Author: will.stephens@dupontcircleanc.net

NEWS: Bicycle Safety Meeting 9/27/12

Day/Time: September 27 from 7:00pm-9:00pm

Location:  The Chastleton Ballroom, 1701 16th St., NW (corner of 16th & R)

The Dupont Circle and Logan Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC) jointly announce a public meeting for residents, business owners and organizations to discuss bicycle safety issues in the community.  With biking for transit expanding rapidly in our community, many issues, concerns, and questions have arisen.  Some topics for discussion are:

  • The District’s plans to make DC more bike/pedestrian-friendly; any plans or ideas for the Dupont-Logan area and its residents.
  • The laws/rules about street/sidewalk biking; consequences for those who break them.  Whether any of these laws/rules should be revised or updated by the City Council.
  • New bike lanes:  Where/when are they coming and where else are they needed.  Tips for dealing with the new 2-way bike lanes for bikers, drivers, and pedestrians.   Also, bike parking.

After hearing strong concerns about road safety at a public listening session on in June, the Dupont and Logan Circle communities are working together to discuss these and any other issues that residents wish to bring up.  At this meeting, District transportation and police officials will be in attendance, in addition to community leaders and bicycling experts.  The Dupont Circle Citizens Association, the Logan Circle Citizens Association, and the Urban Neighborhood Alliance are partnering with the ANC’s on this important community listening and education session.

This is an opportunity to have your voices heard on bicycle safety concerns whether you’re a daily or occasional biker, a pedestrian, or a driver.  The meeting will be a guided discussion  to help inform and guide the city’s public safety agenda so that your bicycle safety concerns can be addressed productively and collaboratively — if not at the meeting, at least in the near future.

We hope to see you and hear from you and your neighbors at the meeting.

Kishan Putta (Dupont)

Noah Smith (Dupont)

Chris Linn (Logan)

Public Safety Liaisons

NEWS: Please Share Neighborhood Photos with Us for Our Flickr Stream

The ANC has created a Flickr account for photos related to the neighborhood — including photo “sets” of events, ceremonies, meetings, parks, buildings, streets, life in the neighborhood, and more.  If you have any photos of the neighborhood that you would like to share with us, please send them to our webmaster (web@dupontcircleanc.net) to add to our Flickr stream.  Thank you!

Full link for our Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dupontcircleanc2b/sets/

NEWS: No Zoning, Preservation & Development Committee Meeting Tonight

Please note that there will NOT be a Zoning, Preservation & Development (ZPD) committee meeting tonight, due to the holiday weekend.

Our default meeting time, day, and location for the ZPD Committee is First Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm at the Dupont Circle Resource Center (9 Dupont Circle NW).

NEWS: New Hampshire Streetscape & Reconstruction Project Begins

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has announced that the New Hampshire streetscape project (from Dupont Circle down to Washington Circle) will begin this week.  Here is DDOT’s full announcement:

(Washington, D.C.) Starting Tuesday, September 4, 2012, weather permitting, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will be begin mobilizing or the streetscape construction work planned for New Hampshire Avenue between H Street and Dupont Circle in Northwest Washington.

As part of the preparation and mobilization activities, crews will be installing construction warning and traffic control signage, tree protection devices and will also be accessing the project area to determine the layouts for the construction work zones.

Project Scope The project entails complete reconstruction work between M Street and Dupont Circle and resurfacing work between H and M Streets and 22nd Street between K Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.  To enhance mobility along this corridor the one-way travel pattern between Washington Circle and M Street will be converted into a two-way travel pattern and a new bike lane will be added between Dupont Circle and Washington Circle.

As part of the safety enhancements for this project, select curb areas will be reconfigured to include bulb-outs and the sidewalks along the entire stretch of the project will be reconstructed and will include ADA compliant wheelchair ramps. At Washington Circle select pedestrian paths within the circle will be reconfigured to improve access to and from crosswalks and a post and chain will be installed around the perimeter of the circle to discourage jay-walking. The project scope will also include:

·        The installation of new streetscape features such as enhanced lighting equipment and tree buffers

·        Intersection and crosswalk modifications along New Hampshire Avenue, Washington Circle and 22nd Street·        Upgrading storm drainage inlets to water quality inlets

·        The installation of storm sewer pipes and fire hydrants

Construction 

The critical construction activities associated with this project will take approximately 18-months to complete.  Actual construction related activities are slated to start on or about September 11, 2012 and will first take place on the west side of New Hampshire Avenue where crews will work from south to north at H Street and at M Street.  Following this phase crews will follow the same sequence on the east side of New Hampshire Avenue and will also begin to work 22nd Street between K Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.  Both phases will include work on Washington Circle

Construction work is scheduled to be performed between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and may occasionally take place on weekends and during overnight hours. All construction activities are contingent upon weather conditions.   At a minimum one traffic lane per existing direction will be kept open at all times.  Curbside parking will be temporarily restricted along the construction areas. No-Parking signage will be placed in advance and a notice will be distributed to the stakeholders along the impacted corridor.  A 72-hour advance notification will be provided to all businesses, residences, and stakeholders in this corridor prior to any impacts on traffic flow or parking.  Access to the Metro station and bus stops will be maintained throughout the duration of the project.

Public meetings will be scheduled throughout the construction period to update stakeholders on the progress of the project.   Motorists are advised to stay alert as they travel through or near this work zone area and to plan ahead to minimize delays while traveling through this corridor. 

For additional information about this project please contact the Public Outreach Coordinator, Monica Ray at 202-563-5033 or NewHampshire-info@ddotprojectdc.com.