Washington Regional Network
for Livable Communities
INTERSECT
A TWICE-MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN FROM THE WASHINGTON
REGIONAL NETWORK FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES Volume 4 Number 6 April 17, 2000 (Editorial information at the end)
Washington Regional Network For Livable Communities & Coalition For Smarter Growth Present:
Smarter Growth and Transportation In the
Washington Region: How Will the Region's Proposed 25-Year Transportation Plan Measure Up? Smarter growth calls
for integrating transportation and land use planning. Billions of dollars are allocated by the region's jurisdictions through the update of the 25-year regional transportation plan (known as the Constrained Long Range Plan or
CLRP). Will the new plan foster alternatives to the automobile, reduce traffic congestion, and discourage loss of farms and forests? Will it help direct needed resources to the inner suburbs and the urban core?
Three elected officials from inside the Beltway and local alternative transportation experts will comment:
Monday, May 8, 2000, 6:30 pm Refreshments, 7 pm Program Location: 121 Cannon House Office Building, corner of 1st
and C Streets SE. Use Capitol South Metro; the Cannon Building is 1/2 block north of the exit. After 8 pm use Rotunda entrance on Independence Avenue.
Please RSVP (attendance only) to Deborah Katz, WRN Coordinator, (202) 667-5445 or Co-sponsors: 1000 Friends of Maryland, Action Committee For
Transit, Allied Civic Group, Audubon Naturalist Society, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Coalition For a Sensible Bridge, Fairfax Coalition For Smarter Growth, Friends of the Earth, League of Women Voters of the National Capital Area,
Piedmont Environmental Council, Sierra Club Restore the Core Campaign, & Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
WRN Forum Highlights Bike and Pedestrian Alternatives To Driving
By Emily Lyons, WRN Member On March 8th, WRN and the Washington Area Bicyclist
Association (WABA) sponsored a forum on bike and pedestrian access to Metrorail. The forum featured three speakers: Robert Patten, non-motorized transportation consultant to WABA and the Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments; Charles Denny, transportation planner for SCI and member of the Arlington Transportation Commission and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; and Jeff Lee, landscape architect and consultant for WMATA's new stations,
extensions and enhancements. The forum focused on what the Washington area needs to ensure that pedestrians and bicyclists have safe and pleasant transportation routes between major activity centers. The speakers all
stressed the importance of transportation and development planning for pedestrians and bicyclists needs. Though the area currently enjoys many paths, more should be developed to provide more people with reasonable access to
alternative transportation options. Pedestrian Needs Pedestrians need safe and direct walking routes to Metrorail stations and bus stops. Most people are willing to walk 1/4 mile from the station to get where
they are going. When walking between their home and the Metro station they are willing to walk farther. While many Metrorail stations have ample safe walking routes to and from the station, many do not. For
example, Bob Patten pointed out that the residents of the Edgewood Terrace public housing apartments live a five minute walk from the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station if they are willing to cut through chain linked fences and walk
over freight railroad tracks. Their alternate route to the station is a circuitous and unappealing 15-20 minute walk. Bob informed us that "through a series of physical improvements including easement acquisition, stair
construction, and a flyway over the CSX freight railroad tracks, access to the station could be improved for everyone living north of Rhode Island Avenue and west of the Metro line." Bob estimated that a $2-3 million
investment of public transportation funds is needed to address this problem. Since automobile traffic poses the greatest threat to pedestrians, separating sidewalks from roads increases pedestrian safety, even if it is
simply by space, trees, and parked cars. Wider sidewalks provide safer paths for different types of use, particularly by people with disabilities. Traffic calming designs that slow down automobile speeds should be
encouraged. Some traffic calming devices include designing tighter corners and placing crosswalks at mid-block. To encourage people to walk and use Metrorail, the areas surrounding rail stations should themselves be
pleasant and provide different services and recreational/social activities. Charles Denny pointed out that bus stops also need to be pleasant, easily accessible and equipped with benches for the elderly.
Bicyclist Needs Like pedestrians, bicyclists need safe and direct routes to Metrorail stations, but they also need safe and direct routes to and from area activity centers, as bicyclists may use their bikes as their sole form of
transportation to and from work. Where routes are non-existent bicyclists are forced to risk their lives by fighting for space on the area's overcrowded roadways. While the Washington region has a number of bike paths
and even fewer bike lanes on roadways, more are needed to adequately provide residents with realistic and safe options for biking to work. Area transportation planners need to keep trail opportunities in the forefront of
their thinking when developing regional transportation plans. Trails help to revitalize neighborhoods, reduce crime rates, clean up air and landscapes, stimulate economic activity, and increase property values. Trails
can be used as revitalization tools for particular areas but should be viewed as investments in the region as a whole. The Metropolitan Branch Trail, which is currently under development, will connect several existing trails and
provide a safe path for bicyclists, walkers and skaters in D.C.'s Northeast neighborhoods. Starting at Union Station the new trail will connect to seven Metrorail stations and to Greyhound, Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express,
and MARC. The planned trail includes a Prince George's County connector segment that will branch off at the Fort Totten Metrorail station and link to the Anacostia Tributary Trail system. The trail will use bridges and
underpasses to ensure the safety of users at major road crossings. The trail will end at the Silver Spring Metrorail station where it links to the Capital Crescent Trail. According to the D.C. Department of Public
Works, the trail is scheduled to be completed in 2005. Besides safer trail options, bicyclists also need more opportunities to use their bikes in conjunction with Metro trips, particularly to and from work. Currently, bikes
are not allowed on Metro on weekdays during rush hours (before 10 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m). To encourage more bicyclists to use Metro much more covered and secured bike parking needs to be provided. Bike
lockers are good but are offered in limited quantities. Bicycle racks should be installed on buses. Metro should educate the public more on when and where these amenities are available. To its credit, Metro has
produced a series of "Bicycles and Metro" trail maps that display the quickest and safest routes to and from area Metro stations. These maps are available at your local Metro station. WRN and WABA wish to thank the speakers
and all those who came and participated in the forum. For more information visit
WRN Urges Greater Investment By D.C. In Bike Transportation Options
On March 23, WRN testified before the D.C.
Committee on Public Works in favor of the recommendations in "Bicycling in Washington, D.C : A Call to Action," a report of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association encouraging facilities and policies to push the District's
bicycle program into the 21st century. "Back in the 1980's, Washington was rated one of the country's best bicycling cities by Bicycling Magazine," notes WABA Director Ellen Jones. "Since then as so many
other cities have improved, Washington has fallen off the list." Among other things, the report recommends:
Cheryl Cort, WRN President and District resident, testified that D.C. must do more to enhance one of the city's greatest assets – its compact, walkable
neighborhoods and business districts. She observed that "the more attractive walking, bicycling and transit are, the less need there is for automobiles, parking and traffic jams. Not only will this help preserve and restore the vitality of city neighborhoods and accommodate community-building development, but the region as a whole will benefit from less pressure to develop rural farms and forest lands."
The D.C. Department of Public Works testified it would conduct a bicycle/pedestrian study in the current fiscal year and ask for funding for two bike/ped-related positions in next year. It is important that this be closely
monitored. Obtain the full report by visiting
Report Examines Quality of Life for the Elderly A report by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission finds that elderly residents in Pennsylvania's Delaware Valley region may face hardships if transportation
access is not improved. Population forecasts included in the report, Getting Older and Getting Around, indicate that by 2025, one in five of the area's residents will be over the age of 64, and that much of the growth will
occur in areas without public transit unless action is taken. Recommendations made in the report include: new zoning regulations to encourage mixed-use development, locating nursing homes in existing communities,
marketing and improving the region's transit service, and coordinating paratransit services offered by social service agencies, church and community groups. To order a copy of the report, contact DVRPC's Information Services
Center at (215) 238-2828.
Earth Day 2000
The flagship event of Earth Day 2000 will
take place Saturday, April 22nd on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The event includes a rally featuring an international array of well-known environmental activists, celebrities and musical performances; educational
exhibits, and arts and entertainment. Organizers are also asking for endorsements for the Earth Day 2000 Clean Energy Agenda, which sets tangible goals for cleaner power, air, cars, and investments of taxpayer
dollars. WRN will have an exhibit in the "Earth" theme tent, so stop on by! To get involved, contact Deborah Katz at (202) 667-5445 or Horacio Gutierrez, Earth Day Outreach Coordinator, at 202-408-ED2K x217 or via
e-mail at
Upcoming Events
Tues, April 18 and Wed, April 26, 6 – 9 pm – MD Capital Beltway Corridor Study Open
Houses. This study is significant because it includes something WRN has advocated for years: transit alternatives to continued highway expansion. The study presents several options for a circumferential rail line that
would parallel the Beltway. WRN supports the inner "Purple Line" alternative that would link inner suburban destinations such as Univ. of Maryland/College Park, Silver Spring, and Bethesda, and in particular the first link:
the Georgetown Branch light rail line between Silver Spring and Bethesda. WRN encourages supporters of light rail to show up and be heard! Apr 18 - Prince George's Co, Forestville High Sch, 7001 Beltz Drive,
Forestville, MD. Metro: Addison Road. Bus: Metrobus M11; The Bus Rt 20. Bus stop is 1/2 mile from school. Apr 26 - Montgomery Co, Northwood Ctr, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High Sch, 919 University Blvd , Silver Spring,
MD. Metro: Wheaton. Bus: Metrobus C2 and C4; Ride-On Rt 8. Bus stop is 1/2 mile from school. Contact Sue Rajan with SHA at 1 (800) 545-8514. Wed, April 19, 6:30-8:30 - WALK DC is forming to
promote the walking experience and improve pedestrian environments in the region. Through both activism and policy advocacy, WALK DC hopes to educate fellow citizens, local agencies, and elected officials about the need for more
compact and walkable communities. Contact: Sat, April 22 - Earth Day 2000 Flagship Event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Stop by WRN's exhibit in the "Earth" theme tent! Mon, Apr 24, 8 pm – Allied Civic Group General Meeting on
"TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION." Speakers: Ronald Kirby, Transportation Director of the Washington Council of Governments, and John Mathias, Transportation Planner with the Montgomery County
Planning Department. Silver Spring Library at 8901 Colesville Road. Contact: Cynthia Rubinstein at Thurs, May 4, 12:15 – 1:15 pm – Transportation, Growth Management, & A Sustainable Future with E. M. Risse,
SYNERGY/Planning, & Stewart Schwartz, Coalition For Smarter Growth. How planners can help the region move beyond stalemate (gridlock) and dysfunctional human settlement patterns (sprawl). Arlington Co Ofc Bldg, 2100
Clarendon Blvd., 7th fl, Rm 715. Courthouse Metro. Contact: E. M. Risse, (703) 968-4300, ______________________________________________________ WRN WRN advocates transportation investments, land use policies, and community designs
that enhance existing communities and the environment of the National Capital Region. Deborah Katz, Intersect Managing Editor.
Comments & articles welcome.
Views expressed are not necessarily those of WRN.
1777 Church Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 667-5445 Fax: (202) 667-4491
Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities
1777 Church Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 667-5445 ¨ Fax: (202) 667-4491
Web: http://www.washingtonregion.net Email: staff@washingtonregion.net
Home | Our Vision | Redevelopment Initiative |
Tax-Relief for Livable Communities | Newsletter
Annual Report | Events |
Further Reading | Links
| Join Our Efforts | Contribution Form
Making the Most of Metro (Brochure) |
Site Map