Great Streets meetings

[from David Devine]

The District Department of Transportation invites Petworth residents to attend a community meeting on Great Streets/Middle Georgia Avenue (from New Hampshire Avenue to Webster Street, NW). DDOT wishes to obtain input on the following:

- Which intersections need upgrading to improve pedestrian safety and vehicular safety?
- Where are sidewalk improvements needed?
- Where are streetlight improvements needed?
- Which historic and culturally significant locations should be identified?
- What is your vision for Georgia Avenue’s future?
- What streetscape ideas do you have?
- Other issues of concern.

The meetings will be held in the community room at the Israel Metropolitan CME Church at 557 Randolph Street NW on the following dates:

February 27, 2007 from 6:30pm-8:30pm
March 27, 2007 from 6:30pm-8:30pm
April 24, 2007 from 6:30pm-8:30pm

You may contact the DDOT project manager Wolde Makonnen by email or (202) 671-4566.

Comments

[Susan]

I attended this meeting. People had a lot of good suggestions. There was also a lot of discussion about development in general and strong feelings about what is/is not happening. As for the streetscape improvements themselves - neighborhood residents compiled lists of improvements they'd like to see. I'm sure I'm mising some things, but here's my best recollection of the most cited needs:
- improved lighting along Georgia Ave. for pedestrian safety
- design that is friendly to small businesses, especially to provide funds for facade improvements painting, signs, lighting)
- making sidewalk design more uniform and pedestrian friendly
- safer pedestrian crossings needed at GA & New Hampshire Ave; also at GA & Kansas; to include a median in the center of NH, bumpouts in the sidewalk at the intersection to lessen the crossing distance, safe resting points halfway across the street
- focus not just on GA Ave - make it safer to walk to Columbia Heights and other places within walking distance from Petworth
- improved tree plantings and landscaping, including bigger tree boxes and less concrete; plus lighting the new plantings and sculpture in the small triangle parks along GA Ave north of the metro
- shelters needed for bus stops all along GA Ave.
- reducing "curb cuts" - multiple places where cars cross sidewalks to get into parking lots making it more dangerous to walk (e.g., at the Safeway)
- improving the appearance of some businesses, especially the unattractive parking lot in front of Safeway
- some frustration that GA Ave is designed to get people in and out of DC in cars and is not a pedestrian destination in and of itself (long time residents talked about changes over the years); also comments on how metro and buses are focused on moving north-south rather than east-west (it's harder than it should be to get from Petworth to places off the green line on public transportation - Dupont Circle, Cleveland Park, Conn. Ave)
- concern about the amount of trash and litter, especially businesses and apartment buildings that don't clean their sidewalks
- need for police patrols on foot rather than so many police cars
- need for better/more parking on GA Ave.; suggestion for diagonal parking; need for parking garages w/ new businesses/condos

[Diego]

Did anyone attend this meeting on the 27th? Any new news on the proposed changes to New Hampshire Ave?