This graphic is from Appendix B of the Needs Assessment done by the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority as part of the now defunct DC Transit Future project. Their website has been pulled, but thanks to the Web Archive folks, the site can still be accessed here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20060511104657/www.dctransitfuture.com/.
This graphic shows that the Washington Hospital Center, and Bloomingdale, are one of the city's most congested traffic problems in the City. Of the three darkest blocks on this map, the eastern most block in this diagram includes Children's Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, VA Medical Center and Nat'l Rehabilitation Hospital. The blue blocks to the south include Bloomingdale.
Washington Hospital Center is the most dense commuter destination not served by transit rail. Another study done shows that WITHOUT additional development at the Armed Forces Retirement Home and McMillan, traffic in Bloomingdale is already severely stressed and will get worse. The developer's response to this concern is to have we taxpayers foot the bill for timed traffic lights up and down First Street, the heart of Bloomingdale.
Let me add that if the city had a role in designing this site, they certainly would never dream of adding only cross street between First and North Capitol. (There would be four if the standard city grid were followed.) Since the developer is a private corporation they are maximizing profits and could care less about the mess they will leave behind.
So, if you like North Capitol Street, you will love the developer's vision for timed traffic lights for First Street. I am very interested in hearing from folks in Bloomingdale that like First Street the way it is, especially those with pets and children.
If the land were redeveloped into a walkable town center with actual shops then it would no longer be necessary for residents of the neighborhood to drive for so many of their daily needs.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who likes walking more than sitting in traffic, I am all for this redevelopment.
As a resident of N. Capitol St. for more than 25 yrs, I am against the redevelopment, preferring the greenspace, limited development proposed by Ward 5 residents at several of the past MAG town hall meetings. I speak from experience about the increased traffic congestion that has developed over time causing increased noise and air pollution and, more recently, increased accidents and congestion on N. Capitol St.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of noise pollution have been a constant problem for N. Capitol St. residents, resulting in shifting ground and home foundations for years. Most homes along the McMillan path and beyond have had vertically cracked foundations in the center of the homes for years. Residents appealed to the city for subsidies to help defray costs of repairs for years, even prior to my arrival 25 years ago. I believe the concensus was to not allow heavy truck traffic on N. Capitol after years of debates.
In December my family counted auto accidents--at least one per day for a consecutive 3-day period in one week and 1 per day the following week over another 2 consecutive days on N. Capitol St. In each case traffic was backed up for miles during rush hour and people were injured. The good news is that so far (as I know anyway), no one has been injured who may have been walking along our "open" unprotected-from-the traffice sidewalks along N. Capitol St. Weekend traffic is no better, because of increased activities along an already abused N. Capitol St. thoroughfare. Ball park traffic, universities activities traffic and just plain old getting from here to there traffic-all use N. Capitol St.
Did I mention that these traffic congestion incidents are occurring now prior to development plans along Soldiers Home and Catholic University corridors of N. Capitol St., and Michigan Ave., respectively, which will only add to the traffic woes?!! Give us a break!...
Save the greenspace,
Thank you, Molly. I am sorry to hear about your experience on North Capitol Street. We are trying to fight the Bethesda developer's efforts to turn First Street into ANOTHER North Capitol. I agree with you 100% that this development project, as it is currently proposed, would make the problems on North Capitol and First Street much worse than they already are. We are hearing too much from the developer's team (who are being paid to make comments) and too little from actual folks in the neighborhood. Please ask your neighbors to send their comments. Also, please send me an e-mail and I will put you on the NoDrillingAtMcMillan mailing list. My e-mail is paulandrewkirk@gmail.com.
ReplyDelete