Pedestrians
Crossable intersections in Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan has many more pedestrians than cars. But its major intersections have wide turns and slip lanes that speed traffic while making crossing difficult.
Fortunately, DDOT's walking-friendly personality has won out over its faster-traffic one in the Adams Morgan/18th Street study, which recommends redesigning the area's key intersections with more urban designs.
Here's 18th and Columbia:
18th and Florida. Today, to walk along the east side of 18th, a person now has to cross three separate roadways. This plan consolidates those into a single crossing, and on the west side, cuts off vehicular access to Vernon St from this end entirely.
Columbia at Kalorama, Euclid, and Harvard. Each of these intersections has tiny triangular spaces too small to be usable. The study recommends reconnecting each to neighboring blocks to create better public spaces. (According to the DDOT presentation, Kalorama Park event used to stretch south to complete the full triangle that this study seek to restore).
DDOT originally planned to perform reconstruction of 18th Street in 2009. According to emails on the Adams Morgan neighborhood email list, it was then pushed back to 2011, but the Council decided to force DDOT to do it in 2009 and put money toward it. It doesn't look like this includes the Columbia Road portions, and I don't yet have definitive confirmation that they're going to follow this study's recommendations exactly, but I'll post when I have more details.
 | David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.   |
Comments
- Latest Metro map drafts add Anacostia parks and other tweaks
- Bikeshare is a gateway to private biking, not competition
- DC Council makes major policy changes overnight
- Short-term Washingtonians deserve a voice, too
- Public land deals have both benefits and pitfalls
- Parklets give every block a little park
- Judge denies injunction against closing schools
Btw, great blog!
by JDo on Jun 2, 2008 7:16 pm • link • report
by Steve on Jun 2, 2008 10:14 pm • link • report
It makes it very difficult to do the right thing and take the train when it's so easy to miss the late night train. $140 to cab 7 people back to Greenbelt Station at 3 a.m. Almost makes me want to drive a 7 person SUV into the city and pay the $10 for parking.
And Adams Morgan is not alone. Georgetown, Logan Circle, H Street, Upper Connecticut Avenue, Brightwood, Brentwood, and Glover Park... all areas I've been caught missing the last train because I was too far from transit and I couldn't catch a cab in time.
I think it's just as important that these pedestrian improvements to a transit-isolated hot spot don't impede future transit plans, as that will be the best way to truly walkable area and set the example for the rest of the city.
by David Murphy on Jun 3, 2008 2:14 am • link • report
by just wondering on Jun 3, 2008 8:11 am • link • report
A few seconds delay for a car is worth increased pedestrian safety, clearly.
by Boots on Jun 3, 2008 8:35 am • link • report
These plans look great, especially joining the triangles. I wish they'd do that everywhere in the city.
by Alex on Jun 3, 2008 9:45 am • link • report
by Chris on Jun 3, 2008 10:35 am • link • report
Add a Comment