Big Time Work

Posted on August 30, 2010 by gabeklein

One of the most important aspects of my job at DDOT is getting out in the field with our managers, engineers, contractors and residents on our job sites. We have more projects under way concurrently than any other time in DDOT’s history. Projects ranging from small storm water upgrades, and green alley projects, to Pennsylvania Avenue SE Great Streets and the 11th Street Bridge project.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a host of projects in SE and NW with our Deputy Director of Operations, Terry Bellamy, and our Associate Director of the Traffic Operations Administration (largest administration at DDOT), Gloria Jeff. We all bring different perspectives to projects, coming from different professional walks of life. Terry has almost 30 years in transportation planning and operations in North Carolina, Arlington VA (8 yrs) and the last 3 years here at DDOT. Gloria ran Michigan DOT, and Los Angeles DOT and was Deputy Administrator for Federal Highways under President Clinton. I am proud of the diverse team of professionals that we have assembled at DDOT, a team with personality.

We video taped our walk around at two projects recently to show people the ongoing work.  The video gives you a sense of the improvements on the projects.  I was personally very happy to see some of the aesthetic improvements on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, a grand boulevard if there ever was one, soon to be restored to its full grandeur.  Click here to see the video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRudn7Bt7cg.

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d.Trees

Posted on August 19, 2010 by karynleblanc

The blog Greater Greater Washington posted an article recently entitled “Street tree care: How can it improve?”  In it, Geoff Hatchard covered the struggles associated with working to both expand the urban tree canopy with new trees and ensure existing trees are maintained through their maturity.  His proposed solutions included planting fewer trees so more money can be put into watering, as well as better engaging residents in maintaining the trees near their homes.

DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA), responsible for managing the city’s street trees, agrees with Mr. Hatchard’s overall assessment and would like to take this opportunity to explain how street tree maintenance works and explore ways that it could be improved. 

UFA “DDOT Trees” operates under two guiding requirements that mandate a certain amount of tree planting.  The US Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Permit requires the District government to plant at least 4,150 trees every year.  UFA currently plants about 3,500 trees every year, accounting for about 60% of all 6,000 trees planted in the District and about 70% of all trees planted specifically by District government.  In addition, Mayor Fenty has mandated a canopy increase from 35% to 40% by the year 2035. That requires an average of over 8,000 trees planted by public and private entities every year and a strong focus on maintaining the health of mature trees that comprise a majority of the canopy.

As part of tree planting contracts, UFA’s private contractors water and guarantee the trees they plant for one year.  UFA inspects all new trees after that year and identifies those that have not survived.  Contractors are not responsible for tree death due to vandalism, bikes being chained to trees, or vehicular accidents.  In addition, federal stimulus has funded UFA crews to water new trees in the District’s combined sewer overflow area (Wards 1, 4, and 6) and the Green Summer youth jobs program waters quite a few more.  These crews, however, simply do not have the staff or funding to water every tree as often as it needs.

Major cities in the U.S. and around the world rely heavily on volunteer citizens to help maintain trees.  DDOT Trees also engages the public as a partner in keeping the District’s canopy green and healthy as we can always use more help.  The more the public engages, the more our professional staff (all ISA certified arborists with at least Bachelor degrees in forestry or related fields) can use their technical expertise to maintain the health of mature trees so fewer new trees need to be replaced. 

As part of a new effort to break down bureaucratic walls and establish a stronger relationship with the public that better reflects the passion, energy and expertise of our staff, the Urban Forestry Administration will soon operate publicly under the name d.Trees (DDOT Trees).

New technology platforms, a revamped Canopy Keepers tree adoption program, innovative community grant funding and targeted outreach to engage underserved communities are all part of this new d.Trees effort to build a stronger community of residents, businesses and local non-profits that water, plant, and keep an eye on trees.  In a tree box, there is only room for one tree, whether it is fifty inches in circumference or two.  Our goal is to keep those 50 inch trees around as long as possible.  To achieve that goal, we need all hands on deck.

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Storm Cleanup… All Hands on Deck

Posted on July 27, 2010 by gabeklein

We often spend our time publicly in policy discussions, arguing the merits of taking one position or another – whether to build a streetcar line, this streetscape design vs. that one and so forth.

I want to take a moment to publicly recognize the majority of our employees, over 700, who work to preserve and maintain our public space every day, and keep our transportation system functioning safely and efficiently.

This week has been a challenging one, reminiscent of the snow we experienced in February.  A “micro-burst” came through the city leaving extensive damage regionally on Sunday afternoon.  As they always do, DDOT’s Urban Forestry Team, Traffic Operations Administration, and DDOT management immediately sprang to action to assess the damage and perform triage to clear downed trees and limbs from across the city.  The Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services also played a key role with ward teams providing damage reports and photos.  What initially was thought to be minimal damage was quickly realized to be much more.

Complicating the job considerably was sporadic wide-spread power outages.  When the Mayor called me at 3:40pm on Sunday to report a tree burning on a power line he and I knew we had major damage and needed to quickly coordinate emergency response and clean up efforts.  At this point, we realized it was going to be an all hands on deck situation with a lot of inter-agency interaction and Pepco coordination. 

The extent of camaraderie and cooperation between agencies never ceases to amaze me.  DC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), Department of Public Works (DPW), Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS), along with DDOT, and many more agencies were on the ground securing sites, clearing roadways, communicating through central command, and entering issues to be addressed into our Citizen Response Management (CRM) system.

After the initial assessments and triage efforts to clear major roadways, the hard work began.  We are still out there working now and getting Pepco to respond to sites with wires down and turn off power so they can clear and repair power lines and allow DDOT contractors and in-house teams access to fallen trees and debris.  Then Pepco can permanently restore power for our residents.  As I write, we are down to 7000 people without power in DC.

I want to assure the public that we are on the job until the last branch is gone, and the last resident has power restored.  We will also continue to raise the bar for efficiency within DC Government in emergencies, as well as coordination with our crucial utility partners.  Again, thanks to our DDOT people who get it done every day, often the unnoticed and hardest working people here, as well as our sister DC agencies and private sector contractors that work with us to keep DC a safe, world class city.

-gabe klein

Tree down right after storm at Montague St., NW

Tree cleared Mon am, Pepco will return to make final repairs.

Additional photos of DDOT’s storm response efforts can be found on our Facebook page  www.facebook.com/ddotdc.

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Bikeshare Locations Available

Posted on July 20, 2010 by karynleblanc

We posted the proposed bikeshare station locations today and we are looking for feedback from the community.

DDOT used a number of factors to determine the locations including population density, employment density, proximity to transit and the bike-to-work rate and we incorporated crowd sourcing as a means to identify locations (need to give a shout out to our partners at OCTO for their help with this!).

The 3 maps on the website show the locations (map 1 – google map) as well as the analysis tools we used.  The density analysis and crowd sourcing map (maps 2 and 3) really show why we identified the locations we did.  Remember, we will hope to eventually expand more but for now we feel the proposed locations you will see take the bike sharing program to another level and one that will benefit so many more residents, commuters, and visitors.

We are looking for constructive criticism here or even positive reinforcement of our choices.  Let us know either way.  We will be busy gathering input and our staff will be attending a lot of ANC meetings over the next months so check your local ANC agenda.

Click here ddot.dc.gov/capitalbikeshare for a link to the maps and thanks for all your interest in the bikshare program!

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Letter to the Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)

Posted on July 1, 2010 by gabeklein

The following letter was sent today to the Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) to express our disappointment with his unilateral letter asking the Federal Transit Administration to withhold grant funding to extend the Benning Road streetcar “extension”line to the Benning Road Metro Station in ward 7.

July 1, 2010

Mr. L. Preston Bryant
Chairman
National Capital Planning Commission
401 9th Street, NW
North Lobby, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004 

Dear Mr. Bryant:

I am writing to voice my profound disappointment regarding your June 25, 2010 letter to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding the District’s streetcar program.  I am requesting that you retract your letter as soon as possible and reevaluate NCPC’s role in District decision making as well as the nature of National Capital Planning Commission’s (NCPC) engagement in this priority project that will connect residents east and west of the Anacostia River.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has long appreciated the NCPC concern over the use of overhead wires to power the streetcar and their impact on the view sheds of federal buildings within the L’Enfant Plan.  As you are aware, DDOT has proactively engaged your staff on this topic and was hopeful that a compromise could be reached where overhead wires would be used in corridors lacking federal buildings and monumental views, such as H Street/Benning Road, with a further commitment to use wireless propulsion technology throughout the District when it becomes a viable alternative to overhead wire propulsion.  DDOT has never planned to use overhead wires along the National Mall.  I further add that DDOT has maintained its commitment to be transparent in this process. NCPC has been made aware of our plans through communication and briefings with NCPC staff and Commissioners, and the plans for the streetcar network were included in the District’s Comprehensive Plan which NCPC has approved.  NCPC, through its participation on the WMATA Board of Directors, also did not object to initiating the procurement for overhead wire-propelled streetcars to be used on H/Benning Road.  Considering the level of transparency and communication exhibited by DDOT I was disappointed that you did not extend the same courtesy on this issue.

The FTA’s Urban Circulator grant program provides a rare and exciting opportunity for DDOT to receive needed federal funding to extend the H Street/Benning Road streetcar segment from Oklahoma Avenue NE to the Benning Road Metrorail station.  This extension will serve a highly transit-dependent community, experiencing a 20 percent unemployment rate, by providing a direct link to residents living east of the Anacostia River to Union Station, the District’s intermodal hub.  I was surprised to see that you have chosen to intervene on behalf of NCPC by writing a letter to the FTA in opposition of this application, especially considering that this segment of the streetcar line is not even affected by the 19th century bans on overhead wires in the District.  Moreover, this segment is not located in a region of the District within NCPC’s jurisdiction.

Your letter to FTA Administrator Rogoff explains that your rationale for opposing the District’s grant application is due to a disagreement with the District government over DC Council legislation that will allow overhead wires on the H Street/Benning streetcar line which as you may recall NCPC initially supported as a compromise.  You also cite an NCPC legal memo opining that the DC Council does not have the authority to repeal the 1888 and 1889 wire bans.  I must point out that you have not shared this memo with the District government despite the now public legal briefs from the Office of the Attorney General and nationally renowned Attorney Andrea Ferster opining that the DC Council does not need Congressional approval to amend the 19th century overhead wire restrictions.  Additionally, the DC Council legislation actually protects the professed interests of NCPC and does nothing to diminish your advisory role on the streetcar.

I find it impossible not to interpret your letter opposing the Urban Circulator grant application as an attempt to leverage influence on the overhead wire legislation now under consideration by the DC Council.  This use of apparent blackmail is troublesome since NCPC appears to be attempting to sidetrack a rare funding opportunity for a key transportation project that lies beyond its authority and jurisdiction.  It also appears that you are seeking to inappropriately expand your strictly advisory role related to projects in the District.  Furthermore, I have been informed that the letter sent to the FTA was not approved by the members of the Commission and does not represent their views on the topic.  Therefore, I respectfully request that you retract your letter immediately if you wish to have a productive dialogue with DDOT going forward.

Sincerely,

Gabe Klein

Cc:       Mayor Adrian Fenty
All DC Councilmembers
NCPC Members
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
The Honorable Peter Rogoff

Posted in General, Transit | 3 Comments

Weekly Transportation Musings

Posted on June 23, 2010 by gabeklein

I want to start by linking to two great blog posts.  First, from Secretary Lahood: http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/06/its-official-bike-lanes-open-down-americas-main-street.html#more 

2nd, from Rep. Earl Blumenauer: http://bikeportland.org/2010/06/22/rep-blumenauer-on-the-inauguration-of-pennsylvania-ave-bike-lanes/

These two individuals, and our own Tommy Wells, Council member for Ward 6 were the inspiration for the bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue.  Earl and Tommy were the originators of the challenge.  I then championed the challenge, and the whole bike team, and operations teams at DDOT excitedly stepped up to the plate, with Toole Design as the author, and put it together.   Mayor Fenty said “do it!  And make it safe.”

      

In order:  U.S. Sec LaHood, Rep Blumenauer, Mayor Fenty, Gabe Klein, Rep Oberstar speaking at Tuesday’s official opening of the Pennsylvania Avenue Bike Lanes on America’s Main Street.

Why this level of detail?  I think it is important to give credit where credit is due.  Courage begets courage too.  Someone has to have an idea, and someone else needs to move it forward.  When Ray LaHood stood on a table at the Bicycle Summit, and made a clear statement about equal access for bicycles and pedestrians on our nation’s roads, it was a sea change in federal transportation policy.  It was also courageous. 

 http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/03/my-view-from-atop-the-table-at-the-national-bike-summit.html

What’s interesting about policy shifts, particularly what we are seeing in this administration, after very different policies set during the last administration, is how something very logical, fiscally responsible, that fits in with our health, sustainability, and livability goals, can often be portrayed by a vocal minority as “outside of the mainstream.” 

I was very excited today to read the headlines in the Washington Post: “Fairfax County supervisors authorize transformation of Tysons Corner.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062104669.html

Now this takes real courage.  This area in northern Virginia was once farmland, and has become a thriving business community, but not necessarily a smart growth city.  I used to work at 8484 Westpark, and my co-workers and I would drive across the street to Panera because Rt. 7 was so treacherous.

What people have realized in Arlington (over a decade ago), Fairfax, and Gaithersburg etc. is that they want what DC already has.  So there is no excuse for us, here in the Nation’s Capitol, to not celebrate and build upon what we inherently have in our built environment.  I think we actually have an obligation to do this.  To have the courage to build a Streetcar system, expand low-cost but premium bus service, to launch citywide Livability Studies for the safety of our residents, to invest in a 21st Century Metrorail system, create a regional utilitarian and fun bikeshare system, and to give those in all 8 wards layers of safe mode choices, while taking into account the distinct differences in density and topography.  We also have a responsibility to tell the story, and explain the options to the public.

 What may seem “outside of the mainstream” today, or “pushing the envelope,” even “radical,” will be the status quo tomorrow if we are true to the needs of our residents, our commuters, and our regional and national economic and environmental goals (which are all closely aligned and intertwined).  We need to have the courage to formulate a vision beyond tomorrow’s traffic jam.  I say we as leaders in government have a moral obligation to step up to the plate.

Posted in Bike, General | 2 Comments

Gabe’s NASTO Acceptance Speech (and commentary on the state of transportation)

Posted on June 18, 2010 by gabeklein

(This is taken from Gabe Klein’s speech Tuesday, accepting the role of President for NASTO, the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials, which brings together representatives from the state transportation departments of the Northeastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec)

Hello Everyone,

There is so much experience in this room, I learn every time I listen to Al Biehler, George Campbell, Carol Ann Wicks,  Joe Marie [past NASTO presidents, State DOT CEOs] etc.  So it is a real honor to be made president of this historic, 100 year old organization, of which the District of Columbia has been a member since 1937.

So…about me:  I have been the DDOT Director for 1 .5 years.  Before this I spent much of my career in alternative transportation, car sharing, electric vehicles, and the bicycle industry. 

Because of my experience, there are certain perspectives I bring to the table.

Personal goals this year:

I hope to show:

 The nexus between sustainability, livability, fiscal responsibility, and economic competitiveness locally, regionally, and nationally as it relates to transportation and land use.   These ideals and programs are not and should not be at odds, but quite the opposite, work hand-in-hand.

Furthermore, tension between modes is unnecessary.  We are a multimodal society.  We as State CEO’s operate transportation “systems,” and each mode is a piece of that system.  Our job is to provide options to people and I think we can do more to mesh and layer these modes via sophisticated planning, marketing (often forgotten), and by utilizing existing technology that people have in their hands already.

We need a balanced system that reflects our environmental and livability goals, and I believe our financial realities (or have the courage to work to change those realities).   Most people are all things at one time or another – pedestrians, drivers, transit users, and cyclists, so these tensions or conflicts I believe are somewhat irrational, fear based vs. grounded in reality.  I hope we can work together to publically break down these false walls within our industry.

So back to the financial realities.  I do think that we need to reconcile our ability to spend on maintenance vs. new capacity.   We need to involve the public more in this conversation. 

We also need to look hard at the ROI for each initiative when prioritizing projects.  Delivering more efficiently, streamlining our DOT’s from planning to engineering.  Procurement and construction is essential now.  Continuous process improvement is a key to our success. 

 It seems to be more and more apparent that all states have different needs, regions have different priorities, and that funding flexibility needs to be increased and not decreased for states (flexing for transit, bike/ped, roads).  It’s also apparent that change needs to take place on various financial fronts, and I think we need to embrace it rather than fight it.  My belief is that we need to have honest, open dialogue locally and nationally.  It is okay to vocalize the differences that we have and also the priorities that we share. 

Do we have the answers yet?  Is a lot of this territory uncharted?  Do rural communities, suburban communities, and urban communities have differences, but also have a lot in common?  I think the answer to all three is yes.  Everyone needs transportation, and every person deserves a high quality of life.  The work that Pennsylvania is doing with Smart States really embodies this.

So. What can NASTO do in 2011? George Campbell, our new Vice President, and I have been kicking around some ideas and we will send out a survey to solicit your feedback.   Here are some of our initial ideas:

Broadly speaking, I think NASTO states can be national leaders in bringing people together, building bridges if you will with regard to the U.S. DOT Secretary Ray Lahood’s priorities, and show by example how the puzzle pieces fit together in the north east.

We can also talk about the potential of embracing the “Smart States” program as a region, which would send a message…

Why not have common standards for NASTO states with regard to utilizing recycled materials, and warm-mix asphalt.  Let’s set some aggressive goals, together.  George Campbell has also suggested looking at pricing and procurement opportunities in this area as well. 

I get so much out of these meetings every year.  It would be nice to have a passive way to share information on an ongoing basis.  So DC will look to put together a simple technology platform that facilitates collaboration, information sharing, benchmarking, and possibly even shared procurement opportunities for all the North Eastern states.  The purpose is to recognize while we all have limited time throughout the day it is still important to share experiences and advancements throughout the year in-between these conferences.  This would most likely be part of an enhanced website that we would undertake as well.

I also think that we need to take the message to the people, and would like to float the idea that we work with AASHTO [American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials - www.transportation.org] on a national public information campaign regarding the choices that we have before us, the financial pressures, our current investment in maintaining our infrastructure vs. what’s needed, as well as the limitations on new initiatives.  Then, how we would pay for increased levels of service if the public desires it: increased gas tax or VMT, that are needed to reinvest in transportation infrastructure at the levels that they do in Europe for instance, or do we just want to maintain…  We just cannot do both right now in America under the current system without borrowing money.  Let’s talk about educating the public as to the options people have, and let’s have a public debate.  We have millions of dollars in advertising space in Washington that we would donate to this campaign.  So we are talking about design and production costs.  I imagine other states do too.   

 Back to the theme for this year’s NASTO conference, “going green.”  Senator Carper quoted Einstein yesterday, he said “there is opportunity in adversity” and perhaps the economic and climate crises, together, will force the tough decisions that need to be made to save our planet.

 At any rate, lots to do, and George and I look forward to working with you for the next 12 months.

Thanks!

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Traffic Pattern Changes at New York and Florida aves, NE

Posted on June 11, 2010 by karynleblanc

We have been seeking new avenues to communicate changes in traffic patterns that impact daily commutes for everyone: motorists, bicylists, transit riders, and pedestrians. 

If you receive our press releases, monitor our tweets, are a Facebook friend, or see our posted Variable Message Signs you probably noticed we announced a number of traffic pattern changes starting or occuring this weekend on a number of different projects – 14th Street Bridge, 11th Street Bridge (I-295), Key Bridge, and the challenging intersection at New York Avenue, Florida Avenue, and First Street in NE.

Of all these impacts, the one that may be the most confusing will be the new pattern at the New York Avenue and Florida Avenue intersection.  Anyone who travels this intersection knows the myriad of left turns, or better yet restricted left turns, traffic signals, crosswalks, and significant competing traffic.  The ongoing construction is part of a safety improvement project that will change the direction of traffic creating a “virtual circle” around the center of the intersection where the Wendy’s is.  We are now entering Phase IV of the construction in which much of the final and new traffic pattern will be put in place. 

We developed a video simulation that shows and explains the Phase IV traffic pattern which goes into effect this weekend.  If you use this intersection or know someone who does we encourage you to view the video NY-Fl Ave Video.   Please let us know if you find this useful.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Statement on Pennsylvania Ave Bike Lanes

Posted on June 10, 2010 by gabeklein

There has been a lot of discussion lately regarding the installation and subsequent change of the design of the Pennsylvania Bike Lanes.  DDOT is excited to have the bike lanes installed but will not officially open them until we are sure the design provides a safe and rideable area for both bicyclists and motor vehicles.  That being said, we worked on the PA Bike Lane design extensively on paper, and vetted them with WABA, Federal Agencies, and the public etc. 

Unfortunately some things didn’t translate, or come to life until they were on pavement.  Issues included the safety of the cyclists in an 8 foot lane with a 3 foot buffer, that used to be an 11 foot car lane, and was mistaken for one causing confusion; compounded by the fact that physical separation for the length of the lanes was not possible, the initial choke points at 14th and 3rd, to the aesthetics of the design.  In addition, the final product resulted in wasted space in the middle as a result of the design being dictated too much, in my opinion, by the pedestrian refuges and the stoplights vs. the overall alignment of the streetscape.  This is really the key problem, the large bike lanes were a decision dictated by the lights/cobble stones.

What will result now, is a relatively straight alignment for cyclists, less confusion for motorists as a result, slightly smaller lanes, which will be recognized as bike lanes but still have abundant space, protection for cyclists by using the median behind the bollards and the stop lights (an area that cars are not used to driving on), and as an added bonus, some lanes given back to traffic.  This was not the focus of the change, and no, AAA did not affect this change although we respect and listen to their opinion.  It was a bi-product, but we always, as we should, look to serve all modes.  As an aside, traffic tie ups east bound on PA Ave are attributable primarily to signal timing and phasing vs. the bike lanes, and we are looking to make further modifications in the coming days as this is a separate issue.

In terms of the concern re: pedestrian/bike conflicts at some intersections, we looked at this long and hard.  Even at rush hour, there are very few pedestrians that get stranded in the middle of the typically sizeable refuge.  If they do, the cyclist has a long, straight line of sight (unlike the curbside when peds often step into bike lanes) and speed can be adjusted by the cyclist if the light is green.  This is a tradeoff of course, but we think the right one to make.

One other point: we are planning on placing 5 small unobtrusive, white, reflective bollards at the beginning and end of each block where there is no paint buffer to protect the cyclist and will test to see if it aesthetically works for our federal partners. 

I think it’s okay to admit when we make a mistake, and in our initial design, I think we were a little too utopian on paper, and will benefit from a simpler, safer, more straight forward design.  We repave the street every 4 years btw for the Presidential Inauguration.   More robust changes can be made to signals, bollards etc. to design around the bike lanes vs. fitting them into the existing streetscape in 2012.  So we encourage everyone to take a breath, let us make the adjustments, and then come out to the ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening.

Thanks for your support as we move the city forward and provide safe travel for all modes, and where better to do this than America’s Main Street.

Gabe

Posted in Bike, General, Public Space | 5 Comments

Welcome to the new DDOT Blog

Posted on June 10, 2010 by gabeklein

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to The District Department of Transportation’s new blog.

Communication with our constituents and stakeholders is job #1. We have been working hard to create a more transparent DDOT and a customer-centric agency and this new blog is the latest of many outreach components we are excited to launch. We have beefed up our communications, marketing, transportation demand management (TDM), and IT capabilities (we have a great new CIO, Lance Schine btw).

We are working on a beta 2.0 version of our Transportation Access Portal for project information (dTAP). We also embraced social networking, reporters from major news outlets, national and local transportation blogs, and newbie blogs starting up. We value and appreciate deeply all of these venues help in getting our message out. Having said all of that, we still see our information getting confused sometimes in the public forum, which is natural. So, like Federal DOT, The White House, and other folks that we look up to, we are going to work to communicate directly and clearly when an important issue comes up.

We also may want to wax poetic on a topic that’s important to us from time to time. Then the other blogs out there can link to us, give commentary, and allow people to comment.

Not only will I have access to this blog, but anyone in our organization who has something pertinent to say, will have the opportunity to do so. We look forward to building a more direct connection to the people that we serve, and finding additional ways to facilitate 2-way communication with you.

Thanks,
-Gabe Klein
Director, d.

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