far northeast livability study 2011

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Far Northeast Livability StudyLivability Action Agenda for Far NortheastOctober 2011


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Far Northeast Livability StudyLivability Action Agenda for Far NortheastOctober 2011

Vincent C. Gray, Mayor Terry Bellamy, Director

Prepared for:District of Columbia Department of TransportationGabe Onyeador, Project Manager 2000 14th Street NWWashington, DC 20009(202) 671-0590

Prepared by:Kittelson & Associates, Inc.36 South Charles Street, Suite 1920Baltimore, Maryland 21201

(410) 347-9610

Samuel Jordan


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contentsexecutive summary ...........................................................................1

introduction ......................................................................................17

planning context ..............................................................................21public involvement ...........................................................................25

prioritization process ........................................................................ 31

recommendations, funding & implementation ................................43

performance measures .....................................................................84


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Far Northeast Livability Study d

figuresFar Northeast Study Area .................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ............... 4Priority Intersec tions ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ........................ 11Priority Ranking: Corridors ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ............... 12Project Recommendations ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ............... 13

Project Recommendations ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ............... 14Livability Study Corridors and Intersec tions ............................................... .................................................... ......................................... 32Priority Corridors .............................................. ..................................................... .................................................... ................................ 40Priority Intersec tions ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ........................ 41Sheriff Road: 43rd Place to 48th Street ............................................. .................................................... .................................................. 45Sheriff Road: 48th Place to East of 50th Street .................................................... .................................................... ................................ 46Sheriff Road: 51st Street to Eastern Avenue ............................................... .................................................... ......................................... 4749th Street: East Capitol South to Fitch Place ............................................. .................................................... ......................................... 4949th Street: Fitch Place to Jay Street ................................................... .................................................... ................................................. 5049th Street: Jay Street to Quarles Street ............................................ .................................................... .................................................. 51Priority Corridors .............................................. ..................................................... .................................................... ................................ 60Benning Road/East Capitol Street/Central Avenue ............................................. .................................................... ................................ 63Minnesota Avenue/48th Street and Minnesota Avenue/Nash Street (Deanwood Community Center) ................................................. 68Eastern Avenue/Sherif f Road/Divis ion Avenue .................................................... .................................................... ................................ 71Eastern Avenue/Sherr iff Road/Division Avenue ................................................... .................................................... ................................ 72Sheriff Road/45th Street/45th Place ................................................... .................................................... .................................................. 7449th Street/Quarles Street ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ............... 76Minnesota Avenue/Quarles Street (Deanwood Community Center) ............................................. .................................................... ...... 78Priority Intersec tions ................................................. .................................................... .................................................... ........................ 83


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a cknowledgements

PPSA - Planning, Policy and Sustainability Administration, DDOTIMPA- Infrastruc ture Project Management Administration, DDOTOP - Of ce of Planning, DDOTMTA - MassTransit Administration, DDOT

MPD - Metropolitan Police DepartmentWMATA - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit AuthorityPTSA - Progressive Transportation Services Administration, DDOTTOA - Transportation Operations Administration, DDOT

Livability Technical Advisory Committee (LTAC)

Yusuf AdenGizachew Andargeh, OPJames Austrich, MPDReginald Arno, IPMASara Benson, WMATAGloria Bosse-Kouabo, TOAGeorge Branyan, PPSAJames M. Cheeks Jr., TOANikeya CunninghamTravis DavidsonChristopher Delfs, PPSAMes n Lakew, IMPA

Yizgoul Menbeni, TOAKendrick Miles, IPMA

Asnake Negussie, IPMAGabe Onyeador, PPSAOla Igho-Osagie, IPMALevon PetrosianMarti ReinfeldAaron Rhones, OPJim Sebastian, PPSACharles E. Thomas, PPSACirce Torruellas, MTAConnie Wheeler, IPMATerraine Wiggins, IPMAMaduabuchi Udeh, IPMA

Waiching Wong, PTSA

Livability CommunityOutreach Advisors (LCOA)

Consultant Team:

Neha BhattSylvia BrownKia ChatmonDennis ChestnutFajr ChestnuttKhaliq ElhillaliRemetter FreemanMary GaffneyDelores MylesJoAnne PrueGregg RhettWillette SeawardGregori StewartRonnie Streff Alisa Woods

Kittelson & Associates, Inc.Caitlin DoolinTom GonzalesPete Jenior Ed MyersConor Semler

Yolanda TakesianAdam Vest

Samuel Jordan

Toole Design Group, LLCBob PattenCarrie RaineyBill Schultheiss


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e xecutive summaryThe Far Northeast Livability Study wasprepared as a partnership that includedDistrict Department of Transportation(DDOT) and Of ce of Planning (OP) staff,members of the 12 neighborhoods and 7Single Member Advisory NeighborhoodCommissions (ANC) within the Far NortheastStudy area, and the consultant team

consisting of Kittelson and Associates, TooleDesign Group and Samuel Jordan.

The policy direction and nancial resources of the DistrictDepartment of Transportation permitted the perspectives of residents living within and near the Far Northeast study area tooffer signi cant direction in the various stages of developmentof the recommendations proposed in this study. These include:

1. Range of issues identi ed and addressed in this plan,

2. Location needs for observation, data collection andanalysis,

3. Prioritization criteria for nal project selection,4. Approaches for communicating and exchanging

information, and

5. Outreach methods including assisting in outreach.


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DDOT Livability StudiesThe DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) has engaged in a

series of livability studies to take a big picture look at its streetnetwork. These studies were derived from the DDOT ActionAgenda, which outlined the following principles:

Ensure safe passages for all users of the street network.This involves special attention to the most vulnerableusers of the system (pedestrians, bicyclists, children, andthe elderly); and taming traf c while maintaining overallmobility.

Prioritize sustainable living in DC communities. Thismeans providing a robust set of transportation choicesand designing streets to encourage physical activity. Italso means designing streets in ways that help preserve,protect, and/or restore ecological systems.

Foster prosperous places by building and operatingstreets as unique urban places that support retail andemployment districts. Enhancing prosperous places alsomay entail the expansion of civic open spaces withintransportation rights of way.

Livability is a term that refers to community quality of lifeas experienced by the people who live, work, and recreatethere. Livable communities rely on the interplay among keydevelopment areas including transportation, public health,housing, cultural resources, and the natural environment.

DDOT began its Livability Program with studies in three multi-neighborhood areas, including Far Northeast. These studies

begin with the recognition that automobile operations on

DC streets cannot be the one and only priority governingimprovements to streets. Many intersections and roadways inFar Northeast, including East Capitol Street, Benning Road, andSheriff Road, have been designed to accommodate vehiclesdriving in from Maryland. Wide open roads with long green-phase signals encourage speeding, provide fewer pedestriancrossings and discourage pedestrian compliance to crossinglocations and control devices. They also negatively impact thestreet as part of the public realm and reduce walking, bicycling,and residential living along its edges. DDOT recognizes this and

aims to use the livability studies to reverse these trends andencourage investment in walkable places.


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Livability Approach inFar NortheastThe goals of DDOTs Livability Program to Create SafePassages, Support Sustainable Living, and Promote ProsperousPlaces helped to guide the teams approach to problemidenti cation and assessment. In addition to access to goods,services and opportunity, The programs focus recognizesthat transportation facilities and services affect the quality of neighborhood and personal health, household budgets, culturalpreservation and the natural environment. This was seen by theFar Northeast participants as a new and welcomed change inthe citys approach to thinking about transportation in the area.The various ANCs and civic leaders within the Far Northeastalso recognized that this study could be catalytic to improvethe effectiveness of transportation resource application withinthe study area and worked not only to advise of issues andconcerns but also to get the word out to their neighbors to raiseawareness of the opportunity.

The work of the Far Northeast Livability Study is presented intwo parts: the August, 2010 Existing Conditions Report and thisdocument, the Livability Action Agenda for Far Northeast. Thepresentation of the studys analysis and recommendations areorganized as follows:

1. Review the geographical and demographic context of thearea and related transportation issues,

2. Discuss the public outreach activities and the solutionstoolbox created to raise awareness of options andtradeoffs for particular problems,

3. Present project identi cation and location prioritizationapproach developed to include livability factors asmeasures of need,

4. Description of recommended improvements at speci c

locations within the study area; and5. Proposed actions for follow up including monitoring of

performance measures, project implementation, andongoing participation of community leadership in aDDOT partnership.


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Far Northeast Study Area


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livabilityP R O G R A Md 5

October 2011

Identifying NeedsMany people participated in three area-wide public meetings

and numerous neighborhood forums (civic association, ANCmeetings, etc.) to review issues and opportunities to improvetransportations contribution to livability. These topics included:

Reducing cut-through traf c for vehicles travelling to andfrom locations beyond the area

Pedestrian crossing safety particularly at intersections near libraries, community centers, churches, schools, senior housing, metro stations and bus stops

Speed reduction on local streets, particularly those streetswithout traf c calming devices

Filling gaps in bicycle network with links to schools andother public buildings, Metrorail stations, commercial andemployment areas, parks and trail networks

Enhancing bicycle safety on well-connected streets,particularly those with low traf c volumes and where aparallel route is available

Reducing wait time at traf c signals for all users Improving route connections by bicycle and bus within andaround the Far Northeast and areas east of the AnacostiaRiver

These issues and opportunities result from some of the basic

characteristics of the areas development pattern and thetransportation systems t into that pattern. The communityof post-War single family, semi-detached and garden-styleapartment housing concentrates most traf c on several major roads, only two of which cross the Anacostia River betweenMaryland and downtown DC: East Capitol Street and BenningRoad. Park trails along the river and the Watts Branch arevaluable community assets with few access points. New librariesand a community center along Benning Road and MinnesotaAvenue in Deanwood are new civic destinations, particularly for

youth. Four Metrorail stations serving the area are also locationswith some of the highest levels of pedestrian and bus transfer activity in the City. Finally, many residents already use thetransportation system with little enviromental impact, what hascome to be known as sustainable, with about a 40% share of households not having access to a private automobile.


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Identifying Projects and Prioritizing NeedsIn the analysis phase of the project, the team visited locationsspeci cally identi ed by staff, community participants andderived from data. A solutions toolbox and companionquestionnaire was created for the second public meetingto bring data and possible corrective actions back to thecommunity for discussion and project development. The teamsapproach to determine the most appropriate solutions andpriority projects recognized livability program goals. Data andinformation was organized in categories among which the mostimportant considerations were as follows:

All locations Community Concern Safety/Crashes Pedestrian Generators Pedestrian Facilities

Corridors Presence of traf c calming elements Bicycle use potential

Traf c Speeds Traf c Volume

Intersections Geometry of the intersection Visibility of approaching traf c Traf c operations information including level of

congestion and traf c control

Bicycle network High demand connections Ease of accommodation through dedicated space

Compatible traf c conditionThese considerations where used to create a set of rankingcriteria to help identify priority projects for the earliest fundingavailable. These prioritization criteria and ranking results arepresented in the Prioritization Process section of this report. Theareas of greatest need were located within existing Great StreetsProjects on Minnesota Avenue, Nannie Helen Burroughs Road,and Benning Road. Numerous other locations were also rated.Of these locations, organized as intersections or corridors, thosethat rose to the top as priorities for early attention were:

Benning Branch Library Signal Minnesota Avenue at Allen House Pedestrian signal Sheriff Road Traf c Calming & Bicycle Accommodation 49th Street Traf c Calming & Bicycle Accommodation East Capitol Street, Benning Road, Texas Street & Central

Avenue Intersection

Following the priority project descriptions are gures andtables that summarize all recommendations for study corridorsand intersections. Great Streets and other DDOT projectcorridors/intersections are included, but refer only to additionalrecommendations identi ed through the Livability study.Concept designs are also provided in the recommendations,funding and implementation chapter of this document.


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Benning Branch Library Signal

Improve pedestrian environment,crossing safety Medium Term

Install full signal and crosswalks

Minnesota Avenue at AllenHouse Pedestrian Signal

Short Term

Traf c SignalMedium Term

Reconstruct intersection as part of the Minnesota Avenue Great Streetsproject


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Sheriff Road Traf c Calming & Bicycle Accommodation


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49th Street Traf c Calming & Bicycle Accommodation


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East Capitol Street, Benning Road, Texas Street & Central Avenue Intersection


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Priority Ranking: Intersections

Intersection Pedestrian Facilities Traf c Transit

Cross-walks

CurbExtensions

MedianRefuge

Rapid FlashBeacons

Signal Re-timing

AddProtectedLeft

Movement New SignalTraf c

CircleRound-about

Bus StopConsol-idation

Bus StopRelocation

Benning Rd/E. Capitol St/Central Ave

Benning Rd/39th St (Benning Branch Library)

Minnesota Ave/48th St (Deanwood Community Center)

E. Capitol St/Central Ave/50th St

Eastern Ave/Minnesota Ave

Eastern Ave/Sheriff Rd/Division Ave

Sheriff Rd/45th St/45th Pl

49th St/Quarles St (Deanwood Community Center)

Minnesota Ave/Quarles St (Deanwood Community Center)

E. Capitol St/Southern Ave/61st St

Eastern Ave/61st St/Eads St

Great Streets/DDOT Project IntersectionsBenning Rd/Minnesota Ave

Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave/Minnesota Ave

Minnesota Ave/Grant St

Minnesota Ave/Blaine St

Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave/44th St



E. Capitol St/Minnesota Ave


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Pedestrian Facilities Traf c Calming Bicycle Transit

CrosswalksCurb

ExtensionsRaised

CrosswalkMedianRefuge

Rapid FlashBeacons

RaisedIntersec-

tionParking

EdgelinesRemove

Centerline Sharrows Bike Lanes Cycle Track

Bus StopConsolida-

tionBus Stop

RelocationSheriff Road

49th Street

Grant Street

Division Avenue

Hunt Place

42nd Street

44th Street

Gault Place

Hayes Street

Jay Street

Lee Street

Minnesota Avenue

E. Capitol Street

Benning Road

Nannie Helen BurroughsAve

Priority Ranking: Corridors


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Project Recommendations


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Project Recommendations


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Ongoing Community EngagementThe process by which the Far Northeast Livability Study evolved

created a communications platform permitting residents of the neighborhoods and DDOT staff to move projects throughthe various stages of design and planning a with particularlydeliberate, interactive and transparent exchange of information.Through the study, DDOT has helped to shape and validate amodel of cooperation that can engage a broad base of residentsin its project development activities. The model allows allparties to recognize the tradeoffs and constraints as well as theopportunities and bene ts of transportation investment anddesign decisions. This effort should continue as the projects

discussed here are funded, designed and built. The LivabilityCommunity Outreach Advisors (LCOA) or other form of localrepresentation that works across neighborhoods, includingANCs, can assist to keep residents informed of progress and tohelp bring interested residents to meetings where projects thataffect them are discussed. We also recommend that the projectwebsite continue to be maintained with the latest informationon projects and activities that are the subject of this studyas well as other DDOT activities affecting the Far Northeastneighborhoods.


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introductionFar Northeast DC consists of 12 distinctbut interrelated neighborhoods east of theAnacostia River and north of East CapitolStreet in Ward 7. These neighborhoods arehome to approximately 30,000 residents.


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Transportation in its various forms plays a critical role in thelivability of Far Northeast, affecting access to education andopportunity, goods and services, and worship and recreation.Circulation patterns and behaviors also affect the quality of residential streets and the safety and walkability of the areasmajor streets. Physically and spatially separated from downtownand the metropolitan regions job centers south and west of thecity, both the pressures and advantages of redevelopment in theDistrict have eluded the area.

Far Northeasts road network is very much in uenced by itspost- Second World War settlement pattern when peoplemigrated into the District to ll the jobs created by a growing

federal government. Many early residents came from farmingcommunities in the south and settled on leafy, unpaved streetsin single family and duplex houses. Many of the roads in Far Northeast were not paved until the 1950s and only recently hasDDOTs effort to increase walkability lled the many sidewalkgaps that existed. Urban policy for locating and concentratingpublic housing on the fringes of cities introduced a number of public and subsidized housing complexes. Today about 13%of area households are subsidized, comprising about 23% of the citys total public and Section 8 housing stock. Seniors and

disabled residents make up about 14% of the area population.Car ownership is low, with 40 percent of the areas 11,000households reporting no access to a vehicle in 2000.

In recent years as historically African American neighborhoodswithin the District became more expensive; the area hasonce again become attractive to the citys workforce. Clericalworkers, educators, police, entrepreneurs and mid-level federalemployees have come in search of convenient affordablehousing options east of the river. Most jobs, services, andconsumer goods still lie west of the river and in Maryland and sorequire daily trips to places outside of the area.

Metrorails blue and orange line began service to the area at four stations in 1978. However, its cost per ride, about twice that of the bus service, makes bus the mode of choice for the transit-dependent and budget conscious households. On one hand,

the introduction of Metro was a major boon to the communitiesof Far Northeast, connecting its resident to major employment,education and commercial centers around the region with muchfaster access to places just across the river. On the other hand,the construction of four Metrorail stations was a mixed blessingfor bus riders, due to reduced or changed bus service andforced transfers at Metro. This combination of a high relianceon public transportation and its relatively high cost in time andconvenience makes transportation a fundamental indicator of livability. Reliable and convenient public transportation, a

complete and safe network of pedestrian-friendly routes and busstops, bicycle links to schools, parks and Metro, and the abilityto live on a quiet neighborhood street are critically important tothe livability of Far Northeast residents.


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Development of this PlanThe planning process for the Far Northeast Livability Studyincluded background data collection and analysis, a review of previous and ongoing plans and road improvement projects,and detailed eld work. The Study also involved considerablecommunication and coordination with interested residents andcivic leaders and agency staff within DDOT and the Of ce of Planning (OP).

The project teams public engagement approach built uponcommunity knowledge gained during the planning of completedand ongoing projects. That planning helped create a groupof people familiar with and fully engaged in public facilitiesplanning. These community leaders and advocates were broughttogether by the project team to form the Livability CommunityOutreach Advisors (LCOA). The group included several Advisory

Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs) familiar with the particular concerns and preoccupations of residents. Their rst-handand recent knowledge of what had worked and not worked toengage their neighbors helped to ensure that the process of theFNE Livability Study was effective at raising issues of greatestimportance to residents and that materials provided to informresidents about the possibilities for improvement facilitated aproactive three-way education, resident-to-resident, resident-to-staff and consultants, and staff and consultants-to-residents.


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p lanning contextThis chapter provides a broad overview of the previous plans, studies, and guidelinesrelated to Far Northeast. It highlightsexisting conditions for all transportationmodes and outlines key transportationissues and challenges in the area. For additional information and a more detaileddiscussion of the items below, see theExisting Conditions Report.

Data CollectionMany sources contributed to knowledge of the presentcondition of the transportation system in Far Northeast. Theteam performed a thorough review of nearly forty documents,many of which were previous studies focusing on all or part of Far Northeast. Others were plans or guidelines developed byvarious agencies for the entire District or greater metropolitanarea. The literature review provided an understandingof guidelines applicable to the project area, previouslyexamined aspects of the transportation system, issues, andrecommendations.

Data collected through numerous sources (e.g., DDOT,WMATA, DC GIS Clearinghouse, US Census, etc) alsoinformed on the state of the transportation network. This dataincluded traf c volumes, bus and rail ridership, rail stationaccess mode shares, vehicle and pedestrian crashes, existingand proposed pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and sidewalk


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connectivity. Data from the US Census Bureau, including vehicleownership, employment density, and areas of interest helped toestablish an understanding of the Far Northeast community andits important neighborhood destinations.

Community participants provided another valuable source of information. The project provided several opportunities for thepublic to identify concerns and issues with the transportationsystem, including three community meetings and an interactiveproject mapping website. Website and meeting contributionswere reviewed and synthesized to develop a more detailed andaccurate image of the existing conditions in Far Northeast, withconsiderable emphasis on issues identi ed in previous studiesand by the community. Maps, such as the example corridor and intersection locations at the end of this section, helped tographically illustrate the issues discussed for ground truthingdata with user experience of locations studied.

Existing TransportationConditionsThe transportation system in Far Northeast is de ned by itsphysical barriers, the Anacostia River, the Anacostia Freeway andMetro rail line, and psychological barriers such as large streetslike East Capital Street and the Watts Branch Park with few safecrossing points. Far Northeasts major arterial streets are placeswhere all modes of transport meet and negotiate space withinthe limits of what is available. Managing that allocation of spaceto better accommodate all modes, particularly pedestrians

and bicyclists, as well as growing traf c demand, became animportant focus of the work of this study.

Increasing volumes and driver behavior of cut-through traf c onlocal streets has been a concern to residents in areas affected byMetro access, Maryland commuters, as well as residents seekingto avoid congested intersections. DDOT has responded on acase-by-case basis with speed humps and Yield to Pedestrianpanels at high demand crossing points where other traf ccontrol is not warranted.

During this study, the areas considerable transit service with itsfour Metrorail stations and numerous bus routes, while importantto residents, was being treated through other planning effortswithin WMATA and DDOT. Those efforts included the followingprojects.


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1. Expansion of the 2X as part of WMATAs growing PriorityCorridor Network for MetroExtra service was introducedduring the study.

2. Development of a City-wide plan for Circulator service,speci cally address community concerns for better transitconnectivity east of the river.

3. Long-range planning for future streetcar service alongBenning Road and Minnesota Avenue to create highquality rail alternatives to popular bus service routes.

Improvements underway or completed during this study includereplacement of the Eastern Avenue Bridge over the AnacostiaFreeway and the Nannie Helen Burroughs interchange, theNannie Helen Burroughs Great Streets Project and the BenningRoad Great Streets Project.

Planned and Recent Major Improvements

ion


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Within Far Northeast NeighborhoodsFar Northeast has seen important changes in the past severalyears, including signi cant new investment and engagementin the community. A new state-of-the-art community center,two new libraries, several major housing developments, andtransformation of Minnesota Avenue are among the investmentsoccurring in the neighborhood.

In planning for these changes, the Washington, DC governmentundertook a signi cant number of studies and published reports.Our work began with a comprehensive review of all knownprevious studies of the area, as well as a status review of major

projects.

New development, particularly planned transit-orienteddevelopment, has largely assumed that the road system providesadequate capacity for vehicular traf c. New projects referencedin these reviewed plans suggest that city projects and privatedeveloper investment can add to the areas pedestrian andbicycle safety, circulation and level of service. They can alsocontribute to better conditions and service for transit. Recentprojects had varying degrees of success at leveraging thisinvestment for needed companion projects in transportation.Engaging residents and staff to raise awareness is potentiallyvaluable so these opportunities are realized.

Great Streets and Other DDOT ProjectsThe Great Streets program consists of streetscape, pedestriansafety, and public space enhancements on three arterials in

the area: Minnesota Avenue, Benning Road, and Nannie HelenBurroughs Avenue. Substantial community involvement androadway design has already been completed for these GreatStreets corridors, so for this study, particular focus was placedon non-Great Streets projects. However, in some instancesadditional recommendations were made based on communityinteraction and additional traf c analysis. Similar to the non-Great Streets corridors, the Great Streets corridors were alsoprioritized according to the numerous factors outlined in thisreport. Furthermore, a traf c evaluation and striping plan iscurrently underway for the East Capitol Street corridor. While allof these study corridors were evaluated under their proposeddesign, additional recommendations were made, but they werespeci c to intersections along these corridors.


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p ublic involvementCommunications Methods

Communications with the public relied ona project web site and public meetings thatincluded City staff and consultants, andinformal neighbor to neighbor discussionsand planning sessions. The three publicmeetings were advertised in the local Eastof the River monthly newspaper, through

iers and posters at Metro and businessesareas, and through email blasts, word-of-

mouth, and meeting/church announcements.The Livability Outreach Advisors (LCOA)was established as a group of residentsrepresenting numerous areas of the studyarea, various interests and perspectiveson transportation, with a familiarity of previous planning efforts. They met formallyabout ve times during the study andcommunicated regularly.


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Working Principles of theLivability Study ProcessThe underlying principles of the study teams approach helpedto guide actions and decision-making throughout the process.Always mindful of these principles, team members were able towork independently while assuring agreement on direction andshared project values presented below.

Recognize and promote the value of resident perspectivesto develop a list of data collection needs and arrive atpotential solutions,

Promote greater collaboration among communityparticipants and DDOT for long-term productivepartnership to address community needs,

Engage transportation staff at DDOT and WMATA withcommunity residents as much as possible to foster understanding and trust,

Promote and advance department goals for the program, Identify short and long-term action agenda speci c to the

study area, Provide replicable model tools for successful Livability

Programs, including: Consistently meaningful community engagement

process that enhances the collective capacity ofresidents to assess, monitor and in uence the path ofdevelopment in the community,

Educational tools and activities designed to identifysolutions appropriate to particular area challenges ,

Livability factors inventory, that is data and analysis

re ecting community quality of life issues such as accessto schools and transit, to help prioritize projects as theycompete for community support within the project areaand limited funds available for projects District-wide.

Livability Community Outreach Advisors.Prior to the Livability Study, the City had undertaken severalplanning and reinvestment initiatives in Far Northeast.

Noteworthy plans included The Great Streets program of streetscape, pedestrian safety and public space enhancementson the areas three major arterials. The District facilitated thebuilding of a new Department of Employment Services mixeduse complex, bringing 450 jobs and a valuable city serviceto the Ward. Two new libraries one, part of a multi-servicescommunity center also came on line. These projects enjoyedvarying degrees of community involvement in decision-makingand achieved equally varying degrees of community satisfactionwith the process.

Previous projects and numerous federal and municipal planningprograms saw the involvement of community-consciousresidents who became familiar with and fully engaged in publicfacilities planning. From among them, were chosen FNEsLivability Community Outreach Advisors (LCOA). The LCOAhad rst-hand and recent knowledge of what had worked andnot worked to engage their neighbors. Many of them heldelected of ce as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANC)


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and were, therefore familiar with the particular concerns andpreoccupations of residents.

The team established selection criteria for the LCOA, their roleas an extension of the larger technical team, and the importanceof their participation to bring people within the communitytogether around the projects planning. The selection criteriaestablished required that members would have been:

Recently active and effective in community long term andfacilities planning,

Representative of the full range of geographic and interestgroup perspectives within the community, and

Committed to volunteer time as part of an appointedadvisory group

The LCOAs responsibilities in their advisory role included thefollowing:

Share experience of effective outreach strategies Review process and materials for informing and educatingparticipants in the broader community Corroborate project issues and opportunities to ensure

completeness of inventory and appropriate datainvestigations (i.e. time-of-day and location for counts andobservations)

Organize to announce and disseminate meetinginvitations, and

Host workshop tables and boards as event facilitators to: reinforce concept of public meeting as a communityactivity

ensure recording and accuracy of information received improve their effectiveness as community advisors

Outreach activities performed by members of the LCOA inpreparation for meetings and agency decisions included thefollowing:

Provide email and contact lists of residents, Announce events and speak at community meetings, Organize door-to-door and place-of-business literature

drops

Organize phone trees for follow up calls, Promote use of web-site for project communications, and Assist with recruitment of Summer Youth participation in

outreachRegistration tablehosted by LCOA


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Milestone Activities in theLivability Planning ProcessThe project evolved to bring the appropriate information tothe community so that decisions points of the project could beinformed by community participants. Key activities included:

A clear set of project benchmarks so everyone understoodwhen and on what topic to engage,

Flexibility in process and timeline to ensure that activitiesand timing of events were compatible with meaningfuloutreach:

A plan for a community walk was shelved upon theadvice of Livability Community Outreach Advisors(LCOA) in favor of a more comprehensive communitytechnical training during the second public meeting

A standing committee of community advisors to act as anextension of the Project Team and become familiar withstaff resource personnel:

Project committees included the Livability Community

Outreach Advisors as well as an agency TechnicalAdvisory Committee

Established potential for ongoing community engagementwill continue to be sought once the study is concluded:

Performance measures were designed to be part of theproject outcomes

Provided the means for two-way education: raisingtechnical understanding of community participants,raising agency awareness of community perceptions and

preoccupations: Offered Toolbox of Solutions tied to Questionnaireregarding priority locations and improvement options(Sample shown on the next page)


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Catalogued public comments, data and eld observations (detailed in Existing

Conditions Report) June-September 2010

Developed list of focus potential locations September-December 2010

Community workshop to discuss locations & possible solutions November 13, 2010

Reviewed priorities & applied solutions December 2010 - March 2011

Presented results of study to community

April 2011 - August 2011

Getting to a comprehensiveimprovements list

Solutions Toolbox identi es measures, their advantages, challenges and locations


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Please provide additional information on locations or i ssues here:

Transportation modes most used: o Walk o Bicycle o Bus o Metro o Auto

I can be reached by o email o US Mail

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________ Zip _________________________________

Telephone _________________ ________________ Email ___________________ ___________

FAR NORTHEAST LIVABILITY STUDYPARTICIPANT PRIORITIES SURVEY

i

High TrafficVolume

Treatments

P r

i o r

i t y

L o c a

t i o n

Focus Locations:Corridors

Paint/Pavement

Markings:

In-Street "Yield"for

Pedestrian Signs,High Visibility

Crosswalks,Painted Median,

etc.

Raised Street

Elements:

RaisedCrosswalks, CurbExtensions, RaisedMedian Islands/

Pedestrian RefugeArea

Pedestrian

ActivatedFlashing Lights:

Rapid FlashBeacons,

PedestrianHybrid Signal

(HAWK)

Travel Lanes:

Reduce # ofTravelLanes,

Reduce Size ofTravelLanes.Make Parking

Permanent

Raised

Pavement:Rumble Strips,Speed Humps,Speed Bumps,Speed Tables

Street

Narrowings:Chicane,Choker,Bulb Out,Traffic

Circle,RaisedIntersection,

Reduced CurbRadii(i.e.,

sharpercurves)

Road Closures:

Half Closure,Diagonal Diverter,

Forced Turn,Median Barrier,

Full Closure

Example Corridor#1PedestrianHybrid Signal

(HAWK)

Reduce # ofTravelLanes Speed Tble

Example Corridor#2 In-Street "Yield"forPed SignsRaisedMedian/PedRefuge Area

Choker,TrafficCircle

SheriffRoad

49th Street

Division Avenue

Jay Street

Lee Street

Hunt Pl/HayesSt/GaultPl/Grant Street

44th St/45th St/46thStreet

42nd Street

AmesStreet

E.Capitol Street

Minnesota Avenue High VisibilityCrosswalks

Raised MedianIslands/Pedestrian RefugeAreas,CurbExtensions

Reduce TravelLanes(south ofBenning Rd)

Reduced CurbRadii

Nannie Helen BurroughsAvenue

High VisibilityCrosswalks


Reduce # ofTravelLanes

Reduced CurbRadii

Benning Road High VisibilityCrosswalks


Reduced CurbRadii

Programmed DDOT Design Projects

Crossing Treatments(at uncontrolled crossings) stnemtaerTdeepSelciheVhgiH

Forced Turn

P r i o r i

t y

L o c a

t i o n

Focus Locations: Intersections

Enforcement:

Prohibit

Right-Turnson Red

Traffic Signal:

Signal

Timing Changes,Protected Left-Turns

Pedestrian Signal:

Leading Pedestrian

Phase,Push ButtonRetrofits,PedestrianCountdown Signals

PhysicalImprovements:

ReduceLanes, Add

Turn Lanes,ModifyGeometry,Roundabout

Example Intersection #1 Prohibit Right-Turnson Red

SignalTimingModification

Example Intersection #2 Protected Left-Turns PedestrianCountdown Signals

Minnesota Ave/48th St (DeanwoodCommunity Center)

Minnesota Ave/QuarlesSt(Deanwood Community Center)

49th St/QuarlesSt (DeanwoodCommunity Center)

Eastern Ave/SheriffRd/DivisionAve

SheriffRd/45th St/45th Pl

Eastern Ave/Minnesota Ave

Eastern Ave/61st St

Benning Rd/39th St (Benning BranchLibrary)

Benning Rd/E.CapitolSt/CentralAve

E.CapitolSt/CentralAve/50th St

E.CapitolSt/Southern Ave/61st St

Benning Rd/Minnesota Ave SignalTimingChangesPedestrianCountdown Signals ModifyGeometry

NannieHelen BurroughsAve/Minnesota Ave

SignalTimingChanges

PedestrianCountdown Signals

Add Turn Lanes;ModifyGeometry

Minnesota Avenue/GrantStreet ModifyGeometry

tSenialB/evAatosenniM

E.Capitol St/Minnesota Ave SignalTimingChangesPedestrianCountdown Signals

ReduceLanes,ModifyGeometry

NannieHelen BurroughsAve/44th St/Hunt Pl ModifyGeometry

NannieHelen BurroughsAve/48th St


NannieHelen BurroughsAve/50th St


Intersection Treatments


ModifyGeometry

INTERSECTION TREATMENTSCORRIDOR TREATMENTS1. Select your top ve (5) focus locations in order of your preference.2. Check the type of treatment that you prefer and note any speci c treatments.3. Add any locations that are missing in the blank rows. Your Solutions Toolbox can help to clarify

how each of the treatments works.

1. Select your top ve (5) focus locations in order of your preference.2. Check the type of treatment that you prefer and note any speci c treatments.3. Add any locations that are missing in the blank rows. Your Solutions Toolbox can help to clarify

how each of the treatments works.

P r i o r i

t y

L o c a

t i o n

Focus Location

PavementMarkings/Striping:

Wayfinding/Signage,Shared-Lane Sharrows,

Advanced PavementMarkings/Striping:Bike Lane Markings,

Bike Box

Innovative PhysicalTreatments: Bicycle

Boulevard, CycleTrack, Multiuse Path

Bicycle Parking: BikeRacks, Locked

Storage, CoveredRacks

Example Location #1 Bicycle Boulevard Covered Racks

Example Location #2 Wayfinding/Signage Bike Lane Markings

49th Street

Division Avenue

Blaine Street

Brooks Street

44th Street

Benning Road

East Capitol Street

Branch Trail

Fort Circle Park to FortMahan Park

Metro Stations

Minnesota Avenue

Nannie Helen BurroughsAvenue

Wayfinding/Signage,Sharrows

Bike Lane Markings

Benning Road

Bicycle Treatments


BICYCLE TREATMENTS1. Select your top ve (5) focus locations in order of your preference.2. Check the type of treatment that you prefer and note any speci c treatments.3. Add any locations that are missing in the blank rows. Your Solutions Toolbox can help to clarify how

each of the treatments works.

Color-coded questionnaires matched to toolbox were used by residentsto identify location priorities and desired measures for consideration


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p rioritization processThe Far Northeast livability study process

identi ed a signi cant number of potentiallivability projects. A project prioritizationapproach was developed to determineproject feasibility, public need, potentialfunding sources, and constructiontimeframe. The process was designed toprovide both objective (i.e., safety data)and subjective criteria (i.e., destinationsvaluable to community members). Thesecriteria were organized and weighted toestablish a list of priority intersectionsand corridors for implementation of

recommended and designed improvements.

Community participants provided guidanceon problematic transportation issues thatdirectly affected livability in the study area.Several site visits were conducted by theconsultant team to verify community issues,while also identifying additional problemlocations. Using this preliminary information,data collection was undertaken to verifycommunity claims and develop potentialsolutions.

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Livability Study Corridors and Intersections


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October 2011

The developed priority measures emphasized issues andvariations of those issues identi ed by the community, such asunsafe pedestrian conditions, arterial and collector streets withhigh speeds, and local streets with cut-through traf c, to name a

few. Some prioritization measures were used for all focus areas,while other measures were speci c to either study intersectionsor corridors. The following prioritization measures wereconsidered for both study intersections and corridors:

Community Concerns: tallied from website comments,surveys, petitions, and hands-on workshop sessions.

Safety and crash history: the number of all crashes over athree-year span. Intersection crashes focused on the totalnumber of all crash types, while corridor crashes focusedon pedestrian-only crashes.

Pedestrian generators: the number of expectedpedestrians within mile of a facility, broken into major generators (e.g., schools, community centers, major retail,etc.), minor generators (e.g., churches, small retail, libraries,etc.), and Metro Station and bus stop boardings.

Pedestrian facilities: the number of crossing facilitiesand the intersection cycle length were considered for intersections, while sidewalk coverage and the number of marked crossings per mile were considered for corridors.

While the four aforementioned prioritization measures wereconsidered for both intersections and corridors, other measuresare only applicable for corridors or intersections. The followingprioritization measures were considered for study corridors:

Traf c Speeds: average and 85th percentile speeds weremeasured and then compared to the existing postedspeed limit.

Traf c Volumes: traf c volumes were collected and thencompared to typical daily volumes for various streetclassi cations. The directionality of the traf c was alsoevaluated to determine whether cut-through traf c wasprevalent along study corridors.

Existing traf c calming: a comparison of corridors thathave traf c calming measures today and corridors with notraf c calming measures.

Bicycle use potential: considers elements that are crucialto the comfort and safety of bicyclists, including traf cspeeds and volumes, outside lane width, and a bicyclelevel of service measure.

The following prioritization measures were considered for studyintersections:

Geometry: considered the crossing distance per legand the number of intersection legs where a markedpedestrian crossing is in place.

Operations: considered the traf c volume-capacity ratioat key intersection movements, traf c queuing, and theavailability of minimum signal controlled pedestriancrossing time.

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Sheriff Road CorridorA more speci c representation of how data was used for thediscussed corridor priority measures can be described byreviewing data along Sheriff Road.

Sheriff Road received 16 separate community comments through the teams outreach efforts, which scored highwhen compared to other study corridors.

There were ve pedestrian crashes along the corridor between 2007 and 2009. This total scored as a mediumpriority, with larger arterials such as Minnesota Avenue and

E. Capitol Street warranting a higher priority. The number of pedestrian generators along the corridor was scored as a low priority, as Sheriff Road is moreresidential in nature with limited retail and lack of a MetroStation within walking distance. It could be argued though,that in an area where 40% of residents do not have accessto an automobile, that a majority of the study area has anabnormally high level of pedestrian traf c.

The 85th percentile speed , the speed at which 85% of motorists drive at or below, was measured at 6 mph over the posted speed limit of 30 mph. (The 85th percentilespeed is also a measure used to determine speed limits.) Ameasured speed of 6 mph over the posted speed limit wasscored as a medium priority.

The traf c volumes along Sheriff Road were scored as amedium priority. Sheriff Road is a unique example in thestudy area, as it is a minor arterial that carries traf c from

suburban Maryland into the District, yet is predominantlyresidential in nature with few traf c control devices.

Bicycling was considered a high priority along Sheriff Road due to the higher speeds and limited outside lanewidth. In other words, Sheriff Road is an uncomfortableexperience for cyclists and would warrant some type(s) of bicycle accommodation.


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Community Concern (High) 16 (survey and website) comments Safety/Crashes (Medium)

5 pedestrian crashes 2007-2009

Pedestrian Generators (High) 1,835 estimated pedestrians per day

Traf c Speeds (Medium) 6 mph over posted speed (85th%ile)

Traf c Volumes (Medium) Within minor arterial threshold; limited cut-

through traf c

Bicycle Facilities (High) High speeds with limited outside lane width

Traf cCalming (High) No existing traf c calming

Example: Sheriff Road

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Corridor Locations


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E. Capitol Street/Benning RoadIntersectionA more speci c representation of how data was used for thediscussed intersection priority measures can be described byreviewing data at the intersection of East Capitol Street andBenning Road .

E. Capitol Street/Benning Road received 11 separatecommunity comments through the teams outreachefforts, which scored high when compared to other studyintersections.

There were 62 total crashes at the intersection between2007 and 2009. This total scored as a high priority. Thisintersection is routinely considered one of the most unsafeintersections in the District by the community and DDOT.

With an adjacent Metro Station and numerous retailestablishments in the vicinity of the intersection, thepedestrian generators measure was scored as a highpriority.

The average pedestrian crossing distance at theintersection is 62 feet, which scored a high priority.

The pedestrian facilities measure was scored a lowpriority, as all legs have crosswalks, pedestrian refuges areavailable on East Capitol Street, and countdown timers arein place.

The operations of the intersection were scored a highpriority due to limited pedestrian crossing time, vehiclequeuing, and capacity constraints.

A detailed prioritization matrix was developed for corridorsand intersections that considered the aforementioned prioritymeasures. Using these measures, a nal list of prioritizedcorridors and intersections was developed through weightedscoring. Scoring for each measure was based on a scale of

3, where a high priority warranted a 3, a medium prioritywarranted a 2, and a low priority warranted a 1. Theseprioritized lists were then used to develop conceptual designsand/or solutions to address the needs and desires of thecommunity and the existing conditions in the study area.Detailed Matrices for the study corridors and intersections arefound in the Appendix. A more general representation of thepriority corridors and intersections can be seen in the followingpages.

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Community Concerns (High)

11 survey and website comments Safety/Crashes (High) 62 total crashes from 2007-2009 Pedestrian Generators (High) 2,358 estimated pedestrians per day

Intersection Geometry (High)

Average of 75 feet to cross the street Pedestrian Facilities (Low) Marked crossings on each leg with pedestrian refuge Intersection Operations (High) Capacity and queuing issues; limited pedestrian

crossing time

Example E. Capitol Street/Benning Road


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Intersection Locations

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Priority Corridors


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Priority Intersections


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r ecommendations, funding,and implementationRecommended improvements have beenidenti ed for all study corridors andintersections, while conceptual designs werecompleted for three corridors and numerous

intersections. The recommendations varyin timing (short, medium, and long-term)and costs. Some improvements will requirelittle additional design and/or preparation(e.g., basic striping), while others will

require detailed design plans and must gothrough numerous approval processes (e.g.,intersection reconstruction). The DDOTLivability Program has some immediate

funding that can be used for identi edproject improvements, while the remainingproject improvements must receivefunding through more traditional fundingmechanisms.

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The following corridors and intersections are organized fromhighest to lowest priority, as seen in the previous matrices.Explanation of treatments proposed is found in the glossary of terms.

Corridors

Sheriff RoadSheriff Road, a minor arterial that is approximately one-mile in

length within the Far Northeast study area, received the highestpriority ranking of all corridors in the study area (i.e., it tied with49th Street). Furthermore, it received the highest number of community comments throughout the duration of this project.Sheriff Road is one of the few roadways in the study area thatprovides direct access into the District from suburban Maryland.The peak commuting traf c (westbound in the morning andeastbound in the evening) brings with it high traf c volumes andspeeds, signi cant concerns for the neighboring community.Measured 85th percentile speeds were measured at 6 mph

over the posted 30 mph speed limit, with daily traf c volumesof approximately 9,000 vehicles. Speeds in past DDOT studiesmeasured 85th percentile speeds exceeding the posted speedlimit by 10 mph. Additional concern for the community is thesafety of pedestrians along the corridor. With high speeds andlimited controlled crossings, pedestrians are often faced withfew opportunities to cross Sheriff Road, particularly during themorning and evening peak periods.

Recommendations

Because Sheriff Road is a minor arterial and facilitates themovement of commuter traf c, recommendations must

balance the need to move people effectively (e.g., motorists,pedestrian, bicyclists, and buses), while also providing a safeenvironment for non-motorized traf c to navigate the area.The corridor recommendations, which can be seen in thefollowing gures, provide an array of conceptual designs thataim to improve safety along the corridor. Vertical traf c calming(e.g., speed humps, raised intersections, raised crosswalks) isnot recommended along Sheriff Road, particularly because asan arterial street it also serves buses, trucks, and emergencyvehicles.

Reduce speeds and improve pedestrian & bicycle safety

Short Term:

Add shared bicycle lane markings Add parking edge lines

Medium Term: Install pedestrian refuge medians Install curb extensions Install rapid ash beacons Relocate and consolidate bus stops Install choker medians with speed cushions Install a bike lane and sharrows.


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Sheriff Road: 43rd Place to 48th Street

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Sheriff Road: 48th Place to East of 50th Street


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Sheriff Road: 51st Street to Eastern Avenue

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49th Street49th Street, a collector street that is approximately 1.3 miles inlength within the Far Northeast study area, also received the

highest priority of all corridors in the study area (i.e., it tied withSheriff Road). Despite it being a collector street, 49th Streetexperiences a high volume of pedestrians in its periphery,primarily related to the number of schools. 49th Street is uniquein that it is the only roadway in the study area that providesaccess from the southern (E. Capitol Street) to the northernboundary (Minnesota Avenue) of the study area. The street alsoprovides direct connections to the Benning Road Metro Stationto the south, the Deanwood Community Center and DeanwoodMetro Station to the north, and several major east-west

roadways (i.e., Sheriff Road, Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, E.Capitol Street). 85th percentile speeds were measured at 6 mphover the posted 25 mph speed limit, with daily traf c volumesof approximately 4,800 vehicles. Similar to Sherrif Road,community concern on 49th Street is primarily related to hightraf c speeds and volumes.

Recommendations

The recommendations for 49th Street include a balance of measures to slow vehicle traf c, the addition of pedestrian

facilities, and the improvement of pedestrian safety, particularlyin the vicinity of schools.

Reduce speeds and improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety Short Term:

Add shared lane bicycle marking Add bike lanes Add parking edge lines Add bike box

Medium Term:

Install curb extension Install rapid ash beacons Install raised crosswalks Install pedestrian refuge medians

Long Term:

Install mini-roundabout Install raised intersection and choker islands


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49th Street: East Capitol South to Fitch Place

F N h Li bili S dd


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49th Street: Fitch Place to Jay Street

O b 2011


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49th Street: Jay Street to Quarles Street

F N th t Li bilit St dd


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Far Northeast Livability Study

Grant Street

Although Grant Street is just over two blocks in length, the localstreet is a signi cant cut-through route between MinnesotaAvenue and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. During thepeak hours when congestion occurs along the major arterials,Grant Street offers relief and allows motorists to bypass theconsistently congested intersection of Nannie Helen BurroughsAvenue/Minnesota Avenue. Unfortunately, Grant Street shouldbe used for local traf c and commuter traf c should stay onthe more signi cant streets. In addition to cut-through traf c,a general concern by the community was high speed traf c onGrant Street. However, measured 85th percentile speeds on thestreet were 6 mph below the posted 25 mph speed limit. Someattempts at reducing speeds and cut-through traf c have alreadybeen made with the installation of speed humps.

Recommendations

Recommendations to reduce cut-through traf c include theelimination of the southbound left-turning movement at theintersection of Grant Street/Minnesota Avenue. Furthermore,adding a north-south median at the intersection of GrantStreet/42nd Street would force all motorists on Grant Streetto make a right-turn, thus eliminating much of the cut-throughtraf c.

Reduce cut-through traf c and reduce speeds Short Term:

Eliminate southbound left-turning movement at MinnesotaAvenue

Medium Term:

Install North-South median at 42nd Street

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Hunt PlaceHunt Place, a relatively short east-west local street parallel toNannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, experiences a high number

of cut-through motorists on a daily basis. In fact, the measured3,450 daily traf c volume is the highest of any reviewed localstreet in the study area (the second highest is Grant Street witha measured daily volume of 1,375). Hunt Places proximity tothe heavily congested intersection of Nannie Helen BurroughsAvenue/Minnesota Avenue means motorists can easily bypassthis intersection with little delay. Conversely, there is littleresidential activity on this street in comparison to adjacent localstreets (e.g., no residences are located on the north side of thestreet).

Recommendations

Because few homes are located on this street, no major traf ccalming measures are recommended. The expansion of theintersection of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue/MinnesotaAvenue under the Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue andMinnesota Avenue Great Streets projects will assist in reducingthe congestion experienced today.

Reduce speeds and improve pedestrian & bicycle safety Medium Term:

Install raised crosswalk at Midblock Park access

Division AvenueDivision Avenue, a collector street that is approximately 1 milein length within the Far Northeast study area, received one of

the higher priorities of corridors in the study area. While DivisionAvenue has fewer schools along the corridor than 49th Street,there are still numerous bus stops with over 1,800 daily busboardings, thus generating a good deal of pedestrian traf c.Division Avenue provides good north-south connectivity in thestudy area, providing a direct connection between East CapitolStreet to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue to Sheriff Road. 85thpercentile speeds were measured at 8 mph over the posted25 mph speed limit, with daily traf c volumes of approximately4,600 vehicles. Similar to 49th Street, community concern on

Division Avenue is primarily related to high traf c speeds andvolumes.

Recommendations

This study does not provide detailed design concepts similar tothose completed for Sheriff Road, 49th Street, and MinnesotaAvenue. However, identi ed problems along Division Avenuerelate very closely to those identi ed and addressed on 49th

Street. A network of curb extensions, improved pedestriancrossings, parking edge lines, raised crosswalks andintersections, pedestrian refuge medians, rapid ash beacons,and bicycle facilities will provide a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as improve the experience for transit users.

Far Northeast Livability Studyd


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Reduce Speeds and Improve Pedestrian & Bicyclist Safety Short Term:

Add parking edge lines (narrow travel lanes) Add bike lanes and shared bicycle lane markings

Medium Term:

Install pedestrian refuge medians

Install curb extensions

Install raised crosswalks Install rapid ash beacons

Long Term:

Install raised intersections and choker islands

Division Avenue

October 2011


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42nd Street42nd Street is a north-south local street that is approximately0.65 miles in length within the Far Northeast study area. The

street connects Hunt Place to the north with Ames Street tothe south. The only major arterial that 42nd Street intersectsis Benning Road. Over half of 42nd Street forms the easternboundary of Fort Mahan Park, and thereby has no residentialproperty along the west side of the street adjacent to thepark. Likewise, parking is restricted on the west side of thestreet north of Benning Road (approximately mile). Primarycommunity concern regarding 42nd Street relates to speedingand cut-through traf c. Measured 85th percentile speeds weremeasured at 2 mph under the posted 25 mph speed limit,

with daily traf c volumes of approximately 2,100 vehicles.Although measured speeds were below the posted speed limit,directionality of the measured volumes did indicate a gooddeal of cut-through traf c. Observations and evaluation of thecollected roadway volumes indicate a bulk of cut-through traf cconsists of westbound motorists on Benning Road wishing toavoid the intersection of Benning Road/Minnesota Avenue, aswell as motorists using Grant Street to avoid the intersection of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue/Minnesota Avenue.

Recommendations

While cut-through traf c was observed on 42nd Street,improvements to the intersections of Benning Road/Minnesota

Avenue and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue/Minnesota Avenue(discussed elsewhere in this report) will reduce the number of cut-through motorists. Likewise, the proposed right-turn onlymedian recommended at the intersection of Grant Street/42ndStreet should also reduce the number of cut-through traf c.Additional recommendations for 42nd Street include parkingedge lines to reduce lane width, shared bicycle pavementmarkings, marked pedestrian crosswalks to Fort Mahan Park, andthe installation of a sidewalk along the west side of the street.



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42nd Street

Reduce Speeds and Cut-Through Traf c; Provide North-SouthBicycle Connection; Improve Pedestrian Facilities Short Term:

Add parking edge lines (narrow travel lanes) Add shared bicycle lane marking

Medium Term:

Install sidewalk on west side of street from Grant Street to Benning Road Install raised crosswalk at Eads Street

October 2011


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44th Street44th Street is a north-south collector street that is approximately0.95 miles in length within the Far Northeast study area. The

street connects Lee Street to the north with Benning Road tothe south. Primary community concern regarding 44th Streetrelates to speeding and cut-through traf c. 85th percentilespeeds were measured at 7 mph over the posted 25 mphspeed limit, with daily traf c volumes of approximately 6,500vehicles. Directionality of the measured volumes did indicate agood deal of cut-through traf c. Observations and evaluationof the collected roadway volumes indicate a bulk of cut-throughtraf c consists of motorists avoiding the intersection of BenningRoad/Minnesota Avenue, either from Kenilworth Avenue to East

Capitol Street or East Capitol Street to Kenilworth Avenue.

Recommendations

While cut-through traf c was observed on 44th Street,improvements to the intersections of Benning Road/MinnesotaAvenue and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue/Minnesota Avenueare likely to reduce the number of cut-through motorists.

Medium Term:


Long Term:

Install raised intersections near Smothers ElementarySchool

Gault PlaceGault Place is an east-west local street, approximately 0.6miles in length, connecting Minnesota Avenue to the west withNannie Helen Burroughs Avenue to the east. Primary communityconcern relates to high speeds and cut-through traf c. However,measured volumes were relatively low and measured 85thpercentile speeds were 5 mph lower than the posted 25 mphspeed limit. The street is one-way in the eastbound directionbetween 42nd Street and 44th Street, thus reducing signi cantlythe potential for cut-through traf c in the eastbound westbounddirection.

Recommendations

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Hayes StreetHayes Street is an east-west local street with two locations whereit dead ends, one between 42nd Street and 44th Street at the

Marvin Gaye Trail and one at the intersection of 46th Streetwhere it does not connect to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue.Primary community concern relates to high speeds and cut-through traf c. However, measured volumes were relatively lowand 85th percentile speeds were 6 mph lower than the posted25 mph speed limit. The low volumes and speeds are likely dueto the dead ends, where traf c in unable to use the street asa cut-through street between Minnesota Avenue and NannieHelen Burroughs Avenue.

Recommendations

Due to the low speeds and volumes, no recommendations have been made for Hayes Street.

Jay Street

Jay Street is an east-west local street, approximately 1.0 mile inlength, connecting 44th Street to the west with Hunt Place to theeast. Primary community concern relates to high speeds and cut-through traf c. However, measured volumes were relatively lowand 85th percentile speeds were 1 mph lower than the posted25 mph speed limit. The street currently has a system of speedhumps.

Recommendations

While measured traf c speeds and volumes were relatively low,facilities such as curb extensions and striped parking edge lines

can calm traf c and reduce crossing distances for pedestrians.

Lee StreetLee Street is an east-west local street, approximately mile inlength, connecting 44th Street to the west with Eastern Avenueto the east. Primary community concern relates to high speedsand cut-through traf c. However, measured volumes wererelatively low and measured 85th percentile speeds were near than the posted 25 mph speed limit. The street currently has asystem of speed humps.

Recommendations

While measured traf c speeds and volumes were relatively low,facilities such as curb extensions and striped parking edge linescan calm traf c and reduce crossing distances for pedestrians.

October 2011


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Short Term:

Add parking edge lines (narrow travel lanes)Medium Term:


Reduce Speeds; Improve Pedestrian Safety; Increase

Motorist Awareness of Pedestrians

Jay Street and Lee Street



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Priority Corridors

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Intersections

Benning Road/East Capitol Street/Central AvenueBenning Road/East Capitol Street/Central Avenue receivedthe highest priority of all study intersections in Far Northeast.Benning Road and East Capitol Street are both classi ed asurban arterials, and therefore accommodate large volumes of commuter and local traf c. The intersection in its current formincludes high commuter volumes, the adjacent Benning RoadMetro Station, closely spaced adjacent intersections (CentralAvenue and Texas Avenue), long pedestrian crossing distances,and unorthodox geometry. As a result of these numerous factors,over 60 crashes occurred between 2007 and 2009. Negotiatingthe intersection as a pedestrian is very uncomfortable, and thesize of the intersection (speci cally the oversize median) and thetime it takes to cross the street become deterrents to followingbasic laws. Likewise, many pedestrians do not obey existingtraf c controls and often make mid-block crossings east of theintersection to and from the Metro Station. The geometry and

size of the intersection, the current signal phasing con guration,the proximity of adjacent intersections, and the unusualplacement of a concrete median in the center of the intersectionalso make for a congested, unsafe experience for motorists.

Recommendations

Based on community feedback, observations in the eld, existingdata, and an operations analysis, a large-scale redesign is

recommended for this intersection. A complete reconstructionis the best way to improve conditions for pedestrians, motorists,transit riders, and bicyclists. The underlying problem with theintersection that permeates all modal issues is the size of theintersection. The current size however, is not all attributed tolanes of pavement. Much of the issue lies is the 50-foot medianthat separates eastbound and westbound traf c on East CapitolStreet. A signi cant reduction in the size of the median wouldallow for improved pedestrian crossing distances and times, whilealso improving vehicle operations.

The proposed redesign shifts the westbound direction of traf csouth, closer to the eastbound direction of travel. The redesignwill also allow for a more traditional signal phasing scheme of opposing protected left-turns in the north-south and east-westdirections. It also reduces the north-south crossing distance of pedestrians by over 30 feet. Furthermore, the proposal providescurb extensions at each corner in order to slow turning motorists,thus reducing high speed impacts between motorists and

pedestrians. In concert with the DC Pedestrian Master Plan, animproved pedestrian crossing is provided approximately 350feet east of the intersection. This crossing will accommodatethe heavy pedestrian traf c at this location, by allowing shorter crossing distances controlled by appropriate signing and rapid

ash beacons. Lastly, bicycles are accommodated in bothdirections with a six-foot cycle track and a two-foot buffer fromthe travel lane. The following gure provides a conceptual designof the study intersection.



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y y

Funding and Implementation

Estimated costs associated with this improvement are in excessof $6.8 million (including 20% for engineering, 25% potential

contingency, and 20% for potential utility relocation). Animprovement of such a large scale is not a short- or medium-term solution. Long-term, costly solutions will enter into theTransportation Improvements Program (TIP) and await fundingbased on DDOT priority and available federal funds. However,the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) awarded DDOT$1,065,400 on August 17, 2011 help fund the reconstruc tion.

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Long Term:

Relocated westbound lanes south and reduce median width Modify existing lane assignments Modify signal timing, phasing Add protected left-turns Add leading pedestrian intervals

Add pedestrian countdown signals

Add bicycle facilities Right-in/Right-out only at Central Avenue

Intersection Redesign

Benning Road/East Capitol Street/Central Avenue



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Benning Road/East Capitol Street/Central Avenue

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Benning Road/39th Street/BenningNeighborhood LibraryThe Benning Road/39th Street/Benning NeighborhoodLibrary intersection received the second highest priority of study intersections. The Library, located in the southeastcorner of the intersection, was recently constructed, therebyincreasing pedestrian activity in the area. The Library drivewayis also shared with a retail center, which includes a Safewaysupermarket. The biggest community concern at this location isthe lack of pedestrian facilities to allow safe pedestrian crossingof Benning Road, as well as limited opportunities to cross due toheavy traf c (i.e., available gaps in the Benning Road traf c ow).A traf c signal warrant evaluation was completed at this location(using 12-hour turning movement counts from September 15,2010). Based on the evaluation, a full traf c signal is warrantedat the intersection of Benning Road/39th Street/BenningNeighborhood Library.

Recommendations

Based on community feedback, observations in the eld, existingdata, an operations analysis, and a signal warrant evaluation, afull traf c signal is recommended for this intersection. Further,it is recommended that the 39th Street approach should beconverted to a right-in/right-in movement to prevent delayedcon icts between potential southbound left-turning vehicles andpedestrians crossing Benning Road. A signal warrant evaluationmemorandum and intersection operations analysis are located inthe Appendices.

Medium Term:

Install full traf c signal Convert 39th Street to right-in/right-out movement

Funding and ImplementationAs previously discussed, Benning Road is a Great Streetand may include construction of this signal to ef ciently andeconomically realize this important safety improvement.



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Benning Road/39thStreet/BenningNeighborhood Library

Improve Pedestrian Environment,Crossing Safety

Medium Term:

Install full signal and crosswalks

Minnesota Avenue/Blaine StreetShort Term:

Traf c SignalMedium Term:

Reconstruct intersection as part of Minnesota Avenue Great Street

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Minnesota Avenue/48th Street

The Minnesota Avenue/48th Street intersection is adjacentto the newly constructed Deanwood Community Center andLibrary, and across Minnesota Avenue from the DeanwoodMetro Station. The Deanwood Community Center has becomea signi cant place of interest for the community (and the City)since its construction and thus, pedestrian activity has greatlyincreased recently. The study intersection also serves as themain gateway to the Center from the Metro Station. In itscurrent state, the geometry of the intersection has a skewedangle which results in long pedestrian crossing distances (nearly100 feet across 49th Street), poor visibility, and high motoristspeeds, particularly from 49th Street to Minnesota Avenue in thenorthbound direction.

Recommendations

The intersection of Minnesota Avenue/48th Street is part of alarger corridor plan of traf c calming and bicycle facilities fromMeade Street to the south and Quarles Street to the north. Theintersection recommendations include a large curb extension atthe northeast corner of the intersection (i.e., the corner closest

to the Community Center), pedestrian refuge areas on the northand south approach of Minnesota Avenue, buffered bike lanes,and restriped pedestrian crossings on all approaches (currentlythere is not a marked crossing on the north approach). Themost prominent feature, the large curb extension, will help torealign the intersection and reduce the large turning radii. Thecurb extension will force motorists to make slower turns on toMinnesota Avenue and will also greatly shorten the crossingdistance for pedestrians on 48th Street. The median refuge areas

on Minnesota Avenue will allow pedestrians to cross MinnesotaAvenue in two stages if necessary and will slow traf c, thusgreatly improving the overall pedestrian safety in the area.

Improve pedestrian environment,crossing safety Short Term:

Add bike lanesMedium Term:

Install curb extensions and pedestrian refugeFunding and Implementation

The recommended improvements will require dedicated fundsfor the Livability program. Improvements such as the bufferedbike lanes and parking edge lines can likely be completed ona shorter time frame, while the physical improvements (i.e.,curb extension and pedestrian refuge areas) will require moredetailed design and will also be more costly.



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Improve Pedestrian Facilities Short Term:

Install additional markedcrossings

Install parking edge lines alongMinnesota Avenue (narrow travel

lanes) Add bike lanesMedium Term:

Realign (i.e., square up)intersection

Add curb extensions Add pedestrian refuge islands,

reduce crossing distances

Reduce curb radii

Minnesota Avenue/48th Street and Minnesota Avenue/Nash Street (Deanwood Community Center)

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East Capitol Street/Central Avenue/50th StreetThe intersection of East Capitol Street/Central Avenue/50thStreet has been studied in the past through the DC PedestrianMaster Plan and is currently being studied by DDOT as part of acorridor-wide pedestrian and bicycle plan. The intersection hasunusual geometry with Central Avenue, crossing at a signi cantangle on the south and then again to the north, but further downstream west. The eastbound right-turning movement alsoincludes a high-speed free ow movement

far northeast livability study 2011

Documents