by Marlene Berlin DDOT has made some changes to a Forest Hills intersection where three streets meet, and stop signs were often treated as suggestions. A new curb extension on Davenport Street NW east of Linnean Avenue makes westbound drivers turn slightly to continue up Davenport. The built-in curve doesn’t stop drivers from blowing through […]
Connecticut Ave. and Murch School traffic safety plans, and more from ANC 3F’s April 21 agenda
DDOT is moving forward with some of the projects proposed in the agency’s Connecticut Avenue multimodal safety improvement planning, and is making parking and other changes around Murch Elementary. The DDOT notices of intent will be discussed at ANC 3F’s April 21 virtual meeting. (See the agenda below.) The Murch plan includes adding a mid-block […]
Pedestrian safety updates: New walk signal at Conn. and Chesapeake, Reno Road issues, Soapstone-Rock Creek trails gap
by Marlene Berlin Let’s start with some good news: After 15 years of study and advocacy, Chesapeake Street at Connecticut Avenue finally has a fully operational traffic light. Installation started in December, and the signal was activated on March 10th, but its origins go all the way back to 2010, when Connecticut Avenue Pedestrian Action, […]
Snow day photos: Digging out, playground sledding, and helpful neighbors
by Marlene Berlin After snowstorms, I’m always eager to get out there to see how our streets, sidewalks, and businesses are faring. But this time, I had to cool my jets a little. The weekend storm could have been a triple threat: heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Luckily for us, the freezing rain did […]
The story of the orange pedestrian flags at Reno Road and Warren Street
Last August, orange flags appeared at the Reno Road and Warren Street intersection. In November, another set arrived. We initially thought they were DDOT’s doing, but the flags are actually the result of ongoing pedestrian safety advocacy by ANC 3F01 Commissioner Amy Rofman and community member Stephanie Resnick. Rofman tells Forest Hills Connection she started […]
Albemarle Street reopening is the latest Soapstone sewer project milestone
Now open: Albemarle Street east of Connecticut Avenue, for the first time since a major DC Water closed the section of roadway to vehicle traffic in September 9th, 2024. Tuesday’s reopening was one of the final and largest steps toward completion of the Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation project. Last week, road crews repaved and repainted […]
A great Hanukkah present: A traffic light at Connecticut and Chesapeake
by Marlene Berlin Connecticut Avenue will soon have a new traffic light helping pedestrians cross the six lanes of traffic. On Monday, December 15th, we saw workers installing vehicle signals at the Chesapeake Street intersection. It seems fitting that the lights are being put up while Hanukkah – the Jewish celebration of lights – is […]
Getting Around: Albemarle Street repaving dates; Weigh in on DDOT’s Strategic Bikeways Plan on Dec. 10 or online
DC Water’s Soapstone sewer rehabilitation project is almost done. Since the project started in March 2022, the century-old system of sewer lines running through the valley have been sealed and strengthened with new linings. Soapstone Creek has been reconstructed to protect the sewer system and watershed from stormwater erosion and damage. The most recent milestone, […]
A roundup of recent and ongoing DC work in the neighborhood
by Marlene Berlin At times in recent days, it has seemed like there’s a DC government project on every street in the neighborhood. Here’s a list of the work we’ve spotted over the past two weeks, and you’re welcome to add your own sightings in the comments section below. Early last week, the DDOT started […]
A brief history of sidewalk advocacy in the neighborhood
by Marlene Berlin The newest sidewalk on Forest Hills was completed in late August. The gap it filled in, along Davenport Street, was on the District’s radar for nearly two decades. The sidewalk gap along Davenport Street between Linnean Avenue the middle of the 3000 block (near the big sycamore tree) was marked in red […]