by Marlene Berlin
The District hasn’t conducted a comprehensive study of Connecticut Avenue in 15 years. In about 15 months, we could have a new perspective of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety on the Avenue, the reversible lanes, and the impacts on neighborhood streets and nearby arterials if reversible lanes were to be eliminated and bike lanes installed.
At a November 26th community meeting hosted by ANC 3F, DDOT Transportation Planner Robyn Jackson explained the timeline and scope of the study. In six months, DDOT expects to hire a firm to study Connecticut Avenue traffic between 24th Street north to Legation. Nine months after that, it’s to receive the study results. Then, DDOT is to decide on a course of action and secure funding.
On Connecticut Avenue, the reversible lanes shift according to a timer. From 7 to 9:30 a.m. on weekdays, signs light up telling drivers bound for downtown DC that they get four of the six lanes. From 4 to 6:30 p.m., drivers heading north on Connecticut get four lanes.
Their proponents say the lanes are necessary to keep cars moving, and without them, more drivers will end up on neighborhood streets in an attempt to avoid gridlock. Opponents say the lanes are confusing and have caused a number of crashes over the years. Drive or walk Connecticut Avenue during the lane shift, and you’ll often see drivers heading the wrong way.
Connecticut Avenue will be the primary focus, but the study will look also at impacts on adjacent streets and arterials as far west as Wisconsin Avenue, east to Broad Branch Road, south to Dupont Circle, and north to Western Avenue. Computer models will be used to simulate potential traffic impacts of removing the reversible lane on neighborhood streets. Community members suggested broadening the scope to include Nebraska and Nevada Avenues, Reno Road, Brandywine, Davenport and Albemarle Streets, and Linnean Avenue.
The attendees also called for Connecticut Avenue’s “optimization” for pedestrians and cyclists as well as motorists, and brought up traffic speeds as a major safety concern for all modes of transportation. The use of speed cameras and narrower lanes like those on Connecticut north of Chevy Chase Circle were two suggestions for solving the speed issue. The addition of a bike lane was also suggested as a way to slow down cars.
Jim Sebastian, DDOT’s associate director for planning and sustainability, also attended and participated in the discussion. He said the study will include an environmental assessment – not just on the impact on the environment, but on the road users.
Sebastian also said any plan will have to be approved the Federal Highway Administration since Connecticut Avenue is a federal highway and federal funds will be used for this project. This brought up the issue of how much clout Maryland and Montgomery County will have in the plan that gets implemented. This is yet an unknown.
Two committees will provide input as the study progresses: an advisory committee including ANC Commissioners whose single member districts overlap the study areas, and an interagency steering committee. DDOT would invite WMATA, DC Water, the Office of Planning and the Department of Energy and the Environment to participate.
Robyn Jackson is collecting comments from the community through December 5th at 202-671-5110 and [email protected]. The public’s next chance to offer comment will be at two public meetings. There will be a kickoff meeting at the beginning of the study and a workshop about study findings.
ADRIAN SALSGIVER says
If the reversible lanes are eliminated it will take away the fun of sitting outside at the Acacia Bistro and watching the car crashes at the corner of Yuma Street and Connecticut Avenue on a beautiful happy hour evening.
Nicholas Lardy says
I have driven up and down Connecticut Avenue 5 days a week for more than 25 years and seen only one or two accidents that could be said to be the result of the reversible lanes.
Green Eyeshades says
Thank you very much to Marlene and the Connection for staying on top of this issue and reporting back to us. With all of the distracting news in the weeks since election day, I forgot this DDOT study was still under consideration and I am very happy to hear that it will proceed.
I am not happy that the study will not even start until at least 15 months from now (March 2020?). I hope I misinterpreted something in the article and that DDOT will kick off the study sooner than that.
I very much agree with this sentence: “Community members suggested broadening the scope to include Nebraska and Nevada Avenues, Reno Road, Brandywine, Davenport and Albemarle Streets, and Linnean Avenue.” I would suggest Military Road needs to be included as well.
It is impossible to understand the effect of changes to traffic volume on the main artery without also taking account of the main “feeder” roads that bring traffic to the main artery. On weekday mornings during rush hour, I see cars lined up on Albemarle east of the Avenue as far as I can see from a high floor in my apartment building at Albemarle & Connecticut. Most of that traffic turns left (south) at the Avenue. Commuters obviously come across the Park via Blagden Road and Park Road, and down from Maryland via Beach Drive then up Broad Branch. I am not an eyewitness to morning traffic on Nevada & Nebraska, but I am sure the pattern is similar because Military Road is a freeway during rush hours.
Tracy J. says
Apologies if it wasn’t clear. DDOT expects the study will be complete 15 months from now.
Paul says
Though I strongly oppose changing the current reversible lanes policy and program, I am comfortable that the study will be administered by DDOT. The advisors to DDOT and the study team, once contracted, should be far broader than ANCs and DDOT’s peer agencies. ANCs are not adequate venues for oversight of safety and welfare issues, and lack the connection to the community to have a broad perspective. The public communication of this issue is the prime example: other than information on Ms Berlin’s blog and postings buried in the ANCs’ websites — there is never any ANC proactive outreach to the community. We are expected to go find information on our own about what the ANC is up to.. On this study, DDOT needs an independent advisory group comprising business, educational institutions, the health and hospital community, the major law enforcement agencies operating in the District. This stakeholder group should bring to bear not only District-wide awareness of issues and opportunities, but also extend to the neighboring jurisdictions who will likely be significantly affected by the study and its recommendations.
Planetmike says
Weak leadership hides behind “studies”. If the true concern is for safety, these arcane lane changes would have ceased yesterday. I was witness to another car accident at around 4:00PM. A driver tried to turn left but was T-boned by a another car racing, traveling in the same direction, along the flex-lane.
Nicholas Lardy says
“The lanes are confusing and have caused a number of crashes over the years>’ There are crashes on every street. Where is the evidence that RELATIVE TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW crashes are more frequent on Connecticut Avenue in the rush hour,,when the reversible lanes are in effect, ,than in non-rush periods?
What Connecticut Avenue needs during the rush hour is some police enforcement of the traffic laws. Cars turning from the wrong land or driving in the wrong lane are common during rush hour but in 25 years of driving on Connecticut during rush hour I have never seen anyone ticketed for these violations.