Posts about Hillcrest

DDOT chose the six corridors to increase connectivity, accessibility, mode choice and build upon existing plans. These are the corridors:

1. Good Hope Road and Naylor Road between Minnesota and Southern Avenues
   
2. Branch Avenue between Southern and Pennsylvania Avenues
   
3. Naylor Road between Southern and Fairlawn Avenues
   
4. Alabama Avenue between Pennsylvania and Branch Avenues
   
5. Minnesota Avenue between Good Hope Road and Massachusetts Avenue
   
6. Southern Avenue between Pennsylvania and Branch Avenues. Additionally, the study looks at extending the street to Naylor Road.

The proposed improvements ranged from new streetscape and sidewalks to creation of new bike lanes.

DDOT presented typical sections along Good Hope Road and Naylor Road for both commercial areas and residential areas. The agency also recommended implementing Safe Routes to School improvements west of Minnesota Avenue where there are a cluster of public and charter schools.

During the feedback session, members of the community brought up a number of concerns:

• Extend the Alabama Ave study to Naylor Road: The section between Branch Ave SE and Naylor Road SE was the site of two pedestrian crashes this summer. Part of the problem is that Alabama Ave widens to two lanes in each direction. The stretch of roadway between Branch Ave SE and 29th Street SE is unsignalized, which leads to speeding in this section. There are crosswalks, but it is a difficult road to cross.

• Include bus routes in the analysis: The community wants to make sure that residents have sidewalks to be able to access the bus routes. For example, there are bus stops along Branch Ave SE where there are no sidewalks. People step off the bus into the grass.

• Find streets where bike lanes makes sense: Residents who do not have a preference for bike lanes expressed concern that DDOT wants to add bike lanes when most residents use public transportation and/or walk. They were very clear that they did not want to sacrifice on-street parking for bike lanes.

  Bike lane supporters stated there are people in the Ward 7 community that rely on bicycle as the primary mode of transportation, so bike infrastructure such as lanes and racks are needed. Both sides were able to agree that major roadways, such as Good Hope Road SE, may not appropriate for bike lanes, however. They recommended DDOT find alternative routes and solutions.

• Add access through the parks: One solution proposed by a resident was creating more access through the parks owned by the National Park Service. There is currently an underutilized hiker-bike trail running through these parks. Residents suggested considering a paved path and lighting to provide a higher level of comfort and security which can encourage travel through the park.

• Enforcement is part of livability: Several residents spoke of pedestrians along Good Hope Road SE who do not obey traffic signals. This summer there were incidents where pedestrians were hit. While there are some unsignalized intersections, many pedestrians cross against the light at signalized intersections.

• Find new routes for commuter buses from Maryland: Good Hope Road SE is a main corridor for commuter motor coaches from Maryland. DDOT is exploring alternative routes like Suitland Parkway.

Much of the discussion at the meeting covered topics from the numerous previous studies already conducted in some of the neighborhoods. For example, Branch Ave between Pennsylvania Avenue and the District line was studied in 2003. The community is still waiting for DDOT to implement some of the recommendations from that report.

At the next meeting in late January, DDOT will present the draft report to the community.

Cross-posted at Life in the Village.

7A07 sits at the Pennsylvania Avenue gateway to Ward 7. A key property in this SMD is the MPD 6D Substation that the community has been fighting for years to keep open. During this commissioner's term, the lease extension will expire.

The incumbent Villareal Johnson has two challengers, Adwoa Aggrey and Robert Idlett. Some residents hold him in high regard, while others handpicked Aggrey to run against him for to her efforts opposing a permit for a daycare operating out of a private residence. Idlett is a young resident who has worked in city government his entire career. He has wants to organize monthly clean-ups and push for economic development.

Although Johnson comes with mixed reviews from residents in his SMD, he has been a vocal champion of creating community benefits agreements that provide a sustainable benefit to the community as opposed to one-time benefits, such as turkey dinners, which have satisfied some ANC commissioners.

ANC 7B has traditionally been one of the stronger ANCs in Ward 7, containing Hillcrest, Randle Highlands, Penn Branch, Fairlawn, and Fort Davis neighborhoods. Robert Jordan is challenging incumbent Richard Evans in 7B06, which includes Fairfax Village. Jordan comes with fresh ideas to assist the ANC in running more structured and professional meetings. In addition, he is focused on economic development, public safety, and keeping the community litter free.

Evans has missed several ANC meetings and when he is in attendance he does not stay the entire meeting. Most members of the SMD have no idea who he is as he does not communicate with them. Evans sits on a lot of boards and committees, such as DC's Bicycle Advisory Council, Pedestrian Advisory Council, Deanwood Main Streets, and the East Washington Foundation board. However, his participation in each of those committees has been consistently spotty.

Ronnie Streff has been labeled a rabble-rouser due to vocally expressing opinions that sometimes go against the grain of more longtime residents. However, in his role as in the Capitol View Civic Association he has been instrumental in working with the city to have their basketball courts repaved and tennis courts refurbished, in addition to an annual community day.

He is also a volunteer member of MPD and a DDOT Livability Community Advisor. In 7C03, around Kelly Miller, he is challenging incumbent Catherine Woods, who has missed several ANC meetings and when she does attend she is usually arguing for the sake of arguing. Most disturbing to a community over run with liquor stores, she has missed key ABRA hearings over making substantial changes to liquor licenses.

Sylvia Brown, who represents 7C04 in Deanwood, has been one of Ward 7's most effective and visible commissioners. She tweets constantly, showed the City Paper around the neighborhood, and pushes for better transit-oriented development in the area's Metro stations. She is running unopposed, but deserves special mention for her advocacy and particularly her ability to build relationships across both sides of the river.

Veronica Ranglin, a long time fixture in the community, apparently opposes everything. She has been attacking the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Gardens, citing the garden is a breeding ground for mosquitos, rodents, and other unwanted insects.

Lisa White is running against Ranglin for the Kingman Park district 7D01, the only SMD in Ward 7 west of the Anacostia. White is a fourth generation Washingtonian and a supporter of the community garden.

Both Liz Pecot, challenging Rick Tingling-Clemmons in ANC 7D05 around Benning Road Metro, and Derrick Daniels against Sharita Slayton in Eastland Gardens' 7D02, would bring new life to districts where the longtime incumbents have ceased to put much energy into the community and the role of commissioner. Tingling-Clemmons is also on the ballot challenging Eleanor Holmes Norton as a representative of the Statehood Green Party.

Incumbent Evelyn Hunter Armstrong in Marshall Heights' 7E06 deserves reelection over hopeful Marquette Austin. Armstrong has been working with fellow commissioner Maxine Nightingale-Starling to bring all the commissioners of Ward 7 together. Ward 7 needs to have people like Armstrong working to unite the ward.