FROM NEIGHBORHOOD LISTSERV:
From: Kellie Meehan <kelmeehan@aol.
Here are my notes from this evenings meeting----
The presenter specifically stated that if your point was brought up, you should mention it or submit it again, so that City staff can see that several people have the same point.
If you have comments/idea/suggestions/questions please submit them BY FRIDAY to
AND Please take the poll - it reopens tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.
city staff will be using this information to help make their decision.
The process is as follows:
Comments will be presented to the Traffic and Parking Board at their meeting - 9/23, at 7:30pm in the council chambers in city Hall
The Board will make their recommendation to the Director and he will make a decision.
If you would like to have some additional impact on the decision you may contact members of City Council:
703.746.4550
Council members Justin Wilson and John Taylor Chapman attended the meeting this evening.
King Street will be repaved from Janney's Lane to Callahan (Russell Rd.)
From Upland to Janney's will be routine mill and pave with very little disruption.
From Callahan to Upland it will need to be dug up, reconstructed and paved.
The timeline is:
1st week of October
night work, 8pm-6am, for 3 weeks (15 nights)
Sunday through Thursday
City staff will be on hand to mitigate noise and disruptions
1 lane of King will be open at all times with construction crews directing traffic.
there will be jackhammering and loud noise but they hope to keep it to a minimum and most of the noise all at one time not throughout the night.
Parking restrictions could be in place during this time.
Maintenance and work vehicles will not be parked overnight or parked on the adjacent streets overnight during this time.
Questions were raised about:
- the drainage/runoff from King St, if that would be addressed during this paving.
-the height of the curbs - that some curbs seemed very low along King
City staff said they will look into them
The City is doing Complete Streets:
designed to consider all users in a safe and convenient way.
in this order
1. pedestrians
2. transit
3. bicycle
4. cars
In taking Complete Streets strategy the following was considered:
-a redesign of the King, Callahan, Russell Road intersection - to be addressed later
-new bike lanes on Janney's Lane
-the expansion of Capital Bikeshares and the existing bikeshares stations in Old Town
-creating bike lanes on King St.
Bike lanes would:
-begin North of W. Cedar St. - not having any impact on the intersection at Russell, Callahan and King. The left turn lane onto Russell from King will remain the same.
the bike lanes would just end and begin at Cedar St.
-end at West View Terrace - the bike lanes would essentially just end and begin at West View
-would provide traffic calming - the neighborhood has asked for ways to slow traffic down.
-create safe pedestrian crossings at un-signaled intersections
-narrow moving lanes
-designate space for all users - pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles, with no conflicts.
there would also be an installation of a rapid flash cross walk at Upland - like on Braddock Road near intersection w/ West St., near Braddock Road Metro.
The existing street is
23 feet of vehicle space and 7 feet of parking space.
it will become
4 1/2 feet of bicycle lane, 21 feet of traffic space, 4 1/2 feet of bicycle lane
Per City staff -
37 parking spaces would be eliminated
20 from Cedar to Carlisle
7 between Carlisle and Upland
10 between Upland and Janney's
with an average of 2.5 spaces used on a regular basis.
Neighbors pointed out:
-That count could not be accurate, more ppl park on King than 2.5 regularly
-that several of the homes on the upper portion of King (after Upland) have been for sale, empty or have had elderly non-driving residents for some time
-that a portion of those spaces are not used because the homes on North View Terrace back to King St. and park in the front of their homes.
There was a car count taken but specific #'s were not given.
City staff recalled the #'s as
600 vehicles an hour Southbound at peak
450 vehicles an hour Westbound at peak
There were no counts taken for bicycles or bicycle use on King St.
It was suggested that there be a count of bicycle usage - at least to get a beginning #, and if cars were going to be counted, bicycles should be too.
at least take a count of the bicycle usage on the new Janney's Lane bike lanes.
DISCUSSION/COMMENTS:
-asked what the removal of the parking spaces would have on home values.
residents felt it would allow potential buyers to offer lower amts.
others stated that bike lanes would add value
-suggested that there only be a designated bike lane going uphill.
That is not possible. not enough room for parking, bike and traffic
-suggested asking the Masonic Temple to open gates for bicycle traffic.
They have been approached, not going to allow it.
-suggested to encourage cyclists to use other roads in the neighborhood
-can residents apply for a permit allowing parking for parties or guest parking -
no - no room for parking on the street
-how will residents move in/out of homes?
staff suggested the use of driveways or side streets
can they apply for special permits?
staff didn't know
this issue was raised again by a resident and staff said they would have to look into it.
- how will trash be collected?
how is it collected now?
put the trashcans at the curb, but in empty parking spaces.
so put in the bike lane?
yes
How will trash trucks pick up the trash
as they do in the rest of the city, traffic will back up behind them.
-some pointed out that the parking lanes actually allow them the space to get in to/out of their current driveways, affording them better sight and distance
-some pointed out that the parking lanes actually seem to slow the cars down,
-it was suggested to put a red light camera on the light at Highland
-it was suggested to move the traffic light from Highland to Upland to help slow traffic down and cut down on some of the cut through traffic from Duke St.
-suggestion to add sidewalks and parking restrictions along side streets - Highland and Upland
-it was suggested that city staff look at data from accident reports and traffic citations at the Janney's Lane, West View, King St. intersections, that information should have some bearing on the current state of that area before adding cyclists
-several cyclists stated that they will not use King St as it is now, it is way too dangerous, but they would use it with designated bike lanes.
-a resident stated that they are not near a cross street and thus would have nowhere for guests to park, or place for carpool to pick up/drop off
-it was stated that this plan for bike lanes has been in the master plan since 2008
-it was suggested to add speed bumps at the top of King st. where it levels off, to reduce speeds.
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