Posts about Dupont Circle

Connecticut Avenue, for that one block, would become much like P Street or Nineteenth Street (on the north side) as they approach the circle. Each provides a travel lane and a parking lane in each direction— far different from the cramped and highway-like atmosphere on Connecticut Avenue.

The businesses along the block would benefit from sidewalks that will double in width as well as from easier access from the roadway, parking spaces and pedestrians on the opposite side of the avenue. The increased sidewalk space would relieve the pedestrian congestion on the sidewalks, particularly on the east side, and provide space for outdoor seating and for stores' promotional placards. Pairs of facing street benches perpendicular to the avenue could provide more seating for shop patrons and passersby.

This would be more expensive to build than the median park, as it would need to be strong enough to carry traffic, but it enhances existing, heavily-used sidewalk spaces.

Plans are already in motion to build over I-395 and the National Capital Planning Commission dreams of covering the E Street Expressway in Foggy Bottom east of the Kennedy Center. Compared to those proposals, this one is simpler, cheaper and would benefit more residents.

Cross-posted at Left for LeDroit.

It doesn't help that many past bad experiences have built up substantial mistrust toward ODMPED. They have frequently passed over good projects with community support for bad ones and ignored the long-term public interest in favor of short-term gain, either financially for the city or for favored developers. That may or may not be happening here, but the timing and lack of explanation is suspicious.

While the Arts Coalition for Dupont Underground had been pushing for an RFP so they could try to secure a lease, this came as a surprise to them as well, ACDU's Adam Griffiths said at the meeting.

Some people asked about the possibility of restoring the space as a streetcar station in the future. Goradia said that ODMPED is talking with DDOT about their plans and may go for a shorter-term lease to accommodate that. Griffiths said WPA would be happy to use the space on such a basis, as rehabilitating it for gallery and performance space doesn't require a very extensive buildout, unlike most other uses.

DDOT has no plans to build a streetcar on Connecticut Avenue, and with a Metro line there, the need has diminished a great deal since a streetcar last ran under Dupont. Still, this was built as a streetcar station and if a streetcar ever comes back to the area, it should certainly use the station.

ANC 2B asked ODMPED to follow the normal process and allow more time for input. Either way, what do you think should go in the space? I think the arts space would be terrific, and should get one of the two tunnels. Several of you also suggested a bike station in the past. If ODMPED wanted to link development to achieving some of DC's sustainability goals, it could ask a private institution using one tunnel to reserve space and one of the stairways for a bike station.

One of the two tunnels. Image from Hunt Laudi Studio.

I have a Master Gardener Certificate and can attest that the tree in front of 1732, a female, was probably on its last legs and had lost several large limbs in recent years. However, I did not get a satisfactory answer justifying destroying the other two trees.

They were removed today, prior to community feedback, simply because equipment to do the job was already around the corner to remove two trees on the 1700 block of Q St at the request of residents. It is DDOT policy to confer with residents prior to taking down trees that don't pose immediate danger. This policy was totally ignored.

The three remaining trees were female ginko trees. Mr. Thomas apologized and said that his staff were wrong to cut down these trees. The trees should have stayed put unless the owners in front of the trees initiated a petition to remove them a nd 60% of their neighbors signed the petition. There had been no petition. Instead, there was just the presence of DDOT's equipment from Q St and a desire by DDOT staff to remove female ginkos.

This lack of communication is particularly frustrating because in other situations communication had been good. For example, the basis for the recent removal of female ginko trees (and their replacement by certified male ginkos) on the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Corcoran St was a mutually-negotiated agreement between the city and the residents.

The Urban Forestry Administration has to manage many trees with few staff. They can't afford to teach every resident all about arboriculture every time they want to cut or prune a tree. However, it's also understandable that residents will want some communication and assurance about upcoming tree cutting. A tree takes decades to grow. A pruned limb never comes back. UFA needs to find some way to better communicate with residents.

At the end of September, tree crews started pruning various trees on my block. I was happy to give DDOT the benefit of the doubt, but wanted to find out what was planned and for which trees. However, numerous emails to UFA head John Thomas and Ward 2 arborist Munevver Ertem went unanswered. Ms. Ertem even told me on the phone that while normally they would email their database entries about a block's trees to residents, because of my blog she would have to check with others; I never got the information.

Eventually, the tree crew got around to the tree in front of my house. When I spoke to them about my desire to keep as much of the tree as possible, they said that they could certainly prune less than the standard, which is to cut all branches six feet away from any buildings. Like many on our block, that tree extends over our house, which I personally like for the added shade in summer.

Ms. Ertem also told me that an arborist had reviewed the block in May and scheduled the trees for pruning. That means from May to September, DDOT had a plan to prune the trees, but nobody knew about it. Nobody . I have no specific objection to any decisions of the arborist, but residents should have the opportunity to weigh in on the judgment calls, like how much to prune, and to know about what's planned.

UFA has a detailed database of street tress. DDOT should make that database available publicly. It will inevitably lead to more questions from affected residents, but answering questions is something our government officials should do.

Meehan has arranged for UFA's John Thomas and DDOT Director Gabe Klein to attend next Wednesday's ANC 2B meeting.

Major resident concerns at the meeting centered on reducing the number of trees slated to be replaced by preserving a greater number of existing trees where possible, and ensuring that the sidewalk on the east side of the street extends 10 feet from the curb edge, unimpeded by outdoor restaurant seating. DDOT staff promised to follow up on these issues, including a walk of the corridor to assess individual trees with residents and consultations with restaurants that have outdoor seating on 17th Street.

The contractor for the reconstruction project is Capitol Paving of DC and the construction manager is The Temple Group. A project website with construction information and updates is scheduled to go live on Monday. Construction, which will begin at the southern end of 17th Street and work its way northward in four phases, is expected to take 240 days, with crews beginning at 7:00 AM and working every day of the week except Sunday. A few residents argued for a delayed start time of 8:00 AM. DDOT staff, noting the pressure to quickly complete stimulus projects, were very resistant to the delay since it would slow the pace of construction, which is already likely to be delayed by winter weather.