New Sign on New Inbound 11th Street Bridge

The signs say “Interstate 695 to Interstate 395 Capitol Hill.” Only problem is there is no I-695 in the District, right? Maybe – some speculate - the signs are referring to the Baltimore Beltway which is also I-695.

Opening of the Inbound Freeway Bridge

Well, actually, there is an I-695 in DC and there has been on for a long time. But while residents and commuters are intimately familiar with I-295 and I-395, you can’t blame them for not knowing where I-695 is located; as far as we can tell it was not previously signed although it was shown on some maps. I-695 has been the designation for a portion of the Southeast/Southwest Freeway, beginning where I-395 enters the Third Street Tunnel and extending to the northern side of the 11th Street Bridge, a grand total of 1.4 miles.

Map Showing New Limits of I-695

In conjunction with the construction of the new 11th Street Bridges, DDOT requested and received approval to extend I-695 across the Anacostia River where it now terminates at the interchange with I-295 and DC 295. I-695 is now a full 2 miles long with mile marker zero located at the junction with I-395. And I-695 is now signed. The map above shows the new limits of I-695 highlighted in green.

There is a method to our madness – we promise – but if you’re still confused maybe Mike DeBonis of the Post or WTOP’s Adam Tuss can provide more clarity.

If only they had signed I-695 way back when the SE/SW Freeway was completed.

Construction of SE/SW Freeway in 1972

Now, who knows where to find the Dwight D. Eisenhower Freeway? Is it signed?

John Lisle
Communications Director

Ribbon Cutting for New Inbound Bridge

Following the ribbon cutting, crews completed last minute tasks and over the weekend shifted traffic to the new inbound bridge. The first vehicles to use the new crossing came across at 11:38 am on Sunday, December 18.

First Vehicles Cross the New Inbound Bridge

The inbound bridge is one of three new spans included in the $300 million project which began in December 2009. A new outbound bridge is also expected to open to traffic within days and a third bridge for local traffic is under construction and will open in 2012.

Mayor Gray noted the project is “ahead of schedule and represents a giant step forward for our transportation system. Critical for connecting one city across the Anacostia River, these new spans will serve our residents, workers and visitors for decades to come.”

Construction of Existing Bridges in July 1964

The three new bridges are replacing two 50-year-old spans that are considered functionally obsolete and structurally deficient. Also, they don’t always get you where you need to go. For instance, there is no direct connection from the old outbound 11th Street Bridge to northbound DC 295, or from southbound 295 to the inbound bridge.

The 11th Street Bridge Project will change that. New ramps will make those “missing connections” and create a seamless connection between the SE/SW Freeway and the Anacostia Freeway (I-295/DC 295). That will smooth the ride in and out of downtown for many commuters, but also will keep a lot of traffic out of the local neighborhoods.

11th Street Bridge is Now Designated as I-695

Residents will also greatly benefit from the completion of the “local” bridge. It really will function more as a neighborhood street that happens to cross the Anacostia River and will link Anacostia, Fairlawn and Congress Heights to the Navy Yard, Barracks Row and Capitol Hill. It will also include space for future transit and a 16 foot wide shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. Those multi-modal features will help draw people to the banks of the Anacostia, to explore neighborhoods on both sides of the river, and to enjoy the Riverwalk Trail, another major piece of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI).

Again, that “local” bridge and the new ramps are scheduled to be completed next year, but judging by the progress so far, the wait shouldn’t be too long. The project is several months ahead of schedule and DDOT has shaved time and money off the project by using a design-build-to-budget mechanism.

There are other reasons to celebrate the success of the project:

• Close to 400 men and women work on the job site daily, and at least 73 DC residents have been hired during the project.
• The design and construction of the new bridges have incorporated many environmentally friendly techniques, including limiting stormwater runoff and recycling debris from the old ramps and bridges for use as filler in the new structures.
• The new spans are being built between the two existing spans, which minimized the impact of the construction on traffic.
  

  New Bridges Sandwiched Between Existing Spans

Of course, no construction project is completely pain-free, and in the coming months DDOT will be asking residents and drivers for their patience as we continue to make progress on this critical project. The true value of that work will come into focus when we complete the remaining bridges and ramps, but from our vantage point, the 11th Street Bridges are already looking great.

John Lisle
Communications Director

Contractor Removing Meter

DDOT has been working with community leaders, the business development community, the ANC’s and DC Council staff to identify potential commercial corridors in Ward 8 that could and should be metered to encourage turnover in the spaces.  It is still our intent to add meters on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue after the streetscape project is finished next year, and after we have properly consulted with and notified the community.

Pay By Phone Parking

It is also our intent to install intelligent, networked single-space meters, multi-space meters and pay by cell technology to make the corridor user friendly for shoppers and the community in general.  These new meters will take credit cards in additon to cash. I am working with our staff to identify the funding for the new meters.

DDOT does not carry excess meter inventory; all of our assets are deployed in the field. It’s also worth noting that 60 percent of DDOT’s parking meters are considered beyond their useful life.  These are the coin only single space meters and they are deployed in commercial areas across the District. It is also standard practice for us to relocate these meters as needed and as more areas come online. The single space meters are also predominately used in what we call “normal” demand zones where the rate is $0.75 per hour, and newer, more expensive meters are deployed in “premium” demand zones where the rate is $2.00/hour.

Solar Powered, Networked Meters

Having said that, DDOT is looking at options to replace all of its older assets with new, networked, credit card accepting meters.  This will improve system reliability and customer service.

In addition, DDOT launched pay by phone service as a payment option for parking in July 2011.  The system has close to 165,000 customers already and has accounted for more than 650,000 transactions.  It has been the most successful pay by cell launch globally.  Customers are encouraged to use the system for parking on a regular basis, especially when they get to a meter that is not working or not accepting their preferred form of payment. We will expand the pay by phone service to Anacostia when the meters are installed after the construction is completed.

Again, thank you for being passionate about your community and for contacting me about this issue. It is our goal to provide equal service to every ward and every resident of the District, and we welcome your help in ensuring we do it right.

Terry Bellamy
Director

As this old photo taken a century ago shows, the park - in the median on 14^th Street, SE between U and V Streets – has been the centerpiece of the community for a long time. It has shown its age recently however, suffering from neglect and becoming more of an eyesore than a bustling neighborhood gathering place.

But rather than accept the park’s fate, a small group of church patrons, historians, community advocates, business district leaders, and residents banded together and decided to do something about it. They formed the Friends of Old Market House Square Park and began the arduous process of raising the funds and support needed to restore the park to its former glory. it was not an easy task. A generous offer from the nonprofit TKF foundation of Maryland came with a catch: it was a challenge grant which meant the Friends of Old Market House Square Park needed to raise more money to match that donation. They perservered though and got additional funding from DDOT and an Earmark from Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry.

Finally, in April of this year, all the pieces were in place and the group broke ground on their labor of love.

It took just 7 months to complete the work… but it was the culmination of a much longer effort.

At the ribbon cutting, Carolyn Johns Gray, a member of the community group, said, “Seven years of work here finally resulted in what you see here today.”

“It is really amazing to be here to see the transformation of the park from what it was when this project started to what it is today, said Donald Cryer, the Senior Warden at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church which fronts the square. “It is hard to believe this could be done.”

The park now boasts new lighting, benches, paths, handicap ramps, grass and trees. DDOT also installed new sidewalks and curbs and repaved the roadway around the square. Residents can match wits on the built-in chess tables, read to children on colorful mushroom shaped seats, or reflect quietly on a bench made from recycled 200 year old pickle barrel wood.

DDOT is very proud to have played a part in the restoration of the park. It looks great, but the lion’s share of the credit for this project belongs to the hardworking, determined community coalition – led by Marie Zackrie – that wouldn’t take no for an answer and kept after it, and kept after it, until they got it done.

Congratulations!

John Lisle
Director of Communications

Work on the Trail is already well underway. With more than $25 million invested, 12 of 20 miles are complete, including segments linking Diamond Teague Park, the Pumphouse, the Yards, Navy Yard, RFK Stadium, River Terrace and Anacostia Park. The rest are in planning, design or under construction in coordination with the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. DOT and other agencies.

The District trail will eventually link to 39 miles of trails in Maryland where DC Mayor Vincent Gray recently joined Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for a ribbon cutting ceremony marking Maryland’s completion of 1.5 miles of trail near the border in Bladensburg.

The “Anacostia’s Great Outdoors” event also celebrated the progress made restoring the Anacostia River Watershed. Mayor Gray said, “Working with Maryland and our federal partners to invest in our trails and parks, we will bring new life and greater economic stability to the communities, parklands and habitat that run along the Anacostia River and in doing so, make the Anacostia a national showcase for urban parks and habitat restoration.”

The Riverwalk Trail is a key component of the larger Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) launched more than a decade ago. The trail will allow District residents and visitors to walk and bike along the river to numerous destinations including the Fish Wharf, Nationals Park, Poplar Point, the Navy Yard, historic Anacostia, RFK stadium, Kingman Island, the National Arboretum, and the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

By Spring 2012, construction will be complete on two new pedestrian bridges on both sides of the river connecting South Capitol Street to Benning Road. Design of the Kenilworth Gardens segment, which will connect Benning Road in the District to the Bladensburg Trail in Maryland, is 65 percent done and scheduled to conclude in the summer. Construction is planned to begin by the end of 2012.

Once completed, there will be close to 60 miles of contiguous trails in the Anacostia River Watershed, an expansive transportation network for those who prefer walking and bicycling to get around the District and beyond.

James Cheeks and Mike Goodno in Nijmegen

In early October, James Cheeks and I, along with city transportation officials from Chicago and Miami, attended a one-week study tour of bicycling design best practices in the Netherlands.

During our visit, we travelled to seven cities (Utrecht, Zwolle, Groningen, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam) to meet with local planners, engineers, and elected officials about how the Dutch make their cities such inviting places for bicyclists.

From my perspective, one of a transportation planner from a car-dominated country, I saw a simple, yet utopian vision of a place that put an increased emphasis on biking: children biking to school, people cycling to work, parents biking with children, and bikes with baskets filled with groceries. And even though most bicyclists didn’t wear helmets, biking was safe: In a country where nearly everyone rides a bike, drivers (who are often riders themselves) expect to encounter bicyclists and know how to interact safely with them.

A major component in the Netherlands’ effort to encourage bicycling is its emphasis on building bicycle infrastructure, which the Dutch treat as an equal mode of transportation.

In low-speed environments, it’s generally acceptable for bikes and cars to share the road.  However, when speeds differ substantially, or bicycle volume is very high, physically separated, red-tinted bike paths are installed. At controlled intersections, cyclists usually have their own traffic signals, some of which have advance bike loop detectors, ensuring that cyclists receive a green light when they reach the intersection. 

Tilburg Fietstraat ("Bike Street")

If the right-of-way is narrow, and bicycle volume is greater than that of cars, the Dutch sometimes designate a roadway as a bicycle-priority street.  Physical cues such as raised intersections, red-tined asphalt, and signs are installed with a picture of a car following a bicycle with the text, “auto is guest.” 

Below are some notable observations that I took away from my time in the Netherlands:

• Nationally, 27 percent of all trips are taken by bike (in the United States, it’s 1 percent).  More than 50 percent of the trips in two of the cities were taken by bike (in the District, it’s 3 percent).
• Nearly everyone in the Netherlands is a cyclist, and there are more bicycles than people. 60 percent of the Dutch cycle at least three times a week; 80 percent cycle at least once a week.
• Most children begin learning to cycle at 3 or 4, and receive traffic education each year in primary school culminating in an on-road skills test.
• The Dutch don’t believe cyclists are dangerous, they believe cars and car drivers are a primary safety hazard.  Therefore, car drivers are almost always liable when a collision with a bicycle occurs and are required to adapt their speed when bicycles share the roads with cyclists.
• 55 percent of all cyclists are women in the Netherlands; this figure is 26 percent in the United States.

If you want to learn more about our trip, please contact me at 202-671-0681 or at Mike.Goodno@dc.gov. To see more photos please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/ddotphotos/sets/72157628044401170/.

First, some background: In March 2010, DDOT presented conceptual plans for an innovative lane network spanning downtown DC and neighboring communities. The lanes proposed at that time included Pennsylvania Ave, 15th Street, I Street, L Street, and 9th Street, NW. As these lanes were studied, DDOT’s bicycle program made modifications based on changing conditions, such as: the City Center project moving forward along 9th Street; renewed interest in transit priority lanes on I street; and regulatory issues along 15th Street between E St and Constitution. DDOT adjusted the plans to instead consider M street as an alternative to I Street, postponed the 9th Street project pending construction work at City Center, and curtailed the length of 15th to span from E Street/Penn Ave to V Street.

Pennsylvania Avenue Bike Lanes

DDOT committed to installing lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue as a pilot project, and expanded the pilot to include the reconfiguration of 15th Street to a longer 2-way facility based on data collected during spring and summer 2010. The pilot lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue were completed in June 2010, and the two-way cycletrack on 15th Street was completed in December 2010.

Current Status: Since the completion of these facilities, we have revised plans for L and M Streets to a 50% design, and have commenced studying the existing innovative facilities (including the contraflow lanes on New Hampshire). Throughout the process, DDOT has been in contact with adjacent communities, business improvement districts, major property owners/managers, federal regulatory bodies (CFA, NCPC), regional bodies (WMATA, MWCOG), as well as interested citywide parties (WABA, ANCs, development community).

Transportation Planner Jim Sebastian, who oversees DDOT’s Bicycle Program, says “We are waiting on the completion of our studies of the existing cycletracks on Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street, and the analysis of the L & M Street corridors, before making a determination on proceeding with the concepts for cycletracks.” DDOT recognizes the need for an east-west bicycle connection through downtown, but we are obligated to consider the impacts on all users (transit riders, pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, the disabled, businesses, residents, etc.) before making a commitment to proceed.

DDOT must take into account many conflicting interests within our transportation network. It is DDOT’s responsibility to consider the likely effects of any new street configuration, and to come up with a recommendation that balances these competing needs. We encourage the community and their political representatives to analyze the same data and draw their own conclusions. DDOT will commit to making any information relevant to these corridors accessible to all, and to discuss at that time the options on the table.

At the same time, it’s also worth noting that DDOT continues to expand the infrastructure for cycling in the District and plans to install 10 miles of bike lanes across the city this year. “The District is committed to providing a world class bicycling infrastructure,” says Acting Director Terry Bellamy, “And we will continue to work on a balanced and safe implementation plan for our community with our citizens help.”

The Mayor has proclaimed this “Public Works Week” in the District to honor the men and women at DDOT and the District Department of Public Works (DPW) who deliver a wide range of services to our residents every day. We have tremendous talent at DDOT and a dedicated workforce of 900 employees. Their hard work each and every day makes this agency stand out as a model for the type of 21^st century service government agencies can and should deliver. DDOT Delivers. That’s our motto and we take pride in backing it up with action and measurable results.

We’ve also established a reputation for innovation and progressive transportation initiatives. I want to assure our residents we will continue to lead and look for new and better ways to move people around the District. We will continue to expand our bicycle infrastructure and our trail network; continue to expand our wildly successful Capital Bikeshare system; continue to launch more initiatives including LED streetlights and green alleys that create green jobs; and continue to plan and construct the DC Streetcar system. Mayor Gray has made his commitment clear and I share his vision for the District’s transportation future.

At the same time, it is important we don’t neglect the critical services we provide and our residents depend on. I want to make sure we focus on our “core business”, that we promptly respond to service requests, fill the potholes on time, maintain our roads and sidewalks, plant trees, clear the snow, keep traffic moving and ensure our pedestrians and cyclists have safe passage. These are the things that make us stand out on a daily basis, because at heart we are a service agency. If you spread yourself too thin, stray too far from your core business, then you can shoot yourself in the foot as you’re trying to race forward.

There’s no doubt DDOT is on the move – I am extremely proud of what our staff has already accomplished – I just want to ensure we are in great shape as an agency to reach our goals. I look forward to working with all of you to improve and expand our transportation system in the coming years.

Terry Bellamy

People flocked to urban areas in the first half of the 20^th century, fled to the suburbs in the 2^nd half, and are rediscovering the historic beauty, convenience, and livability of our urban cores in the 21^st century.  For the first time in 40 years, Washington D.C. is growing again with 30k new residents over the last decade as of the recent census.

We saw vehicle registrations fall by 11% over the last 3 years, and in the same period saw biking grow by 82%.  [Click here for more info]

When we work to create a vibrant, livable, healthy and safe city focused on residents well-being, we go back to some aspects of a Washington D.C. with 200k more residents that many of us have just read about, or seen pictures of, but never lived in:

Whether it’s the Streetcar, the prevalence of walking and biking, or the vibrant downtown core…. It’s all coming back.  With more residents, we have a broader tax base to provide better services for all of us.  Better schools, transportation, less debt.

So what does all of this mean?  It means that the work done by thousands in DC over the last 12 years is paying off, and we are one of the cities that is now benefiting from this movement, and many cities that did not aggressively reinvent themselves are stagnating.   We are now seeing a snowball effect in the District over the last few years by all measures.  I am proud that DDOT doing its part, with streetscape reconstructions, and the introduction of many attractive, safe and low cost transportation options for our existing residents, and for our new residents that don’t bring a car (or 2) into the city.   This money that would have been spent on a capital asset/vehicle can now be put into the local economy, into savings, better housing, or starting a business in the city (AAA estimates almost $10k a yr!  That buys you a lot more housing).  We also can attract more residents because their money will go farther in the District…. if we tell the story: separating transportation and housing costs.  DC can actually be a cheaper place to live! With our improvements in schools, public safety, public spaces, and the expanded transportation options, suddenly DC has a better quality of life as well, and is a place you choose to raise a family vs. the suburbs.

Over the last few months, we started to compile our achievements for the updated Action Agenda and Annual Report.  I was actually amazed by how much the 1000 strong DDOT team has accomplished over the last 12, and 24 months.  I am pleased to announce the 2010 Action Agenda and Report:  [Click here for copy of 2010 Action Agenda Progress Report!!!]

Here are just a few of the highlights:

1. Funded and kicked off construction of the largest project in DDOT history: The 11^th Street Bridges
2. Capital Bikeshare: the largest bikesharing system in the United States
3. ARRA funding kicks off 13 additional projects for $124 million
4. Great Streets projects escalated and started: Nannie Helen Burroughs, Pennsylvania Ave SE, H/Benning
5. Facelift for the Agency: New website, Twitter (5000 followers), Facebook (1000), Scribd (documents), Flickr, Youtube in-house videos and more…
6. DTAP 2.0 launched on heels of 1.0 beta with new project portal, safety, transit, road condition, finance…
7. Continuous Process Improvement culture instilled at DDOT:  Sigma Black belt training, DTAP, DDOT University
8. Snowmageddeon: biggest storm in DC history… and we survived
9. Summer-Stormageddeon: DDOT Trees and Traffic Operations coordinate emergency response for thousands of District residents with trees down, and without power
10. Filled over 7,500 thousand potholes during potholepalooza
11. Hundreds of thousands of hours of Traffic Control and School Crossing Guard service
12. First high speed, curbside electric charging stations in the U.S.
13. Multi-Modal Station pilot for rollout in 2011 to bus shelters with Federal grant money
14. Streetcar initial line segments funded, Program Management Team hired, Progressive Transportation Services put together, 37 mile Streetcar System Plan adopted
15. Circulator Bus expanded, turnkey contract signed that rolls bus and facilities costs together
16. With a $16 million snow overrun last winter, our Finance team flexed the unified fund, we balanced the budget to +$67 for the 2010 fiscal year
17. Completed the new Farragut facility for front line workers, got $65 million lease signed for new Leed Certified office building at 55 M Street SE
18. Conducted numerous parking pilots in2010 and our advances in the parking program were noticed by Donald Shoup, the preeminent parking guru:     ”Washington is taking the lead in this country and almost throughout the world,” said UCLA professor Donald Shoup, author of “The High Cost of Free Parking.” “Washington has started its [parking] reforms at just the right time, when there’s so much new technology available.”    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062804850.html
19. Built DC’s first separated cycle tracks  as a safety initiative to protect cyclists
20. Installed 67 Leading pedestrian intervals to give pedestrians the jump on vehicular traffic at intersections
21. Rolled out the citywide “Livability Program” to address traffic calming and quality of life holistically, and systematically, using the entire tool-box
22. Rebranded Urban Forestry DDOT Trees, worked towards a “participatory model,” and planted 3,750 trees
23. Launched the online permitting system, and enhanced it so that you can now print permits in your office or at home
24. Partnered with Arlington County on a Transportation Demand Management program (goDCgo.com) and Bikesharing and Circulator Bus
25. We had fun doing it every day!

For these innovations, and hundreds of others, I am eternally grateful to the amazing DDOT team, which has new members brought in over the last two years, and teammates that have devoted a ½ century to the agency.   One of the things I am proudest of is the alignment behind a shared vision throughout the agency (that took 8 months to build, share, tweak), and an extremely fast, organized execution which shows that we all bought in.

In closing, what I have hopefully taught, and have definitely learned from the amazing team at DDOT and in the D.C. Government as a whole, is:  Never let anyone tell you “it can’t be done,” always have passion for your work (or do something that will) and tell the public what you are doing so that they can work with you.

Keep up the excellent progress D.C., and let’s make sure that DDOT continues to improve, and of course always delivers!

-Gabe Klein

DDOT in now using a new tool for increasing pedestrian safety. The Leading Pedestrian Interval, or LPI, is a simple signal timing change that can have a big impact on the lives of everyone who crosses the street in the District.  Very simply, a leading pedestrian interval, also known as a “pedestrian head start,” allows the ‘walk’ signal for pedestrians to appear three or more seconds before the green signal for drivers. Because pedestrians can start to cross before the cars begin moving, they are already well into the crosswalk when the signal changes to green. Turning drivers are therefore able to see pedestrians more easily than if they were standing on the curb. This brief timing change allows pedestrians to increase their visibility to drivers who are making turns, especially right turns.

DDOT has installed the LPI treatment at 40 locations so far and has a goal to implement them at 100 intersections by 2012. DDOT looks at crash data to see which intersections are most prone to turning vehicle crashes with pedestrians to prioritize locations for LPIs. You can currently find them on the 15^th Street NW corridor, near the U Street/Cardozo Metro station and at many other locations in the Central Business District.

Studies have found that LPIs can dramatically reduce the conflict between turning drivers and pedestrians crossing with the signal at intersections. DC is among several large cities that have begun using the pedestrian-friendly signal timing.

Here’s a video on LPIs in New York City that clearly explains how they work.

http://www.streetfilms.org/lpi-leading-pedestrian-interval/

Being aware of your surroundings and crossing intersections without being distracted is also a good safe practice.  Safety is a priority.