208,500


No

Coordination Needs





Yes. The project recommendation installs bioretention islands for the curb extensions and removes existing areas of impervious surface.

44 |

Arkansas/Emerson: Existing Intersection and Proposed Concept Existing (right): current intersection, with stormwater drainage inlets located near existing crosswalks. Proposed (below): curb extensions narrow the crossing distance on each of these streets, with drainage inlets potentially left in place with bioretention installation holding some stormwater before it enters into the underground stormwater system.

| 45

AV E

LN

DELAFIELD PL

NE W

EN D

TE

R

BL

A

G

CRITTENDEN ST

AS NS KA

RG A

AV E N

ALLISON ST

AR

BL A

14TH ST

16TH ST

18TH ST

8TH ST

46 |

TAYLOR ST SHEPHERD ST




$126,500

S PR IN G Right-of-way needed?

PKY

UPSHUR ST

RANDOLPH ST

R D No

QUINCY ST

Coordination Needs



None. All curb extensions are proposed in places where parking is prohibited by signage or through DC Municipal Code restrictions on parking..



4TH ST

A W

GD E

17TH ST

YL E

BUCHANAN ST

IO

T

ST

H

DECATUR ST

7TH ST

CH EA

H EY BRANC PIN

KA

RD

EMERSON S

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

FARRAGUT ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

GALLATIN ST

VARNUM ST

I LD EN

HAMILTON ST

VE IS A

This recommendation adds curb extensions at all four corners of this intersection to reduce its footprint, shorten pedestrian crossings, and manage the speeds of turning vehicles (especially from Arkansas Avenue).

7TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

8TH ST

IN O ILL

ARKANSAS/BUCHANAN CURB EXTENSIONS

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST 9TH ST

PROJECT IN-05

W DR

5TH ST

MO R

RO

LONG FELLOW ST

NS A

CO LO R

MADISON ST

MIS SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

M IL IT MA

RD

PROJECT IN-06

ARKANSAS/GEORGIA CURB EXTENSIONS LN

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

LONG FELLOW ST

KENNEDY ST

KA

NO VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

FARRAGUT ST

NE

R TE

AS NS KA

R RC

UPSHUR ST

.C

HU

No

R.C

TAYLOR ST 14TH ST

16TH ST

H

AR

17TH ST

YL E

RG 18TH ST

HA M W

EN D

A

AV E N GD E

PKY

4TH ST

H EY BRANC PIN

8TH ST

T

S PR IN G R D


A W

$145,000



WEBSTER ST


Project

Coordination Needs

IO

BL A

ALLISON ST


7TH ST

B

BL

A

G

CRITTENDEN ST

Cost

ST

PS

DECATUR ST

BUCHANAN ST

Estimated VARNUM ST

I LD EN

HIR

DELAFIELD PL

EA VE

EMERSON ST

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

CH EA

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

I ILL

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

5TH ST

MO R

This recommendation adds curb extensions into the RO W DR Arkansas Avenue sides of this intersection to reduce its footprint, shorten pedestrian crossings, and manage the speeds of turning vehicles (especially from Georgia Avenue). It also realigns the intersection to form more of a right angle to reduce southbound right-turn speeds.

MIS SO UR I AV E

AV E

ER

NS AS

ST

AV E

HE

13TH ST

NC

A RY

None outside of DDOT SHEPHERD ST

None. All curb extensions are proposed in places where RANDOLPH ST parking is prohibited by signage or through DC Municipal Code restrictions on parking. QUINCY ST


| 47

13TH

CO L

KENNEDY ST

KA

7TH ST

INO ILL

ARKANSAS/DECATUR/DELAFIELD/13TH CURB EXTENSIONS INGRAHAM ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

PROJECT IN-08

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

W DR


MO R

RO

VE

VE IS A

HAMI LTON ST

PINEY BRANC H

EMERSO

DELAFIELD PL DECATUR ST

CRITTENDEN ST

N

R TE

AS

17TH ST

YL E

NS KA AR

RG A

AV E

N

BL A

16TH ST

14TH ST

18TH ST

TAYLOR ST SHEPHERD ST RANDOLPH ST


48 |

PKY


No

Coordination Needs


QUINCY ST





4TH ST

UPSHUR ST

S PR IN G R D Estimated Project $103,650 Cost

H EY BRANC PIN

8TH ST


AVE

ST

E AV

T

N

A W

VARNUM ST

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

IO

GD E

BUCHANAN ST

GIA GEOR

B

BL

A

G

Currently, Decatur between Arkansas and 13th only CH EA allows eastbound traffic and functions largely as a northbound right-turn lane for Arkansas to 13th. This preserves that movement, but controls how vehicles can turn and reinforces the restriction on Decatur Street westbound traffic from crossing over 13th— this is prohibited by signage today. I LD E

FARRAGUT ST

15TH ST

TE R EN

D

This project adds curb extensions at corners and narrows the width of Decatur Street between Arkansas Avenue and 13th Street.

RD

GALLATIN ST

PROJECT IN-12

sas an Ark

PROJECT CONCEPT

14th

ARKANSAS/VARNUM/14TH CURB EXTENSIONS

Curb extensions to slow rightturning vehicles and shorten pedestrian crossing distances

Curb extensions to slow right-turning vehicles and shorten pedestrian crossing distances New crosswalk taking advantage of curb extension

Varnum

Curb extension narrows Varnum between Arkansas and 14th to control speed and behavior of turning vehicles

14th

Ark

an

sas

Channelizer island allows traffic to enter Varnum but requires exiting traffic to turn right




$171,500


No

Coordination Needs






This project adds curb extensions at corners and narrows the width of Varnum Street between Arkansas Avenue and 14th Street. It also adds a channelizing island, which may be constructed simply with paint and flex posts or may be a full raised curb extension, to require eastbound traffic on Varnum to turn right on Arkansas and not enter the intersection as 14th Street and Arkansas traffic are passing through it. Currently, Varnum between Arkansas and 14th only allows eastbound traffic and functions largely as a northbound right-turn lane for Arkansas to 14th. However, few vehicles make this movement, and fewer than 30 in each peak hour attempt to make this movement from Varnum to 14th. Reducing the width of Varnum here allows addition of a crosswalk across 14th, shown in the diagram here as aligned to avoid existing drainage inlets on the east side of 14th.

| 49

KENNEDY ST

RD PINEY BRANC H


EN

15TH ST

TE R

EMERSO

CRITTENDEN ST

TE

R

BL

AV E AS 14TH ST

16TH ST

KA

NS

RG A

AV E N GD E BL A

18TH ST

AR



No

Coordination Needs


RANDOLPH ST

QUINCY ST





VE IS A

SHEPHERD ST

NO

TAYLOR ST

Estimated Project S PR IN G $46,500 RD Cost PKY

4TH ST

UPSHUR ST

I ILL

ST

H EY BRANC PIN

50 |

SW-04

T

I LD EN

SW-03Implementation Timeline

8TH ST

E

E AV

IA AV

A W

VARNUM ST

ALLISON ST

IO

SW-05

17TH ST 17TH ST

YL E

BUCHANAN ST 7TH ST

CH EA

G GEOR

B

HAMI LTON ST

FAR

A

G

D

At the intersection of Arkansas and Iowa Avenues, curb extensions are recommended, primarily along Arkansas Avenue, to reduce speeds and crossing distances.

KA

INGRAHAM ST

7TH ST

ARKANSAS/IOWA CURB EXTENSIONS

8TH ST

9TH ST

PROJECT IN-14

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

W DR


MO R

RO

SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

OR A

CO L

MADISON ST

PROJECT IN-03

COLORADO/KENNEDY/14TH INTERSECTION REDESIGN o Co lor ad

14th

Curb extensions to slow rightturning vehicles and shorten pedestrian crossing distances. Removing the slip lane improves pedestrian safety.

PROJECT CONCEPT

Kennedy

Extending southbound Colorado lane to intersection allows all approaching vehicles to see pedestrians in crosswalks

Realignment of southern Colorado approach adds green space, with potential for green infrastructure treatment

One of Colorado Avenue’s major recommended changes is in intersection enhancements at the 14th and Kennedy Street intersection. Today, Colorado Avenue intersects with these streets in complex angles, with the current southbound lane on Colorado Avenue’s northern leg diverted to a 90-degree intersection with 14th Street. This requires 14th Street traffic to stop north of this intersection, increasing the footprint of the intersection and keeping vehicles from seeing where pedestrians may enter. By allowing the southbound movement to move through the intersection, all traffic is brought closer to pedestrian crossings so that potential conflicts may be observed. This project also realigns the southern leg of Colorado such that the southbound lane intersects at more of a right angle with 14th Street.

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX,


Long Term (4-8 years)


$232,000


No

Coordination Needs

Neighborhood business owners and stakeholder organizations, as the current design may affect loading for businesses on Colorado; DC Office of Planning for design of the public plaza space.


1 to 2 spaces, based on realignment of the north leg of Colorado approaching the intersection..



This intersection serves as a node for neighborhood-serving retail, and is the location of the 14th and Kennedy Farmers Market. This recommendation would advance in a way that would continue to accommodate the market. DDOT could explore ways to enhance the market while also creating safer crossings for pedestrians.

| 51

PROJECT IN-07

GEORGIA/ILLINOIS/LONGFELLOW INTERSECTION REDESIGN The intersection of Georgia and Illinois Avenues at Longfellow Street is a complex design in which Illinois intersects with Georgia Avenue, but also allows northbound right-turn access to Longfellow Street.

Space transferred from street to open space adds to permeable area

Intersection of Illinois and Georgia realigned to be farther from Longfellow (and align with midblock alley west of Georgia)

ois

52 |

Longfellow

Illin

The recommendation for this project is to realign the Illinois Avenue approach to tie into Georgia Avenue to the south of its current location and to close the northbound slip lane to Longfellow, converting this to a mountable hard surface that allows service vehicles to park and use the space but does not allow general purpose traffic to pass through it.

Slip lane converted to mountable surface that can be used by service vehicles

Georgia

This intersection represents one of the highest concentrations of bicycle and pedestrian crashes in the entire study area, and the close proximity of the Illinois Avenue approach to the Georgia/Longfellow intersection suggests that many motorists make turns from Georgia to Illinois (and vice versa) without full attention to pedestrian movements.

PROJECT CONCEPT

PROJECT DETAILS Implementation Timeline



$235,000


No

Coordination Needs

Adjacent property owners, neighborhood service providers (e.g. waste and recycling pickup)


Up to two spaces along Illinois Avenue’s eastern side. Parking is not currently allowed on the northbound slip lane; the only spaces lost would be due to relocating the westward curve of Illinois.



Georgia/Illinois/ Longfellow: Existing Intersection and Proposed Concept Existing (right): the current design follows Illinois Avenue’s historic alignment but diverts northbound traffic between Georgia and Longfellow. Proposed (below): the slip lane is converted to a mountable space that can be used by service vehicles but that still contributes to overall public space enhancements at the intersection.

| 53

PROJECT IN-09

UPSHUR/ARGYLE/MATHEWSON CURB EXTENSIONS Several projects have been recommended in the Livability Study for improving access to Rock Creek Park, and this project would enhance the fiveleg intersection of Upshur Street, Argyle Terrace, and Mathewson Drive to improve pedestrian safety and extend curbs at select corners to shorten crossing distances.



Estimated Project Cost $44,550 Right-of-way needed?

No

Coordination Needs






PROJECT IN-10

NEW HAMPSHIRE/1ST/HAMILTON CURB EXTENSIONS This project is one of three curb extension projects along New Hampshire Avenue intended to manage speeds along the corridor through physical narrowing of the roadway and to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and improve safety.

54 |


Long-Term (4-8 years)


$44,550


No

Coordination Needs






AV E

PROJECT IN-11

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

JEFFERSON ST

NS AS

KENNEDY ST

4TH ST

W DR

LONG FELLOW ST 5TH ST

MO R

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

CO LO R

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

KA

IOWA/ALLISON CURB EXTENSIONS INGRAHAM ST

EN

D

G

R TE

BUCHANAN ST

14TH ST

QUINCY ST

S PR IN G R D Implementation Timeline



$103,000


No

Coordination Needs


RD CH UR CH C.

AS NS KA AR

VE IS A

SHEPHERD ST

NO

TAYLOR ST

I ILL

16TH ST

AV E

BL A

UPSHUR ST

3RD ST

8TH ST

4TH ST

A W

18TH ST

WEBSTER ST

R.

RG

A

AV E

N

17TH ST

IO

GD E

ALLISON ST

7TH ST

B

YL E

BL

A

CRITTENDEN ST

RANDOLPH ST

PKY

PS H

DECATUR ST

ST

H EY BRANC PIN

HA M

DELAFIELD PL

T

I LD EN

NE W

EMERSON ST

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

FARRAG UT ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

Both Iowa Avenue and Allison Street currently feature bioretention-based curb extensions at their intersection, specifically on the eastern (Allison) and southern (Iowa) legs. ACH This Eproject would add to these on other legs of the intersection, potentially expanding the bulbout VARNUM ST curb extensions (which left existing drainage inlets in place) with full extensions around corners.

RD

GALLATIN ST

IR

HAMILTON ST





| 55

PROJECT IN-13

Unlike many of the study area’s multi-leg intersections around a triangle of open space, Kansas Avenue ends at Spring Road in a T-intersection and does not continue to the south. This points to limited utility of that leg of the intersection and an opportunity to eliminate pedestrian crossing conflict on one side of it. The project recommends eliminating the leg of Kansas Avenue between 13th Street and Spring Road to enhance safety, simplify traffic flow, and implement green infrastructure. That leg currently provides driveway access to a single residential parcel, and this access is proposed to be relocated to Spring Road or to the alley intersecting 13th Street at the Kansas Avenue intersection. Further design of this recommendation will include alley and garage access analysis.

56 |

nsa Ka

13th

PROJECT CONCEPT South leg of Kansas between 13th and Spring Road closed; roadway converted to permeable green space

Quebec Southbound outer lane, currently closed to traffic and marked with hatch-striping, reused to process southbound right turn lanes formerly using Kansas Driv e Sid way ewa lk

This project focuses on streamlining a complex intersection design and taking advantage of reclaimed space to add to pervious surface area.

s

KANSAS/SPRING/13TH INTERSECTION REDESIGN

Sprin

g

Driveway access preserved by way of Spring (as shown) or alley to the north




$425,000


No

Coordination Needs

Property owner with affected driveway; DC Water for potential green infrastructure coordination.





Kansas/Spring/13th: Existing Intersection and Proposed Concept Existing (right): current intersection, with existing south leg of Kansas between Spring and 13th. Proposed (below): South leg of Kansas closed, with outer southbound lane of 13th used to carry its traffic capacity. Driveway access to private property currently accessed from this leg of Kansas is transferred either to Spring (as shown) or to the alley to the north.

| 57

AV E NS KA

2ND ST

7TH ST


PROJECT IN-15

8TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

AS

KENNEDY ST

4TH ST

W DR

5TH ST

OR

HAMILTON ST

ROCK CREEK CHURCH/SHEPHERD/3RD CURB EXTENSIONS

PS HIR E


15TH ST

AV E

EMERSON ST

Rock Creek Church Road features some of the highest speeds in the study area, BUCHANAN ST and its climbing grade ALLISON ST toward the east of the study area adds to the visibility challenges already VARNUM ST presented by complex intersection geometries. UPSHUR ST

TE R

W

CRITTENDEN ST

14TH ST

RD CH UR CH C. R.

SAS

AR KA N

17TH ST

A

16TH ST

3RD ST

VE IS A

SHEPHERD ST

NO

TAYLOR ST

I ILL

This project may include full closure of the southernmost leg of 3rd Street between Shepherd Street and Rock Creek Church Road.

4TH ST

8TH ST

18TH ST

7TH ST

E IA AV E AV

UPSHUR ST

R ST

TAYLO This is one of two SHEPHERD ST recommendations for curb extensions along the north/ RANDOLPH ST west side of the street to S PR IN G R D crossing reduce pedestrian distances and control speeds of passing and turning traffic. Curb extensions are not recommended on the south/ east side of the street due to the eastbound/northbound bicycle lane that the street carries.

58 |

WEBSTER ST

A W

PKY

G GEOR

RG

YL E

TE

R

NE

EN D G A BL

FARRAGUT ST

HA M

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

IO

RANCH

RO

RANDOLPH ST

QUINCY ST




$40,800


No

Coordination Needs






AV E NS KA

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

AS

KENNEDY ST

4TH ST

W DR

5TH ST

OR


HAMILTON ST

PROJECT IN-16

ROCK CREEK CHURCH/ILLINOIS/RANDOLPH CURB EXTENSIONS PS HIR E


15TH ST

AV E

EMERSON ST

Rock Creek Church Road features some of the highest speeds in the study area, BUCHANAN ST and its climbing grade ALLISON ST toward the east of the study area adds to the visibility challenges already VARNUM ST presented by complex intersection geometries. UPSHUR ST

TE R

W

CRITTENDEN ST

RD CH UR CH C. R.

SAS

A

17TH ST

AR KA N

14TH ST

VE IS A

16TH ST

NO

Designs are intended to control Rock Creek Church speeds and reduce pedestrian crossing distances but not impact bus operations on the street.

SHEPHERD ST

I ILL

TAYLOR ST

3RD ST

UPSHUR ST

R ST

TAYLO This is one of two SHEPHERD ST recommendations for curb extensions along the north/ RANDOLPH ST west side of the street to S PR IN G R D crossing reduce pedestrian distances and control speeds of passing and turning traffic. Curb extensions are not recommended on the south/ east side of the street due to the eastbound/northbound bicycle lane that the street carries.

4TH ST

8TH ST

18TH ST

7TH ST

E IA AV E AV

WEBSTER ST

A W

PKY

G GEOR

RG

YL E

TE

R

NE

EN D G A BL

FARRAGUT ST

HA M

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

IO

RANCH

RO

RANDOLPH ST

QUINCY ST




$40,800


No

Coordination Needs






| 59

13TH ST

NS KA

2ND ST

7TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

NEW HAMPSHIRE/ALLISON CURB EXTENSIONS HAMILTON ST

RD

GALLATIN ST

AV E

PS HIR E

DELAFIELD PL

HA M

DECATUR ST

R

W

CRITTENDEN ST

NE

PINEY BRANC H

EMERSON ST

15TH ST

TE R

EN D G

BUCHANAN ST

RANDOLPH ST

RANDOLPH ST

RD CH UR CH C. R.

AS

16TH ST

14TH ST

SHEPHERD ST

VE IS A

SHEPHERD ST

NO

TAYLOR ST

3RD ST

UPSHUR ST

I ILL

18TH ST

WEBSTER ST 4TH ST

AR KA

NS

17TH ST

A

E

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

8TH ST

E

E AV

IA AV

A W

60 |

IO

S PR IN G R D

PKY

G GEOR

RG

YL E

TE

A BL

FARRAGUT ST

New Hampshire Avenue features some of the highest observed speeds in the study area, and over half of vehicles counted along the corridor were traveling BUCHANAN ST 5 miles per hour or greater ST limit. over the postedALLISON speed Introducing constraints at key intersections will help VARNUM ST to control speeds along the UPSHUR ST corridor and improve safety for pedestrians. TAYLOR ST


PROJECT IN-17

JEFFERSON ST

AV E

A

KENNEDY ST

AS

W DR

LONG FELLOW ST

4TH ST

RO

SO UR I AV E

5TH ST

MO R

Y BRANCH

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

QUINCY ST




$48,300


No

Coordination Needs






HE

ST

ER

RD

LN

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

NEW HAMPSHIRE/FARRAGUT CURB EXTENSIONS AV E

AS NS KA

EMERSON ST

RANDOLPH ST


Medium Term (2-4 years) SHEPHERD ST


RANDOLPH ST $81,100

Right-of-way QUINCY ST needed?

No

Coordination Needs


RD CH UR

VE IS A

SHEPHERD ST

CH

TAYLOR ST

C.

NS KA AR TAYLOR ST

NO

UPSHUR ST

I ILL

UPSHUR ST

3RD ST

4TH ST

8TH ST

14TH ST

WEBSTER ST

A W

16TH ST

ALLISON ST

R.

AS

17TH ST

YL E RG

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

A

NE

R TE

BUCHANAN ST

IO

18TH ST

HA M W

EN D G

CRITTENDEN ST

A BL

PS HIR E

DELAFIELD PL

AV E

FARRAG UT ST

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

DECATUR ST

VARNUM ST

PKY


HAMILTON ST

BUCHANAN ST

S PR IN G R D

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

This project is anotherINGRAHAM ST location where an east-west street with propensity for GALLATIN ST cut-through traffic intersects FARRAGUT ST with New Hampshire Avenue immediately adjacent to another intersection.

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST

9TH ST

W DR

PROJECT IN-18

LONG FELLOW ST

5TH ST

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

NC

A RY

AV E

MA

MO R

RANCH

M IL IT





| 61

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | Traffic Calming

TRAFFIC CALMING While the other recommendations in the Study serve multiple purposes which include traffic calming, the recommendations listed in this project type serve the primary purpose of managing vehicle speeds to enhance safety. In addition to the natural traffic calming that the intersection curb extension projects offer, several locations throughout the study area are recommended for mid-block traffic calming and intersection-located treatments not based on corner curb extensions, both intended to manage vehicle speeds. These recommendations call for traffic calming installations that go beyond speed humps that have typically been used throughout the District; they introduce islands and diverters that slow traffic movements by requiring vehicles to shift their paths.

Example: Traffic Diverters

Example: Slow Zones

Photo: Portland DOT

62 |

Photo: streetsblog.org

Map of Traffic Calming Projects M IL IT

LN

VE IS A

AV E AS NS

R TE

EA VE

RD PINEY BRANC H

CRITTENDEN ST

RD-01

AR

PS

4TH ST

8TH ST

VARNUM ST

RD-02

RC HU .C

18TH ST

UPSHUR ST

14TH ST

R.C


T

I LD EN

RD

NS KA

WEBSTER ST

H

AS

17TH ST

ALLISON ST

A W

2

EMERSON ST

DECATUR ST

IO

SI-0

a

02

TC

DELAFIELD PL

BUCHANAN ST

YL E

A

RG

GD B EN L A G AV D E N E BL A

IC

7TH ST

CH EA

-01

-07

IC

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

TE R

TC

16TH ST

-01

FARRAGUT ST

15TH ST

04

KA HAMILTO N ST

2b

-0 TC

GALLATIN ST

TC -


NO

b

JEFFERSO N ST

2ND ST

I ILL

INGRAHAM ST

TC-03a

05

8TH ST

TC -

7TH ST

a

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST

05

TC-03b

9TH ST

W DR


MO R

TC -

HIR

OR AD

CO L

MADISON ST

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

O

MONTAGUE ST

HA M

ER

W

ST

RD

NE

HE

A RY

AV E

NC

13TH ST

MA

ST S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

QUINCY ST

PKY

Street/Lane Repurposing Traffic Control Modifications Signage or Pavement Marking


Mid-block Traffic Calming

| 63

ER

LN

AV E

ST

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

MO R

RO

PROJECT TC-01

W DR

MIS S 13TH ST

HE

LONG FELLOW ST

KENNEDY ST 7TH ST

FARRAGUT ST

DELAFIELD PL

R TE

AS

17TH ST

YL E

BUCHANAN ST

KA

NS

ALLISON ST

IO

Right-of-way H EY BRANC PIN needed? Coordination Needs On-Street Parking Reduction


S PR IN G R D

AV E

SHEPHERD ST

AS

$87,300

NS


13TH ST


TAYLOR ST

RANDOLPH ST

KA

T


UPSHUR ST

14TH ST

18TH ST

UPSHUR ST

16TH ST

VARNUM ST

QUINCY ST

PKY

No None outside of DDOT None. All installations are proposed in places where parking is prohibited by signage or through DC Municipal Code restrictions on parking; traffic calming islands should be designed to a width that allows vehicles to pass by them even with parallel-parked cars along the adjacent curb. No

8TH ST

E AV

AR

A W

BL A

GD E

A

N

RG

AV E

CH EA

7TH ST

B

BL

A

G

D

EN

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

This traffic calming recommendation would introduce splitter islands on the north and south approaches to 17th Street, I LD EN ST where Blagden Avenue traffic is controlled by an all-way stop, but would also include an island south of the intersection with Decatur Street, where Blagden is not controlled.

64 |

J

VE IS A

AVE

As part of a series of project recommendations for Blagden Avenue between 16th Street and the entrance to Rock Creek Park, this project would introduce traffic calming at or around the intersection of Decatur Street. Neighborhood concerns over Blagden include the high speeds at which some motorists travel through the corridor.

INO ILL

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

BLAGDEN AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING

M IL IT

PROJECTS TC-02a and TC-02b

RD

ILLINOIS AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING

HE

ST

ER

LN

AV E

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

MIS SO UR I AV E LONG FELLOW ST

KENNEDY ST

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

AVE

VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

FARRAGUT ST

W

EN

D

NE

R

TE

RD

NS

RANDOLPH ST type of treatment used, there may be a Depending on the loss of some on-street parking spaces. QUINCY ST

S PR IN G R D


H

AV E

AS

SHEPHERD None outside ofSTDDOT

KA

13TH ST


RC

AR

16TH ST

Coordination Needs

TAYLOR ST

HU

No

UPSHUR ST

.C


R.C

AS NS KA

$74,100

WEBSTER ST 4TH ST

18TH ST


8TH ST

E PIN

Medium Term (2-4 years) E AV

ST


14TH ST

A

17TH ST

YL E

RG

AV E

N

GD E

ALLISON ST

A W

BL A

BUCHANAN ST 7TH ST

B

BL

A

G

CRITTENDEN ST

PS

DECATUR ST

IO

T

I LD EN

HIR

DELAFIELD PL

EA VE

EMERSON ST

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

VARNUM ST

Narrower streets that do not readily allow thisUPSHUR kindST of treatment because of insufficient room for vehicle passing are often treated with speed humps, which often cause motorists simply to speed up after crossing them. Y BRANCH PKY


INO ILL

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

5TH ST

MO R

Due to Illinois Avenue’s high crash rate per traffic RO W DR volume, recommendations focus on safety. Traffic calming installations are recommended between Gallatin and Farragut Streets and Emerson and Decatur Street, although due to Illinois Avenue’s curb-to-curb width, there is opportunity along this section of the corridor to introduce diverter islands that reduce the width of lanes but still allow vehicles to pass adjacent CH EA to on-street parking. Other possible treatments are speed tables and chicanes.

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

HA M

NC

A RY

13TH ST

MA

No

| 65

PROJECTS TC-03a, TC-03b and TC-04

COLORADO AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING M IL IT

ST

ER

LN

AV E

HE

RD

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

KENNEDY ST 7TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

INO ILL

GEORGIA

JEFFERSON S

HAMILTON

AVE

VE IS A

This recommendation will be further refined in the design phase, which will determine the type of installation to move forward, the potential for including green infrastructure treatments, and the impacts on curbside parking.

W DR


MO R

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

8TH ST

TC-03a and TC-03b: Between 14th and 16th Streets, mid-block traffic calming installations such as speed tables, islands, medians, or chicanes are recommended.

NC

A RY

13TH ST

MA

FARRAGUT ST

DELAFIELD PL

D

CRITT

R TE

Green

PKY Y BRANCH Infrastructure E PIN

AS

NS KA AR

TAYLOR ST

AV E

None outside of DDOT 13TH ST

SHEPHERD ST

One to two spaces.

Yes. The project recommendation involves traffic calming that could include bioretention, though these would come with a tradeoff of 1 to 2 curbside parking spaces per side of the street.

Yes. The project recommendation could include bioretention.

AS

Depending on the type of treatment used, there may be a loss of some on-street S PR IN G R D parking spaces.

NS

18TH ST


UPSHUR ST

No

RANDOLPH ST

KA

T


No

16TH ST

BL A

Coordination Needs

UPSHUR ST

E AV


$41,000

14TH ST

A

GD E

17TH ST

YL E RG

AV E N

B

VARNUM ST $54,500

QUINCY ST

8TH ST


Medium Term (2-4 years) A W


TC-04 (Colorado at 17th)

7TH ST

ALLISON ST


Project

66 |

ST TC-03aBUCHANAN and TC-03b (Between 14th and 16th)

IO

TC-04: A semi-diverter for H traffic is added at ColoradoEAC Avenue and 17th Street, and this should incorporate green infrastructure treatment to allow bioretention. This serves to direct through traffic to Blagden Avenue—preventing motorists from using Colorado Avenue in aI LDfutile EN ST attempt to reach Rock Creek Park—while still allowing access for residents.

BL

A

G

D

EN

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

M IL IT MA

NC

A RY

RD

PROJECTS TC-05a and TC-05b

JEFFERSON STREET TRAFFIC CALMING ER

LN

W DR

LONG FELLOW ST

OR

KENNEDY ST

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

INO ILL

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

5TH ST

MO R

HAMILTON ST

VE IS A

AVE

FARRAGUT ST

PS

CRITTENDEN ST

W

D

EN

15TH ST

DECATUR ST

NE

R TE

H EY BRANC PIN

AS NS KA

RD H RC HU .C

No AV E

13TH ST

R.C


NS

AS


RANDOLPH ST


Depending on the type of treatment used, there may be a loss of some on-street spaces. QUINCYparking ST



S PR IN G R D

PKY

UPSHUR ST

KA

ST

14TH ST

16TH ST

18TH ST

T

I LD EN

4TH ST

Coordination Needs

$50,000

8TH ST


E AV


Estimated Project UPSHUR STCost

WEBSTER ST

A W

Implementation Timeline VARNUM ST

AR

17TH ST

RG

YL E

ALLISON ST

IO

BL A

GD E

A

N

B

BUCHANAN ST 7TH ST

AV E

BL

A

G

HIR

DELAFIELD PL

EA VE

EMERSON ST

HA M

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

TE R

Due to traffic calming installations on adjacent Ingraham and Hamilton Streets, Jefferson Street residents have noted an increase in speed and volume of traffic, especially between 13th and 14th Streets. The Livability Study recommends further data collection and study of this street to determine the type of traffic calming installation which would move forward. The study recommends CH two sets EA of traffic calming devices.

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

13TH ST

ST

AV E

HE

| 67

M IL IT

TRAFFIC CONTROL MODIFICATIONS LN

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

NS KA

RD PINEY BRANC H

EA VE HIR

W NE

TE

WEBSTER ST

14TH ST

Estimated Project Cost (if projects were SHEPHERD ST $1,500 implemented)

RD H RC

Short Term (1-2 years)

HU

AR TAYLOR ST


8TH ST


4TH ST

IC-07 (Emerson/ Arkansas)

IC-01 (Emerson/Illinois)

.C

KA

NS

ALLISON ST

R.C

AS

17TH ST

BUCHANAN ST

A W

18TH ST

PS

15TH ST

16TH ST

CRITTENDEN ST

R

TE R

YL E

A

RG

GD B EN L A G AV D E N E

DECATUR ST

7TH ST

BL A

DELAFIELD PL

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

EMERSON ST

IO

T

PKY

2ND ST

VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

FARRAGUT ST

RANDOLPH ST

ST

4TH ST

7TH ST

JEFFERSON ST

GALLATIN ST

UPSHUR ST

H EY BRANC PIN

8TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

VARNUM ST

I LD EN

5TH ST

KENNEDY ST

INO ILL

At both intersections, the Study recommends to study traffic control; explore intersection treatments if control not warranted that reduce pedestrian crossing CH distance and increase sight EA distance.

MIS SO UR I AV E LONG FELLOW ST

MO R

The Livability Study identified several locations RO W DR where traffic control might be considered to introduce four-way stops (and slow traffic passing along a corridor) or to add new signal-protected crossings.

13TH ST

ER

AV E

ST

AV E

HE

RD

AS

NC

A RY

HA M

PROJECTS IC-01 AND IC-07

MA

$1,500


No

No

Coordination S PR IN G R D Needs

NoneQUINCY outside ST of DDOT.

None outside of DDOT.


None

None


No

No

Street/Lane Repurposing Traffic Control Modifications 68 |

Signage or Pavement Marking Mid-block Traffic Calming

Parks

Rock Creek East II Livability Study Ar Boundary

PROJECTS RD-01 & RD-02

GRANT AND SHERMAN CIRCLE LANE REPURPOSING Grant and Sherman Circles currently carry traffic volumes that would be sufficiently served with one travel lane in each. The secondary travel lane in each would be repurposed to contain a bicycle facility and curb extensions. To see these projects in detail, see pages 9597.

PROJECT SI-02

BLAGDEN AVENUE SLOW ZONE Tthe Study recommends the implementation of a neighborhood slow zone in the area, based on policies set forth by DC’s Vision Zero initiative, implemented along Blagden Avenue to emphasize neighborhood speeds. To see this project in more detail, see page 78.

| 69

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS

PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS The Livability Study has approached pedestrian enhancements through a variety of physical design treatments and potential traffic control solutions. Together, these would reduce crossing distances and introduce new crossings at a series of locations throughout the study area. While many of the recommendations discussed previously will also improve pedestrian safety, the Livability Study explored locations where traffic control or simple crosswalk enhancements (such as restriping or realignment) might be effective and most appropriate. These projects also involve a set of sidewalk installation projects in Crestwood. The Livability Study recommends these new sidewalks as strategic links in the pedestrian network, providing access to Rock Creek Park, and at locations near pedestrian generators.

Example: Raised Crosswalk

70 |

Example: Proposed New Sidewalk

Map of Pedestrian Enhancement Projects M IL IT

LN

2ND ST

7TH ST


NO

HAMILTO N ST

VE IS A

PC-04

IC-03

8TH ST

9TH ST

I ILL

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSO N ST

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST

5TH ST

MO R

W DR

LONGFELLOW ST

PC-03

AV E

OR AD

CO L

MADISON ST

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

O

MONTAGUE ST

AS

ER

NS

ST

RD

KA

HE

A RY

AV E

NC

13TH ST

MA

RD

GALLATIN ST

PINEY BRANC H

TE

R

14TH ST

S PR IN G R D

EA VE RD RC R.C

18TH ST

T

MU-01 ST

H EY BRANC PIN

HU

NS KA AR

BL A

SW-03

IC-06

TAYLOR ST

SW-04

SW-01

HIR

H

8TH ST

UPSHUR ST

SW-02

4TH ST

A W

VARNUM ST

I LD EN

WEBSTER ST

.C

AS

17TH ST

ALLISON ST

IO

SW-05

PS

NE

W

CRITTENDEN ST

HA M

15TH ST

DECATUR ST

BUCHANAN ST

YL E

RG A

AV E N

EMERSON ST

DELAFIELD PL

7TH ST

CH EA

GD E

FARRAGUT ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

BL

A

G

D

EN

TE R

16TH ST

PC-01


PC-02

IC-04 QUINCY ST

PKY

Intersection-Based Curb Extensions

Bicycle Route

Existing Bike Lanes

Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements

Street/Lane Repurposing


Traffic Control Modifications

Sidewalk Installation

Parks

Off-Street Multi-Use Path

Rock Creek East II Livability Study Area Boundary

Signage or Pavement Marking

(refer to Bicycle System display for specific types)

Mid-block Traffic Calming

| 71

PROJECTS IC-03, IC-04, AND IC-06

TRAFFIC CONTROL ENHANCEMENTS

AV E AS

R TE

AS

QUINCY ST

S PR IN G R D

H

RD

EA VE

HU .C

HIR PS HA M

SHEPHERD ST

RANDOLPH ST

IC-04 QUINCY ST

NE W

W

IC-04

IC-06

R.C

EA VE

TAYLOR ST

RC

UPSHUR ST

IC-06

HA M

16TH ST

18TH ST

14TH ST

TAYLOR ST

NS KA

AR

AR UPSHUR ST

WEBSTER ST 8TH ST

VARNUM ST

HIR

17TH ST

YL E RG A

AS KA

N

NS

AV E

B

GD E

ALLISON ST

4TH ST

BL A

BUCHANAN ST

A W

16TH ST

CRITTENDEN

IO

17TH ST

CRITTENDEN ST

A BL

R

TE

YL E

RG

DECATUR

7TH ST

A

NS

RD EN D G

EN

D

G

A

BL

DECATUR ST

8TH ST

18TH ST

EM

DELAFIELD PL

15TH ST

TE R

DELAFIELD PL

EMERSON ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

AV E

FARRAGUT ST

PINEY BRANC H

FARRAGUT ST

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

7TH ST

N


HAMILTON ST

VE IS A

VE IS A

IC-03

A W

GD E

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

5TH ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

2ND ST

INO ILL

INGRAHAM ST HAMILTON ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

B

LONG FELLOW ST

9TH ST

7TH ST

INO ILL

8TH ST

JEFFERSON ST

GALLATIN ST

IO

BL A

MIS SO UR I AV E

4TH ST

KENNEDY ST 9TH ST

W DR

5TH ST

RO

SHEPHERD ST IC-06: Perform warrant study on all-way stop, pedestrian RANDOLPH ST I LD EN ST hybrid beacon (HAWK), or S PR IN G R D other treatments at Taylor Street and New Hampshire H PKY H PKY EY BRANC EY BRANC N I Avenue intersection to P PIN address speeding and help with visibility challenges.

72 |

AD O

OR

LONG FELLOW ST

MO R

IC-04: Study signalVARNUM warrant ST for 8th/Quincy/New Hampshire to improve transportation safety.

CO L

CO L

OR

13TH ST

AD O

ISS OU RI MADISON ST AVE

T

ST

CH EA

LN

MONTAGUE M ST

MO R

IC-03: At 16th Street and Colorado Avenue, the study recommends exploring a realigned north-side crosswalk to reduce the overall crossing distance for pedestrians without needing BUCHANAN ST to take additional timeEAin CH the overall traffic signal phasing ALLISON ST cycle to give to pedestrians.

ER

KA

ST

AV E

HE

RD

AV E

HE

ST ER The Livability Study LN identified several locations MONTAGUE ST where traffic control might be considered to introduce MADISON ST four-way stops (and slow traffic passing along a RO W DR KENNEDY ST corridor) or to add new signal-protected crossings, especially of larger streets INGRAHAM ST such as 16th Street and New Hampshire Avenue. IC-03

NC

A RY

13TH ST

MA

PS

NC

M IL IT

RD

14TH ST

MA

A RY

NE

M IL IT

IC-03 (16th/Colorado)

IC-04 (8th/Quincy/New Hampshire)





Estimated Project Cost (if projects were implemented)

$15,000

$103,400

$245,000


No

No

No

Coordination Needs





Potential loss of some parking spaces to implement traffic control.

Green Infrastructure Project No

Example: HAWK SignalPhoto by: Sam Beebe

No

IC-06 (Taylor/New Hampshire)

No

Example: New 4-way Stop

| 73

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

INO ILL

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERS

AVE

VE IS A

HAMIL

RD

GALLATIN ST

PROJECT MU-01

FARRAGUT ST

EN D G A

TE

R

BL

SAS AR KA N

A

17TH ST

YL E RG

AV E

SHEPHERD ST

NS

AS

AV E

TAYLOR ST

RANDOLPH ST

KA

13TH ST

Project MU-01

UPSHUR ST

14TH ST

18TH ST

UPSHUR ST

16TH ST

VARNUM ST

S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

QUINCY ST

PKY




$15,000


Yes, or at least easement or permission with National Park Service

Coordination Needs

National Park Service; neighborhood residents.


None.


No

8TH ST

E AV

74 |

A W

BL AG DE N

ALLISON ST

T

It is important to note that this project would involve coordination with the National Park Service, as it is entirely on land under that agency’s ownership.

7TH ST

B

BUCHANAN ST

IO

This recommendation is for a short connection from CH EA the present dead-end of Shepherd Street west of 14th Street to the forthcoming Rock Creek Trail branch under planning and design by the National Park Service. This would formalize an existing pedestrian path that is visibly evident and help I LD to improve access to Rock EN ST Creek Park.

DELAFIELD PL

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

SHEPHERD STREET MULTI-USE PATHWAY

M IL IT NC

HE

ST

ER

A RY

RD

LN

PROJECT PC-01

AV E

MA

16TH/BLAGDEN CROSSWALK ENHANCEMENTS W DR

KENNEDY ST 7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

RD

GALLATIN ST

DELAFIELD PL

EN

15TH ST

DECA

CRITTEN

TE

R

BL

A

G

D

FARRAGUT ST

PINEY BRANC H

T BL ER AG DE

N

AV E

Enhancements to crossing at 16th/Blagden intersection to allow safer pedestrian and bike access to Blagden, with a warrant study for aEACH pedestrian hybrid beacon (HAWK) signal.

AS NS KA

B

A W

AR

A

17TH ST

IO

16TH ST

18TH ST

EY PIN

8TH ST

T

ST


7TH ST

ALLISON ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

RG

YL E

BUCHANAN ST

VARNUM ST


I LD EN

INO ILL

Ongoing work with DDOT’s Signal Optimization Study may change the current timing of the 16th Street corridor, and any such opportunities should include consideration of pedestrian crossings at this phase.


MO R

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

UPSHUR ST


$165,000


No

Coordination Needs


On-Street Parking Reduction BRANCH PKY

None. Any crosswalk realignments are proposed in places where parking is prohibited by signage or through DC Municipal Code restrictions on parking.


No

14TH ST


S PR IN G R D

QUINCY ST

| 75

ST

INO ILL

INGRAHAM ST

VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

EMERSON ST


W

CRITTENDEN ST

NE

TE

R

BL

A

G

D

EN

15TH ST

TE R

13TH/KANSAS CROSSING ENHANCEMENTS SAS AR KA N

RG A

B

16TH ST

AV E NS

AS


KA

13TH ST

14TH ST

18TH ST

TAYLOR ST

QUINCY ST

PKY




$32,650


No

Coordination Needs



Minimal, if any. Realignment of the Kansas Avenue crosswalk could potentially result in the loss of one to two spaces. No

4TH ST

8TH ST

E AV

E IA AV

W

UPSHUR ST

S PR IN G R D


76 |

A W

VARNUM ST

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

T

H EY BRANC PIN

G GEOR

17TH ST

YL E

BUCHANAN ST

IO

CH In combinationEAwith the recommended redesign of the Kansas/ Spring/13th intersection, this recommendation would explore added crossings at the Quebec Place intersection and bring the crosswalk of Kansas to a more perpendicular angle, I LD EN ST reducing crossing distance.

PS H

BL AG DE N

PROJECT PC-02

FARRAGUT ST

HA M

AV E

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

PROJECT PC-03

KENNEDY STREET/GEORGIA AVENUE ENHANCEMENTS M IL IT

ST

ER

LN

OR

CO L

MADISON ST

AD O

MONTAGUE ST

KENNEDY ST

2ND ST

7TH ST

9TH ST

INO ILL

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

W DR


MO R

RO

MIS SO UR I AV E

13TH ST

HE

RD

8TH ST

As a part of the Vision Zero Action Plan, DDOT is studying short-, mid-, and long-term enhancements in further detail during the second round of High-Crash Intersection Reports.

NC

A RY

AV E

MA

AVE

VE IS A

HAMILTON ST

RD

GALLATIN ST

YL E

AS

NS

KA

IO

AR

16TH ST


No

NS AS

AV E

$6,400.

13TH ST



RANDOLPH ST

KA

T

Medium Term (2-4 years) 14TH ST

18TH ST

8TH ST

E AV

UPSHUR ST


Coordination Needs

4TH ST

A W

VARNUM ST

WEBST

R.C

17TH ST

RG

A

B

7TH ST

ALLISON ST

NE

R TE

PROJECT PC-04

BUCHANAN ST

MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT HAMILTON RECREATION CENTER The study did not have access to pedestrian data at this location, but the active Iuse of the recreation LDE N ST other recent center and installations of traffic calming on Hamilton Street suggests H PKY EY BRANC that this is an important PIN location to study for a potential mid-block crossing.

HA M W

EN D G

CRITTENDEN ST

PS

DECATUR ST

A BL CH EA

HIR

DELAFIELD PL

EA VE

EMERSON ST

15TH ST

TE R

BL A

GD E

N

AV E

PINEY BRANC H

FARRAGUT ST

S PR IN G R D

QUINCY ST



Up to 4 spaces, or 2 spaces per side around crosswalk location.


No

| 77

PROJECT SI-02

BLAGDEN AVENUE SLOW ZONE Where the Livability Study’s recommendation for a Blagden Avenue sidewalk (project SW-02) is built as a curb extension, it will be, in effect, a traffic calming measure that reduces the roadway width and thus the design speed of the road. With this in mind, the Study also recommends implementation of a neighborhood slow zone in the area, based on policies set forth by Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero initiative, implemented along Blagden Avenue to emphasize neighborhood speeds.




$4,100


No

Coordination Needs

MPD coordination for successful pilot implementation is encouraged.


None. The slow zone is a speed limit-based approach with accompanying signage and marking and does not affect parking.


78 |

No

This involves installation of signage and pavement marking to emphasize a lower travel speed through this section of Blagden.

PROJECT SW-02

BLAGDEN AVENUE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION Blagden Avenue features one of the study area’s most notable sidewalk gaps. Blagden Avenue is classified as a collector, so it gets more traffic than other streets that do not have sidewalks. The study recommends addressing this gap through the installation of a sidewalk on the east side of Blagden Avenue between Mathewson Drive and Allison Street. The sidewalk will be built in existing curbside dimensions where possible. If slope or large trees do not allow this, the sidewalk will extend as a curb extension. Any curb extensions for the sidewalk will require a loss in curbside parking on one side of the street.


Short-Term (1-2 years)


$112,300


No

Coordination Needs

Residents of blocks where sidewalks are to be installed will receive a notice of intent.


Will be determined in the design phase.


No | 79

MO R

LONG FELLOW

RO

KENNEDY ST

VE IS A

FARRAGUT ST

DELAFIELD PL

R TE

17TH ST

ALLISON ST

IO

AR KA N

A

SAS

BUCHANAN ST

YL E RG

AV E

CH EA

A W

BL AG DE N

B

BL

A

G

D

EN

15TH ST

TE R

PINEY BRANC H

RD

GALLATIN ST

UPSHUR ST

AV E AS


KA

NS

14TH ST

TAYLOR ST 13TH ST

I LD EN

16TH ST

18TH ST

UPSHUR ST

ST S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

PKY




$160,000


No

Coordination Needs

Residents of blocks where sidewalks are to be installed will receive a notice of intent




No

QUINCY ST

8TH ST

E AV

VARNUM ST

T

80 |

8TH ST

9TH ST

Upshur Street is one of the study area’s most important east-west connections, and along with the one block of Mathewson Drive, extends uninterrupted through the study area from Blagden Avenue to Rock Creek Church Road.

AVE

MATHEWSON DRIVE-UPSHUR STREET SIDEWALK INSTALLATION

INO ILL

INGRAHAM ST

PROJECT SW-01

The sidewalk network begins to break down on the 1800 block of Upshur, and Mathewson Drive lacks sidewalks. These streets serve as an important connection to Rock Creek Park, and the lack of sidewalks limits access. This Livability Study recommends filling these gaps on the south side of these streets to enhance pedestrian access to Rock Creek Park.

GEORGIA

W DR

MO R

LONG FELLOW

RO

W DR

KENNEDY ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

INGRAHAM ST

PROJECTS SW-03, SW-04 AND SW-05

CRITTENDEN ST

R TE

BUCHANAN ST

AV E AS NS 14TH ST

KA

16TH ST

AR

18TH ST

SW-04

SW-03 T

I LD EN

ST S PR IN G R D

H EY BRANC PIN

QUINCY ST

PKY

SW-03 (Shepherd Street from 17th to 18th Street; south side)

SW-04 (17th Street from Shepherd to Taylor Street; east side)

SW-05 (Allison Street from Blagden Avenue to Argyle Terrace; south side)






$88,850

$36,100

$56,050


No

Coordination Needs

Residents of blocks where sidewalks are to be installed will receive a notice of intent.




No

No

No

| 81

8TH ST

E

E AV

IA AV

A W

VARNUM ST

ALLISON ST

IO

SW-05

17TH ST 17TH ST

YL E A

AV E

RG

CH EA

BL AG DE N

B

BL

A

G

D

EN

15TH ST

TE R

DELAFIELD PL

G GEOR

Three other projects are recommended to fill key gaps in the Crestwood sidewalk network, providing a safer pedestrian environment near pedestrian generators and improving residents’ access to Rock Creek Park.

PINEY BRANC H

RD

SHEPHERD STREET, 17TH STREET, AND ALLISON STREET SIDEWALK INSTALLATION

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | Extending the Bicycle Network

Example: Bicycle Boulevard

EXTENDING THE BICYCLE NETWORK The study area’s current bicycle network is largely in the southeast portion. This allows good access to these neighborhoods, but does not connect the Rock Creek East II neighborhoods west of Georgia Avenue. The Livability Study extends the area’s existing on-street bicycle network, mainly from extending current routes west of Georgia Avenue and in providing a north-south alternative to Georgia Avenue along 8th Street. The study recommends several bicycle facilities: bicycle lanes, contraflow bicycle lanes, and bicycle boulevards. Some study recommendations need further study to determine the most appropriate type of bicycle facility. A bicycle boulevard, as implemented in the District, are streets that are already well-suited for bicycling (usually local street functional classification), that seek to attract bicyclists to the route by adding pavement markings, enhanced signage and wayfinding, and other treatments. The streets identified for potential bicycle boulevard treatment should be analyzed for speed and volume of motor vehicle traffic. Bicycle boulevards can usually be implemented with no impacts to parking. However, they are sometimes enhanced with traffic calming devices to enhance bicycle and overall transportation safety. If this is necessary, it may result in the loss of some parking spaces. This will be determined in the design phase.

82 |

Photo by: Payton Chung

Example: Contraflow Lane

Example: Bike Lane

Photo by: David B Gleason

Example: Bicycle Markings

Map of Bicycle Projects M IL IT

LN

LONGFELLOW ST

B-10

KENNEDY ST

VE IS A

1

B-02

B-03

RD

GALLATIN ST

SAS AN

AV E HI RE

PS HA M W NE

4TH ST

SHEPHERD ST

RD H HU .C R.C

6 B-0

8

TAYLOR ST

RC

UPSHUR ST

B-07 14TH ST

18TH ST

WEBSTER ST

8TH ST

VARNUM ST

T IL DE NS

CRITTENDEN ST

A W

ARK

A

EN GD

17TH ST

IO

BL A

ALLISON ST

B-0

YL

E

BUCHANAN ST

DECATUR ST

B-04

PINEY 15TH ST

R

09

B-05

RG

AV E

EMERSON ST

DELAFIELD PL

7TH ST

BE

TE

B-

BL

A

G

D

EN

TE

R

16TH ST

BRANC H

FARRAGUT ST

VE GIA A GEOR E AV

ACH

N O R T H C A P ITO L S T

NO

SI-0 HAMILTON ST

2ND ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

I ILL

INGRAHAM ST

JEFFERSON ST

4TH ST

W DR

5TH ST

MO R

RO

M MIISS SSO OU UR RII A AVVE E

AV E

CO L

MADISON ST

AS

MONTAGUE ST

NS

ER

KA

ST

RD

AV E

HE

A RY

13TH ST

NC

OR AD O

MA

RANDOLPH ST

T S P R IN G R D

EY PIN

BRANCH

QUINCY ST

PKY

New Bicycle Boulevard

Existing Bike Lanes

New Contraflow Bicycle Lanes (on one-way streets)


New Bicycle Lanes New Bicycle Facility (project type to be determined)


| 83

PROJECTS B-02, B-03 AND SI-01

GALLATIN AND HAMILTON STREET BICYCLE BOULEVARDS AND INTERSECTION MARKING In the northeast of the study area, two existing one-way bicycle lanes on Gallatin and Hamilton Streets connect across North Capitol Street and provide this area with access to the nearby Fort Totten Metro station by way of a connecting trail through National Park Service property. Projects B-02 and B-03 extend these routes as bicycle boulevards west to Kansas Avenue and connect them to that street’s bicycle corridor, and the intersection of Kansas, 4th, and Hamilton is recommended to be enhanced with a southbound bicycle box (project SI-01) to facilitate safer left turns for cyclists. B-02 (Hamilton Street)

B-03 (Gallatin Street)






$13,450

$13,450

$3,750


SI-01 (Kansas/4th/Hamilton Bike Box and Signage)

No

Coordination Needs

Communities will be notified as bicycle recommendations move forward.


Bicycle boulevards can usually be implemented with no impacts to parking.


No

No

No

PROJECT B-04

8TH STREET BICYCLE BOULEVARD In the middle of the study area, a bicycle boulevard is recommended for 8th Street. This is to provide a northsouth connection through the study area on a street with lower traffic volumes.

84 |




$66,850


No

Coordination Needs





No

PROJECT B-05

BUCHANAN STREET BICYCLE CONTRAFLOW LANES This project would provide contraflow bicycle lanes against the two different one-way flows of traffic on Buchanan Street between Georgia Avenue and 14th Street. This is recommended to allow cyclists to better navigate through a street network that has been configured for traffic safety and to avoid vehicle conflict and cut-through traffic. This recommendation could also serve as a traffic calming measure by converting excess roadway space. This recommendation would be implemented along with safety improvements at the intersection of Buchanan Street, Iowa Avenue, and 13th Street. Implementation Timeline



$6,900


No

Coordination Needs



None. .


No

PROJECTS B-06 AND B-09

NEW HAMPSHIRE AND BLAGDEN AVENUES: BICYCLE FACILITIES Two bicycle projects, B-06 on New Hampshire Avenue, and B-09 on Blagden Avenue, are recommended as bicycle facilities, as additional study needs to be done to determine the type of facility that would move forward. The bicycle facility recommendation for Blagden Avenue is linked to the sidewalk recommendation in Project SW-02, with the sidewalk needs prioritized. See page 92 for more information on the recommendations for New Hampshire and Blagden Avenues.


Not known for New Hampshire; Medium Term (2-4 years) for Blagden


Not known; to be determined based on further planning and design


No

Coordination Needs



Parking impacts will be determined in future phases.


No

| 85

PROJECT B-07

UPSHUR STREET BICYCLE BOULEVARD East-west connections in the study area are a primary challenge for all modes of transportation, as many east-west streets are interrupted by schools, parks, or other community uses, or do not connect in both directions across the entire width of the study area. For this reason, the study includes a recommendation for Upshur Street to carry a bicycle boulevard. Upshur Street was recommended for enhanced bicycle infrastructure in moveDC, DDOT’s long-term transportation vision for the District of Columbia. Opportunities for such a connection on nearby east-west streets are limited by interruptions in the street network. Presently, Upshur Street features bicycle lanes, but only east of Georgia Avenue. The study recommends advancing the moveDC recommendation on Upshur Street, connecting to Blagden Avenue via Mathewson Drive, although the dimensions of the street and current use with on-street parking will not allow a bicycle lane to be added without removal of a lane of parking. This leaves a bicycle boulevard as the recommended approach, and this may warrant further detailed community engagement and design as this project moves toward implementation, especially if the bicycle boulevard is enhanced with traffic calming approaches that may result in the loss of some parking spaces. Implementation Timeline



$61,200


No

Coordination Needs





No

86 |

PROJECT B-08

KANSAS AVENUE BICYCLE LANES Kansas Avenue features bicycle lanes east of Georgia Avenue, and between Georgia Avenue and Spring Road, the lack of bicycle lanes represents a gap in a longer connecting corridor. Because of the traffic volumes on Kansas Avenue, the study recommends that the street be treated with bicycle lanes, requiring the removal of one lane of on-street parking along this location. The recommendation will need to be studied further to better understand the tradeoffs, and these will be communicated in more detail with the community. Implementation Timeline



$29,700


No

Coordination Needs



Parking impacts will be determined in the design phase.


No

PROJECT B-10

LONGFELLOW STREET BICYCLE BOULEVARD Another moveDC recommendation, this project would add a bicycle boulevard on Longfellow Street between 14th Street and Missouri Avenue. Longfellow is currently a relatively narrow street and does not allow dedicated bicycle lanes without removing on-street parking, and for this reason it is recommended as a bicycle boulevard. Implementation Timeline



$41,150


No

Coordination Needs





No

| 87

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE The integration of green infrastructure into the public right of way is a key component of livable streets. The public right of way comprises 26 percent of the total land area in the District. As such, it represents an important opportunity to not only reduce runoff, but also improve the quality of the street. The project cast a wide net over the entire study area to analyze opportunities for green infrastructure facilities. Several factors influenced what makes an ideal location. The steepness of a street, the drainage area of each location, the soil type, the type and depth of underground utilities, and public input was all evaluated before determining sites. Ultimately, more detailed study and verification—including utility surveys and test pits—will be needed to determine whether the sites recommended here are feasible. This Livability Study has focused specifically on green infrastructure opportunities that overlap with transportation projects to maximize the benefit of these projects. The best sites were the ones that performed double duty: enhancing transportation safety and cleaning stormwater. The additional space created by adding pedestrian and traffic improvements along existing curbs is the ideal for locations for different forms of bioretention or permeable pavement. Its close proximity to existing gutters allows it to treat stormwater as close to the source as possible. The following are the primary types of green infrastructure installations explored and recommended in the Rock Creek East II study area, reflecting DDOT’s standards for green infrastructure designs in similar neighborhood environments.

88 |

Bioretention Curb Extensions - Vegetated curb extensions that protrude into the street either mid-block or at an intersection. An inlet or curb-cut directs runoff into the bumpout structure where it can be stored, infiltrated, and taken up by the plants. Excess runoff is permitted to leave the system. In addition to managing stormwater, bioretention curb extensions can also help with traffic calming and provide for pedestrian safety by reducing the street crossing distance. Bioretention Tree Planters - These are specialized planters installed along the sidewalk designed to manage street and sidewalk runoff. They fit well along sidewalks with enough width (best if planters are at least 5 feet wide) and those that lack mature canopy trees. Planters can be long or short, depending upon available space and utilities. Tree Infill - Urban trees play a large role in intercepting and slowing down stormwater and cooling high temperatures. A fully leafed tree can intercept up to 60 percent of the localized rainfall from a quarter-inch storm. Tree infill is appropriate along planting strips in sidewalks where trees are missing and utilities do not pose a conflict. Permeable Curbside Parking Area - This is a specially designed pavement system that allows water to infiltrate through the pavement. This system provides the structural support of conventional pavement but is made up of a porous surface and an underground stone reservoir. It is appropriate for parking lanes when existing utilities are not a major conflict, and does not result in any loss of parking. In some cases, the different surfaces used for parking and travel lanes can have traffic calming effects by visually narrowing the road. Impervious Surface Removal - One of the simplest techniques for increasing permeable surfaces is simply to remove impervious surfaces. This technique is appropriate in sidewalk zones along major streets and at large intersections where more paving exists than is necessary for pedestrian movement. This condition appears in several locations | 89

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

throughout the Rock Creek East II study area, and is integrated into the design concepts for certain transportation projects described previously. Green infrastructure projects that are not tied to transportation improvements are set to be implemented in geographic clusters, as indicated on the map on the following page. Grouping these green infrastructure improvements allows DDOT and DC Water to prioritize projects, consolidate construction efforts, and provide the most benefit to waterways according to site topography, drainage areas, and preliminary analysis of utility lines. The first set to be implemented is the central area (shaded in yellow on the map), which exists in one of the lowest topographical points of the study area.

90 |

ROCK CREEK EAST II LIVABILITY STUDY

DRAFT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS - AUGUST

Map of Green Infrastructure Projects

LEGE

MILIT A RY R D

MA NC HE STE RL N

B

AV E

PS HI RE HA M

NE

W

SA S

CR EEK

TAYLOR ST

CK

SHEPHERD ST

RO

14TH

SA S

UPSHUR

RANDOLPH ST

ST

SPRING RD

RD

15TH ST

AR G

YL E

16TH

AR KA N

3RD ST

7TH ST

8TH ST

UPSHUR ST

4TH ST

WEBSTER ST

VARNUM ST T 17TH S

18TH ST

ALLISON ST

CH UR CH

BL AG BL DE AG N DE AV N TE TE E R R

E AV

CRITTENDEN ST

QUINCY ST

PKY EY BRAN CH PIN

Bioretention Curb Extensions

Impervious Surface Removal

Bioretention Tree Planter

Tree Infill

P

Green tied to to be as ind green DDOT conso the m to site prelim set to (shade one o study

BUCHANAN ST

T

I LD EN

5TH ST

A W

EACH

DECATUR ST

IO

B

DELAFIELD PL

T NORTH CAPITOL ST

4TH ST

E AV

EMERSON ST

2ND ST

OIS

FARRAGUT ST

Im

3RD ST

IN ILL

GALLATIN ST

7TH ST

HAMILTON ST

GEORGIA

INGRAHAM ST

5TH ST

JEFFERSON ST

8TH ST

9TH ST

KENNEDY ST

4TH ST

W DR

B

S

KA N

MO R

RO

MIS

OU S HEP HERD RI RD ST W FELLO LONG

13TH ST

MADISON ST

Permeable Curbside Parking Area

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PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | SPECIAL PROJECT FOCUS AREAS

SPECIAL PROJECT FOCUS AREAS The Livability Study includes several project recommendations that will require ongoing discussion and study to find approaches that meet the study objectives and continue conversations with residents and stakeholders on transportation safety.

NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE BETWEEN GEORGIA AVENUE AND GRANT CIRCLE New Hampshire Avenue between Georgia Avenue and Grant Circle has two travel lanes in each direction, but preliminary traffic analysis reveals only one lane is necessary. In moveDC, New Hampshire Avenue is recommended to have a protected bike lane. Throughout the public outreach process, we heard from residents who have requested bicycle infrastructure on New Hampshire Avenue, and do not feel safe biking on it currently. We also heard from people who do not feel safe crossing New Hampshire Avenue as a pedestrian. We also heard from residents and churches about the importance of the current church parking, in which parking is allowed on the inner travel lanes of New Hampshire between Quincy and Taylor Streets during certain hours on Sunday. The recommendation from the Livability Study is to perform further study of a bicycle facility on New Hampshire Avenue, continuing the conversations with residents, churches, ANC Commissioners, and other stakeholders.

BLAGDEN AVENUE Blagden Avenue is an important gateway to Rock Creek Park and the western neighborhoods of the District, and as such carries traffic beyond what may be expected of a single-family residential street. Throughout the study, residents and community members have expressed a strong desire for improved connections to Rock Creek Park, and the lack of a sidewalk along a portion of Blagden Avenue is a key missing piece in the overall pedestrian network. The focus of the study recommendations on Blagden Avenue is slowing speeds and addressing these sidewalk network gaps through the installation of a sidewalk on the east side of Blagden Avenue between Allison Street and Mathewson Drive (Project SW-02). The sidewalk will be built in existing curbside dimensions where possible. If slope or large trees do not allow this, the sidewalk will extend as a curb extension. Any curb extensions for the sidewalk will require a loss in curbside parking on one side of the street. Where the sidewalk is built as a curb extension, it will be, in effect, a traffic calming measure that reduces the roadway width and thus the design speed of the road. With this in mind, the study also recommends implementation of a neighborhood slow zone in the area, based on policies set forth by Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero initiative (Project SI-02), implemented along 92 |

Blagden Avenue to emphasize neighborhood speeds. This involves signage and pavement marking to emphasize a lower travel speed through this section of Blagden. Blagden Avenue is recommended to have a bicycle lane in moveDC, so recommending a bicycle facility is carried forward in the Livability Study. The recommended facility would be determined after the final design of the sidewalk installation on Blagden. The sidewalk needs would be prioritized over the bicycle recommendation, and implementing the sidewalk may require narrowing the width of Blagden Avenue. A variety of treatments, including sharrows, bicycle lanes in both directions, or a climbing lane, are possibilities, but this recommendation cannot move forward unless the dimensions of Blagden with the sidewalk are known. At this time, the bike facility recommendation will be refined. If any of the possibilities would result in a loss of parking, this would be communicated so the community could understand the tradeoffs. To the north, further traffic calming is recommended near the intersection of Decatur and 17th Streets (Project TC-01), using islands or other methods of horizontal deflection to slow traffic traveling along Blagden Avenue.

ARKANSAS AVENUE Arkansas Avenue is an important part of the study area because of the multiple concerns that it represents: cut-through traffic owing in part to its direct link to principal arterials; travel speeds related to a relative absence of traffic control between signalized intersections; and stormwater-related challenges due to its low elevation relative to the overall study area. This makes it a natural candidate for traffic calming but also for enhanced infrastructure to assist with stormwater management. It is important to note that Arkansas Avenue did not have the highest recorded speeds in the corridor, nor was it the only area of concern among residents for traffic calming. There are also several other parts of the study area that demonstrate potential for green infrastructure treatments to reduce intake into the underground stormwater system. The focus of the Livability Study’s recommendations for Arkansas Avenue is curb extensions at intersections and implementing green infrastructure. Curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and control vehicle speeds are recommended for Arkansas Avenue intersections with Georgia Avenue, Emerson Street, Delafield Place/13th Street/Decatur Street, Iowa Avenue, Buchanan Street, Varnum Street/14th Street, Taylor Street, Piney Branch Parkway, and 16th Street. At Piney Branch Parkway and Taylor Street, an curb extension intended to reduce the footprint of the northbound turning traffic from Piney Branch to Arkansas is complemented by a median that would permanently restrict left turns out from Taylor Street to Arkansas Avenue, treating the safety challenges from these two closely-spaced intersections with a joint project approach. The recommendations are conceptual, and permanently restricting | 93

PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS | SPECIAL PROJECT FOCUS AREAS

left turns from Taylor Street to Arkansas would need further analysis to see the impacts on the transportation network and determine the most appropriate treatment. In addition to the curb extensions, a multi-use path is also recommended to connect Arkansas and Piney Branch Parkway with Shepherd Street to enhance walkability. This is a location that already has pedestrian traffic, evident from a desire line worn into the grass. This recommendation could be implemented differently while still achieving the goal of enhanced access.

GRANT AND SHERMAN CIRCLES The study area’s two traffic circles are distinctive among District circles for several reasons. They allow on-street parking, carry bus transit routes with stops directly on the circle, and operate in a manner similar to roundabout intersections in that moving traffic in the circle has no stop or signal control and continuous right-of-way for exiting the circles. They also have relatively low traffic volumes: Grant Circle carries around 10,000 vehicles per day at the point recorded in the Livability Study, and Sherman Circle carries 7,000; both of these volumes are well within the capacity of the two traffic lanes around each circle and could work within a single lane based on not being controlled while moving within the circle. The study’s analysis identified early on that both of these traffic volumes could be accommodated in a single travel lane, especially since the circles do not have traffic control that would cause queues to form regularly in the circles and restrict their vehicle-carrying capacity. As each circle features nearly 40 feet of roadway width between curbs, this provides an opportunity for repurposing much of this space to other uses. For both circles, the study recommends reducing the typical cross-section to a single lane and adding bicycle lanes. On-street parking and transit stops would be retained in each, and curb extensions would reduce physical roadway width and narrow pedestrian crossings into the circle parks. The design of these projects could take different forms, although the study recommends for each that physical treatments and curb extensions begin from the outer circumference of each circle and that the single travel lane remaining in each circle be located along the inner circumference. This allows bicycle space and parking to remain to the right of moving vehicles, as is the design of streets in the surrounding area (and therefore what motorists expect to see), but it also allows DDOT to work completely within right-of-way in its control and minimize potential impacts to the National Park Service-controlled open spaces within the circles.

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PROJECT RD-02

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Note that the concept shown here is just one of many potential concepts that could be applied to one or both of the circles. The design phase would determine the most appropriate configuration for each circle, which could be different than the concepts shown.

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The draft concept shown here is for Grant Circle, which currently features five crosswalks from outside the circle roadway leading into the center park. Each crosswalks is maintained so that existing park walkways connect to crossings, but curb extensions from the curb help to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians and improve sight lines for drivers. A bicycle facility around the circle would connect to the existing bicycle network. The traffic islands would also formalize current striping and pylons that channelize the right turns into and out of the circle.

5th

GRANT CIRCLE RECONFIGURATION




$938,800


No

Coordination Needs

Neighborhood residents and stakeholder organizations; WMATA (for transit operations and bus stop design); National Park Service.


Minimal, if any. Most, if not all, resident parking is anticipated to be retained. Parking impacts will be determined in the design phase.



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PROJECT RD-01

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Crittenden Crittenden




$938,800


No

9

5

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Kan

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2

Illin

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ois Illin

Sherman Circle currently features ten crosswalks from outside the circle roadway leading into the center park. Each crosswalks is maintained so that existing park walkways connect to crossings. Traffic is calmed by raised crosswalks entering the circle as well as a raised bicycle facility around the circle would connect to the existing network. Planted barriers between the bike lane and travel lane could retain most resident parking and provide bus bulbs for easier boarding. The concept shown here is just one of many potential concepts that could be applied to one or both of the circles. The design phase would determine the most appropriate configuration for each circle, which could be different than the concepts shown.

7th

SHERMAN CIRCLE RECONFIGURATION

Coordination Needs

Neighborhood residents and stakeholder organizations; WMATA (for transit operations and bus stop design); National Park Service.


Minimal, if any. Most, if not all, resident parking is anticipated to be retained. Parking impacts will be determined in the design phase.



Sherman Circle: Existing Design and Proposed Concept Existing (right): the current design of the circle features two moving lanes, with on-street parking and bus stops. Proposed (below): a modified ‘Dutch roundabout’ design locates a raised bicycle lane behind planted islands that preserve on-street parking and narrow the roadway to a single lane for moving traffic, reducing crossing distances..

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IMPLEMENTATION The Livability Study’s recommendations have been made with a general eight-year timeframe for implementation in mind. All of the recommended projects but one are in current District-owned right-of-way and most would be expected to have minimal environmental impact or complex construction needs that would cause projects to require more than this time to implement. However, some complex projects that will require more extensive environmental review, design, and construction preparation are anticipated to need the full extent of this timeframe.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Based on this desired timeframe and the steps that DDOT may typically take in developing and delivering projects, the recommendations of the Livability Study have been grouped into three implementation categories, described as follows. SHORT-TERM PROJECTS (First two years). Recommendations identified as short-term projects—such as signage and striping improvements—can be completed through existing safety, asset management, and maintenance programs within DDOT. These do not typically require environmental review and community members are typically made aware of these projects moving forward through a notice of intent. Several of the recommendations will be reviewed and may be implemented through current DDOT programs such as the Citywide Signal Optimization Plan and Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero Initiative. MEDIUM-TERM PROJECTS (Two to four years from the study’s completion). These projects may involve more detailed design and engineering work, adding another phase to the project and likely requiring additional time to plan and complete. They may include environmental documentation through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or the District of Columbia Environmental Policy Act (DCEPA), although it is not expected that this level of environmental review or impact would be extensive. LONG-TERM PROJECTS (Four to eight years from the study’s completion). These are more advanced projects likely to involve each of the major stages of DDOT’s typical project development process. They will require more advanced design and environmental review, but may also require acquisition of right-of-way or coordination with agency partners such as the National Park Service on use of non-DDOT right-of-way for transportation or green infrastructure improvements. The graphics on the following pages illustrate how projects would be implemented through DDOT’s typical project development process, composed of five principal stages as shown in the diagrams. There are no set timeframes for each individual phase and these may vary based on the complexity of the project, but generally each phase may take at least six to twelve months.

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IMPLEMENTATION | Extending the Bicycle Network

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING

RIGHT OF WAY

DESIGN

ENVIRONMENTAL

CONSTRUCTION

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

SHORT TERM (1-2 YEARS)

Collaborate with DC Water to advance projects

Defined as projects that can be executed through existing contracts and do not need capital funding design work or environmental clearance

identified in this study

Timeline will be dependent upon project phasing DDOT may undertake some green infrastructure

projects when feasible, logical, and coupled with traffic calming enhancements

Examples: SIGNS AND MARKINGS

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ENHANCEMENTS

Examples: PLANTED CURB EXTENSIONS

PERMEABLE PARKING LANES Photo: Complete Streets

Photo: Eric Fischer

SIDEWALK INSTALLATIONS

Photo: City of Berkeley

Photo: William Clifford

MEDIUM TERM (2-4 YEARS)

LONG TERM (4-8 YEARS)

Defined for projects that may not be subject to a

Defined as larger capital projects. These projects will

Funding can be placed into the agency’s 6 year obligation plan.

Examples: Grant and Sherman Circles; 13th Street,

full environmental impact statement (EIS) depending on the nature of each project.

need to be programmed into the budget process with detailed designs and right-of-way examination.

Kansas Avenue, and Spring Road

Examples: Arkansas Ave Traffic calming, Georgia and Illinois Avenue intersection sas

5 9 2

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5 9 2

5

Ark

14th

Arkansas, Varnum & 14th- Proposed

Grant Circle Proposed

9

2

13th/ Spring/ Kansas Proposed 2

9

5

Georgia & Illinois- Proposed

14th

Ark

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Varnum

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TYPICAL DDOT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

SHORT TERM (1-2 YEARS)

MEDIUM TERM (2-4 YEARS)

LONG TERM (4-8 YEARS)

Can be executed through existing contracts and typically do not need capital funding design work or environmental clearance

Typically need more advanced design, but may not be subject to a full environmental impact statement (EIS) depending on the nature of each project.

Larger capital projects, which need to be programmed into the budget process with detailed designs and right-of-way examination

PLANNING

Some environmental review may be necessary, but typically these projects do not require a full EIS.

ENVIRONMENTAL

DESIGN

RIGHT-OF-WAY

CONSTRUCTION

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Some short-term projects may need more advanced design than discussed in the Livability Study.

IMPLEMENTATION | Project Cost Estimates and Organization by Timeframe

PROJECT COST ESTIMATES AND ORGANIZATION BY TIMEFRAME The following table provides planning-level estimates of cost for projects recommended in the study, intended to offer guidance on likely costs and provide DDOT with baseline information for budgeting and programming. These costs are likely to change as projects advance into more detailed design and prepare for construction, but they assume factors to account for this likely change, such as the following: Cost estimates for this study were compiled using unit costs following DDOT standards and utilizing the AASHTO Historical Price List. Estimates include the following allowances: • • • • • •

5 percent for landscaping 5 percent for erosion and sediment control during construction 15 percent for drainage and utility relocation 10 percent for maintenance of traffic during construction 25 percent design contingency, to reflect the conceptual nature of the design 10 percent for construction mobilization

Green infrastructure projects were not assigned implementation timeframes or provided with cost estimates. These recommendations will go through the project development process in groups to facilitate implementation.

Project ID B-02 B-03 B-04 B-05

Description Install bike boulevard on Hamilton Street between Kansas and New Hampshire Install bike boulevard on Gallatin Street between Kansas and New Hampshire Install bicycle boulevard on 8th Street from Rock Creek Church to Missouri Contraflow bicycle lanes on Buchanan Street between 14th and Georgia to allow connections through oneway sections

Estimated Timeframe for PlanningImplementation Level Cost $13,450 $13,450 $66,850 $6,900

Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

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Project ID B-06

B-07 B-08

B-09

B-10 IC-01

IC-03 IC-04 IC-06 IC-07 IN-01

IN-02

IN-03

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Description Work with community to study bike facilities and pedestrian improvements along the New Hampshire Avenue corridor between Georgia Avenue and Grant Circle Bicycle boulevard on Upshur Street from Georgia Avenue to Rock Creek Park Implement bicycle lane to complete connection on Kansas Avenue. Will require removing curbside parking on one side of Kansas Avenue Implement bicycle facility (bike lanes, climbing lane, or sharrows). The recommended facility would be determined after the final design of the sidewalk installation on Blagden, with the sidewalk needs prioritized. If a bike lane is recommended, it will require a loss of curbside parking on Blagden Implement bicycle boulevard using signage, sharrows, wayfinding, other treatments on Longfellow Street NW Study traffic control for Emerson/Illinois intersection; explore intersection treatments if control not warranted then reduce pedestrian crossing distance and increase sight angle for motorists Realign northside crosswalk at 16th/Colorado intersection Study signal warrant for Quincy/8th/New Hampshire to improve vehicle and motorist safety Study all-way stop or other treatments (HAWK signal) at Taylor Street and New Hampshire Avenue intersection to address speeding and help with visibility challenges Study traffic control for Emerson/Arkansas intersection

Estimated Timeframe for PlanningImplementation Level Cost TBD based on ultimate design $61,200 $29,700

Timeframe not known Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

TBD based on ultimate design

Medium-term (2-4 years)

$41,150

Medium-term (2-4 years) Short term (1-2 years)

$1,500

$15,000 $103,400 $245,000 $1,500

Reconfigure radii and crossings at Piney Branch/Arkansas, $33,550 potentially combining with NPS efforts on trail construction. At a minimum this can be achieved with paint and flex post installation for a shorter-term treatment Install curb extension to reduce radius and crossing distance $57,200 at SE corner of 16th and Arkansas, per previous DDOT design concept Reconfigure Kennedy/14th/Colorado; close SB right turn $232,000 slip lane on Colorado and bring traffic into single point. This allows for a green infrastructure integration opportunity

Short term (1-2 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Short term (1-2 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

Medium-term (2-4 years) Long-term (4-8 years)

Project ID IN-04

Description

Estimated Timeframe for PlanningImplementation Level Cost

Install curb extensions at Arkansas/Emerson intersection to reduce safety risk Install curb extensions at Arkansas/Buchanan intersection to reduce safety risk Install curb extensions at Arkansas/Georgia intersection to reduce safety risk, realign intersection to form more of a right angle to reduce SB right-turn speeds Realign Illinois Avenue’s intersection with Georgia Avenue, shifting it to the south and reducing corner radii, and convert northbound turn lane to Longfellow into a loading/delivery zone designated with mountable curbs.The remaining space is converted to a landscaped area Install curb extensions at Arkansas/13th/Decatur/ Delafield intersection to reduce safety risk Install curb extensions at Argyle/Upshur/Mathewson intersection to reduce safety risk

$208,500

IN-10

Curb extensions at New Hampshire/1st Street/Hamilton

$44,550

IN-11

Curb extensions at Iowa and Allison extended to corners to reduce crossing distances Design treatments at Arkansas/Varnum/14th, especially to restrict through traffic to 14th from Varnum, maintaining right-turn from Arkansas onto 14th Street Curb extensions around the Kansas/Spring/13th intersection, removal of southwest leg of Kansas (all southbound traffic would merge onto 13th) Curb extensions at Arkansas and Iowa Avenue to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and control speeds Curb extensions at Rock Creek Church Road at 3rd and Shepherd to control Rock Creek Church speeds and reduce pedestrian crossing distances. Project may include full closure of southernmost leg of 3rd Street between Shepherd and Rock Creek Church Curb extensions at Rock Creek Church Road and Illinois and Randolph. Designs are intended to control Rock Creek Church speeds and reduce pedestrian crossing distances but not impact bus operations on the street Curb Extensions at New Hampshire and Allison Street to reduce speeds, reduce pedestrian crossing distances and control speed of turning vehicles

$103,000

IN-05 IN-06

IN-07

IN-08 IN-09

IN-12

IN-13

IN-14

IN-15

IN-16

IN-17

$126,500 $145,000

Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

$235,000


$103,650

Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Long-term (4-8 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

$44,550

$171,500

$425,000

Long-term (4-8 years)

$46,500


$40,800


$40,800


$48,300


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Project ID IN-18

Description

Estimated Timeframe for PlanningImplementation Level Cost

Curb Extensions at New Hampshire and Farragut Street to reduce speeds, reduce pedestrian crossing distances and control speed of turning vehicles Median between the two travel lanes of Arkansas to disallow vehicles to turn left from Taylor Street (or southbound Arkansas vehicles to turn left onto Taylor) Study extension of Shepherd Street to Piney Branch Parkway for use by pedestrians and bicyclists

$81,100


$10,500


$15,000

PC-01

Enhancements to crossing at 16th/Blagden intersection to allow safer pedestrian and bike access to Blagden; studying feasibility of a HAWK signal

$165,000

Long-term (4-8 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)

PC-02

Reconfigure crossings at 13th/Spring/Kansas, bringing crossing of Kansas (NE intersection) to a more perpendicular angle. May be combined with more advanced intersection treatments (IN-13) As a part of the Vision Zero Action Plan, DDOT is studying short-, mid-, and longterm enhancements at Georgia & Kennedy in further detail during the second round of HighCrash Intersection Reports Study a mid-block crossing connecting to the Hamilton Recreation Center Lane reduction on Sherman Circle: reduce to a single lane of moving traffic, reserving remaining space for bicycle facilities and planted barriers or curb extensions Lane reduction on Grant Circle: reduce to a single lane of moving traffic, reserving remaining space for bicycle facilities and planted barriers or curb extensions Bike boxes and added crosswalks at Kansas/4th/ Hamilton Blagden Avenue Slow Zone: Install signage and pavement markings for increased enforcement. Extend Upshur Street sidewalk from current end at 18th Street to Argyle, then along Mathewson Drive to Blagden Avenue Complete Blagden Avenue sidewalks from Allison Street to Mathewson Drive. Construct sidewalk on the south side of Shepherd Street between 17th and 18th Streets Construct sidewalk on the east side of 17th Street between Shepherd and Taylor Streets

$32,650


Not known

Not known

$6,400

Medium-term (2-4 years) Long-term (4-8 years)

IN-19

MU-01

PC-03

PC-04 RD-01

RD-02

SI-01 SI-02 SW-01

SW-02 SW-03 SW-04

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$938,800

$938,800

Long-term (4-8 years)

$3,750

Short term (1-2 years) Short term (1-2 years) Short term (1-2 years)

$4,100 $160,000

$112,300 $88,850 $36,100

Short term (1-2 years) Short term (1-2 years) Short term (1-2 years)

Project ID SW-05 TC-01 TC-02 TC-03 TC-04

TC-05

Description Construct sidewalk on the south side of Allison Street between Blagden Avenue and Argyle Terrace Traffic calming devices on Blagden Avenue at or near Decatur Street Traffic calming devices on Illinois Avenue north of Sherman Circle Traffic calming on Colorado between 14th and 16th, potentially at multiple locations A semi-diverter with bioretention for stormwater constrains access to Colorado Avenue by narrowing one lane and implementing signage directing through traffic to Blagden Avenue at 17th Street Implement 2 sets of traffic calming installations on Jefferson Street between 13th and 14th Streets

Estimated Timeframe for PlanningImplementation Level Cost $56,050 $87,300 $74,100 $54,500 $41,000

$50,000

Short term (1-2 years) Long-term (4-8 years) Medium-term (2-4 years) Long-term (4-8 years) Medium-term (2-4 years)


COORDINATION WITH OTHER DDOT EFFORTS MOVEDC

The moveDC Plan outlines a 25-year vision and plan for expanding transportation choices and improving the reliability of all transportation modes in the District. When the plan was released in October 2014, DDOT released a Two-Year Action Plan which outlines specific actions for implementation. Part of moveDC’s vision was reducing the need for driving in the District and a goal for the amount of travel that would occur by non-automobile travel modes. The Rock Creek East II Livability Study, along with other studies in the Livability Program, identify specific ways to make achievement of that goal realistic by increasing the safety, comfort, and convenience of walking, bicycling, and accessing transit stops. Recommendations from the Rock Creek East II Livability Study also include projects that respond directly to moveDC recommendations, especially bicycle routes and facilities that expand the existing network.

CITYWIDE SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION PLAN

DDOT is in the later phases of a 5-year project to facilitate a comprehensive signal optimization of the District’s 1,600 traffic signals. The first phase of the signal optimization project was completed in late 2013. That initial phase of the project included upgrading signal software and updating signal | 107

and pedestrian clearance times to be compliant with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Following phases will include signal and software optimization, data collection and inventory, and performance evaluations throughout the District. The goal of signal optimization is to make District traffic signals safer for pedestrians, reduce delays and improve overall traffic flow, and reduce vehicular emissions. It will also help mitigate conflicts between different modes, and address regional growth and changes in travel patterns. The Rock Creek East II area’s signals are one of the last phases of the project to be realized. Recommendations and observations from the Livability Study will be reviewed in coordination with the signal optimization for these areas.

VISION ZERO

Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero Initiative sets an objective for the year 2024, wherein Washington, DC will reach zero fatalities and serious injuries to travelers of our transportation system, through more effective use of data, education, enforcement, and engineering. Vision Zero is a part of Mayor Bowser’s response to the US Department of Transportation’s Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People and Safer Streets, which aims to improve pedestrian and bicycle transportation safety by showcasing effective local actions, empowering local leaders to take action, and promoting partnerships to advance pedestrian and bicycle safety. Vision Zero requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. More than 20 District government agencies are engaged in the Vision Zero Initiative, including DDOT, Department of Public Works, the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, Metropolitan Police Department, DC Taxicab Commission, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the DC Office on Aging, DC Public Schools, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, Office of Unified Communications, Department of Health, the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, Office of Disability Rights, Office of Planning, Office of the City Administrator, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, the Deputy Mayor for Education, Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs, and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. The Rock Creek East II Livability Study includes several recommendations that could be coordinated with ongoing implementation activities associated with Vision Zero, and some project recommendations are adjacent to current Vision Zero project initiatives (such as the Livability Study’s recommended reconfiguration of the Georgia Avenue/Illinois Avenue/ Longfellow Street intersection, one block away from Vision Zero-driven enhancements at the Georgia Avenue/Kennedy Street intersection). DDOT will continue to coordinate study recommendations with forthcoming implementation efforts as part of the Vision Zero Initiative.

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