DDOT decides not to extend Minnesota Avenue

Traffic

by David Alpert • May 4, 2009 1:17 pm

In 2007, DDOT studied the possibility of connecting Minnesota Avenue, NE between Sheriff Road and Meade Street. Minnesota Avenue runs along the railroad and Orange Line tracks through Ward 7, but with a gap of about a third of a mile. Plans for the area dating back to the 1930s envisioned a connecting segment, but one was never built. Last week, however, DDOT announced its decision not to build the connection.

According to the ~~Environmental Impact Statement~~ Environmental Assessment, the lack of a connection forces traffic to take other local neighborhood streets, especially Meade Street and 44th and 45th Streets. At the time, planners also contemplated using the segment of Minnesota Avenue for the Anacostia Streetcar, which they hoped would run all the way from Bolling or Barry Farm through to the Minnesota Avenue and Deanwood Metro stations.

Proposed Minnesota Avenue connection.

However, the ~~EIS~~ EA also predicted that 10,000 cars per day would use the new Minnesota Avenue segment, while only reducing the daily volume on 44th and 45th Streets by 1,400 cars per day. Many of the rest would use Minnesota Avenue instead of Kenilworth Avenue/295, on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. The ~~EIS~~ EA doesn't model the effect on Metro, but adding new roads directly parallel to the Metro line would likely draw at least some commuters to switch from Metro to single-passenger driving. It wouldn't improve access to Metro, since there's one station near each end of the gap. And the plan didn't contain any bicycle lanes or other facilities beyond the standard two-lane arterial with basic sidewalks.

The ~~EIS~~ EA estimated that the project would cost $2.62 or $2.72 million in 2006 dollars, depending on the width of the road, and require taking some private property including demolishing at least one house. It also predicted the project would generate about 60% more carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and other pollutants in the immediate area than the no-build alternative. Since the Deanwood neighborhood almost entirely comprises minority and low-income residents, adding more traffic and pollution would raise significant environmental justice concerns.

Fortunately, DDOT has decided to "close out" the ~~EIS~~ EA by selecting the no-build option. Road connectivity is important to good urban design, but the neighborhood is already a grid. Adding an arterial road along the edge just for its own sake, costing money, adding pollution, and potentially inducing more traffic and lower Metro ridership elsewhere doesn't make sense.

Instead, DC should invest in Ward 7 through other, better projects. DDOT has reiterated its commitment to the Nannie Helen Burroughs and Minnesota Avenue Great Streets, rehabilitating the Watts Branch trail, and improving alleys and sidewalks throughout the neighborhood. This project reflects an earlier transportation philosophy that prioritized widening and adding arterial routes in and out of the city. It's time to move away from those plans and focus on improving the quality of life for residents using all modes of travel.

9 comments — Share	— tags: DC, DDOT, Deanwood, induced demand, road connectivity

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Comments

I would love to see DDOT do an exhaustive study of the hundreds and hundreds of disconnected streets and dead ends in DC. This project turned out to be harmful to the neighborhood's urban character, but a good portion of street reconnections can help by breaking up superblocks and reducing isolation. I'm glad that, in this case, DDOT did a full study, and that they're respecting the conclusions of their own analysts, rather than just looking for ways to let cars drive faster. That makes me all the more inclined to trust DDOT to analyze more connections and choose only the most beneficial projects.

by tom veil on May 4, 2009 1:36 pm

I think the connection would serve a purpose if some sort of mixed use ever sprouts up around the Deanwood station. I have a feeling that area is going to explode, it's so convenient and the houses are pretty nice. It's too close in and to well connected by Metro to not see that sort of redevelopment. When this occurs, I think connecting Minnesota Avenue to Downtown Ward 7 would serve that community well, so long as it comes with wide sidewalks, bike lanes, bus service, etc...

by Dave Murphy on May 4, 2009 2:28 pm

the other assest that area has (besides nice houses and metro) is close proximity to a large park with hiking trails - Fort Dupont.

by Bianchi on May 4, 2009 2:57 pm

Dave, while I agree that the area will see more reinvestment in the future, the timeline will be longer than in other parts of the region due to its location well outside the Favored Quarter. It will happen. It will just take longer. From some perspectives, the evolution will be better than a quick change. I personally would like to see sooner rather than later but I like to think I'm realistic.

by Cavan on May 4, 2009 3:04 pm

Why dont they just rename the portion in Deanwood something else; whats the purpose of having streets named the same thing when they dont connect.

There are at least 10 streets like this around DC and there a b***h to explain to people when you think you would find an address in one part of the city and you have that same street miles away still in the same quadrant they don't connect together at all like portions of 1street ne, central ave ne etc who's bright ass idea was it to have streets that don't connect in no conceivable way at all.

Maybe turning it into a park would be a nice idea and maybe getting Mdot and Ddot to look in on making the underpass at minnesota & eastern ave wider would be nice for car and bus traffic

by Kk on May 4, 2009 4:18 pm

Given the pavement width suggested in the Environmental Assessment (BTW, David, it was an EA, not a full EIS), there's no reason why they couldn't have included bike lanes. A 48ft street width easily provides for 2 11ft driving lanes, 2 8ft parking lanes, and 2 5ft bike lanes.

by Froggie on May 4, 2009 5:45 pm

I'll give a quick disclaimer in that I know zilch about this area, but was there any consideration for (or is there already; or would the community want) a hiker/biker trail along the same alignment?

by Bossi on May 5, 2009 11:13 am

Championing DDOT for their decision…Are you kidding?!? The study was done in 2007. Why did it take almost two years for them to rule on it? No explanation on that, but you are saying that we should be happy for their conclusions?!? I’m all for environmental concerns, and building the road gives that and continuity in riding, driving, etc.

Everyone knows the adage, if you build it, they will come. If this road was built, it would definitely be used, not simply by commuters but folks in the region. In addition to that, according to the study, it was ALWAYS planned, but never executed (definitely typical of a DC project, but I digress). Connecting Minnesota Avenue will take the traffic burdens off the residential streets, thus reducing the environmental footprint (i.e., idling cars through residential Deanwood neighborhoods) in the long run. Leave it to DDOT to conclude that connecting a major thoroughfare to/from PG County and not having idling cars throughout Deanwood blocks is a bad thing. Having to travel in a serpentine manner up Sheriff Road or 44th/45th/46th Street seems ludicrous. The roads built would be big enough for bike lanes as well. Geez, folks can commute on bicycle from PG to DC. Imagine that! Idiots I tell you.

The “Metro competition” argument falls on its face too. If anything, the segment will make it easier to get to the Minnesota Avenue garage when it is open for business.

I can’t believe spending a relatively low $3 million for 1/3 mile road and less community/commuter heartache is marked with opposition. Pierre L’Enfant, Andrew Ellicott, and Benjamin Banneker are collectively shaking their heads from the grave.

by Q on May 5, 2009 1:47 pm

In contrast to your post, David, DDOT has not closed the door on the extension. Essentially, the no-build was chosen because there are no funds and the agency has at least three years to come back to the issue. At the announcement meeting I directly confronted GKlein about this open-ended decision, particularly since residents didn't understand the agency's nuance. I have instead urged the agency to redirect or leverage monies to build biking/walking trails and sidewalks that will provide a better quality-of-life for residents. I've also asked that a comprehensive traffic and pedestrian safety study be done because we still have to contend with cut-through traffic on 44th-49th Streets. You mention environmental justice being served by the no-build; a similar argument can be made for neighbors that have to contend with the cut-through traffic with no real remedies in sight.
These suggestions to some extent seem to have fallen on deaf ears, if not slow-walking because of budgetary constraints. As several posters noted, and GKlein admitted, the Minn Ave extension is a classic case of government kicking the can; it should have been done decades ago and now we've let the traffic dictate sound policy. So, Deanwoodians now have to expend EXTRA, EXTRA energy to GET the suggestions I offered on the table then into the budget then to get it done all the while dealing with the quality-of-life issues. I hope against all hope that we're not in the same situation three-five-ten years from now. We could certainly use the help of your readers and you!

by Sylvia Brown, 7C04 (past Deanwood Citizens Assoc. president) on Jul 27, 2009 3:02 am