The photo below, of an ongoing erosion problem on Albemarle Street at 32nd, doesn’t paint a pretty picture to begin with. There’s not much space between sidewalk users and a 40-foot drop-off into the Soapstone Valley. This photo was taken in January.
Albemarle idewalk erosion as of January 16th, 2014.
One substantial February snowstorm and snowmelt later, Connection contributor David Bardin found the “erosion is deeper and extends [another] inch or two under the sidewalk.” He snapped these photos on February 21st.
ANC Commissioner Mary Beth Ray has been among those concerned that the sidewalk (and any unlucky occupants) will meet an unfortunate end at the bottom of the Soapstone Valley one of these days, and has been reaching out to various agencies for nearly a year, hoping that the erosion will be addressed. The Washington Post’s Mike DeBonis took note of her efforts, saying this sidewalk “illustrates [a] Gordian knot of bureaucracy.”
In late January, DC Water worked to address its part of the problem, which is to prevent large volumes of storm runoff from puddling at that intersection, just east of Connecticut Avenue, during hard rains.
Now it’s time for DDOT, which owns this right-of-way adjacent to the park, to do its part.
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Paul says
What is Council Member Cheh’s office doing about this?
Marchesa says
The Cafritz construction at 5333 Connecticut (@Military) preserves the sidewalk on all sides of the property. There is no reason that the sidewalk can’t be opened for this construction.
Tracy Johnke says
The difference in this case is that that the demolition included an underground garage that reached under the sidewalk. Now that I see the extent of the demolition work needed, I would not even want to drive in that northbound lane next to the site.
What I find frustrating is that we could have been using that sidewalk for at least a couple of months after it closed in early December. Even in early February, the construction firm thought it safe enough to park its trucks on the sidewalk. And when people complained and various city officials intervened, it moved the trucks… a few feet to the east. “Too dangerous” for pedestrians, indeed.