Plan to extend the MBT to Maryland has safety flaws

Over 5 years in the past I wrote concerning the Metropolitan Department Path coming to Takoma, however there’s but to be a shovel within the floor. Whereas Takomans are looking forward to the connection, many people are glad that DDOT hasn’t began development as a result of we consider its design for the world is flawed.

The MBT is a “rail-trail” that used to host practice service connecting Washington with the primary line of the defunct Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Seven miles of the path are in DC and one mile is in Maryland, however when full, it can connect with the Capital Crescent Path that’s being completed as a part of the Purple Line practice.

At present, MBT customers can join with neighborhoods on an virtually fully-separated MBT between Union Station and Fort Totten. DDOT left a spot in Brookland, however it seems that will quickly be mounted. North of Takoma, the MBT is absolutely separated from Piney Department Street in DC via Takoma Park, Maryland. After Takoma Park, Montgomery County will construct the ultimate MBT phase connecting to trails on the Silver Spring transit middle.

Residents help DDOT’s work to complete constructing the MBT, an vital path that has taken greater than 20 years to construct out. My objective is to level out some giant points with its designs from Fort Totten to Aspen Avenue to Takoma Park, to allow them to be addressed whereas there’s nonetheless alternative.

Issues with Fort Totten Metro station to Aspen Avenue NW

DDOT’s ultimate design of the MBT on the Fort Totten Metro station to Aspen Avenue NW stretch hasn’t modified a lot because it was first deliberate. Listed here are my security issues about this stretch.

In Manor Park, DDOT is forcing MBT customers on the street with none safety by way of sharrows. As soon as the MBT transitions to the sidewalk of Blair Street, it crosses 19 enterprise driveway entrances the place customers have to be on excessive alert for autos coming out and in.

At Underwood Avenue, DDOT strikes the MBT from the sidewalk onto Blair Street the place it plans to construct a protecting wall between autos and MBT customers. It’s an audacious plan to place northbound Blair Street on a street food regimen, lowering it from two lanes to at least one.

I’m supportive of DDOT’s lane discount plan for Blair Street, because it ought to curb car speeds and aggressive driving. Altering driving habits via higher design is wise, nevertheless it additionally must be paired with enforcement, and sadly, DC has did not implement car violations.

One concern about DDOT’s street food regimen design, nevertheless, is that it removes a left-turn lane for autos northbound on Blair Street at Van Buren/Aspen Streets. Kids who reside east of Blair Street stroll and bike via these intersections underneath the railroad tracks to and from close by faculties and leisure facilities. DDOT ought to think about that aggressive drivers could swerve round autos turning left, which dangers hitting MBT customers.

DDOT’s plans have the MBT flip underneath the railroad tracks at Aspen Avenue and cross with a spur onto Sandy Spring Street, then proceed to Maple Avenue, the place it ends abruptly on a slender street with out safety. DDOT mentioned it plans to increase the MBT on Maple Avenue at some future undetermined date.

4 key points with DDOT’s design round Takoma Metro station

DDOT has lengthy wrestled with the choice of whether or not to route the MBT west or east of the Takoma Metro station. DDOT selected west, however its design is flawed in 4 methods: it’s unsafe, it’s costly, it’s disconnected, and it’ll take awhile to construct.

My evaluation of DDOT’s design begins from the north, as a result of that’s the place it’s most worrisome. The MBT north of the Takoma Metro station is separated however adjoining to Japanese Avenue. DDOT’s design turns the MBT onto Piney Department Street and forces MBT customers to navigate a steep and curvy path that intersects with stairs.

Then, MBT customers will meander on residential streets earlier than reconnecting to a path behind the yard of a condominium constructing, till it dumps them onto the sidewalk the place a number of individuals stroll to and from the doorway of the station.

The company is proposing an 8-foot path on Piney Department Street and a 10-foot path on the hill, each of that are narrower than really helpful and supply little room for error. Cyclists should navigate a curvy path that intersects with two staircases whereas managing a 15% grade change.

DDOT officers instructed me that their design limits the grade to not more than 5% at a given level to adjust to ADA tips. Nonetheless, going uphill/south, many cyclists might want to dismount with cyclists whizzing by going downhill. Going downhill/north, a 5% grade is quick for teenagers or novice riders who would possibly hit another person or lose management and find yourself on Piney Department Street. Any father or mother who has ever rode a motorcycle with a toddler must be terrified by this design.

Plus, this plan requires DDOT to amass the vacant land from Metro; a former DDOT worker knowledgeable me the land was on the market in 2018 for $700,000. Let’s not overlook the fee and time required to excavate across the Takoma Metro station. DDOT confirmed that excavation subsequent to the railroad tracks have to be coordinated with Metro and CSX Company, which seemingly means nothing might be constructed quickly.

Adjoining to the Takoma Metro station, DDOT is planning to run the path via the busy intersection of Blair Street with Cedar and 4th Streets, which is surrounded by multifamily buildings with many extra slated to be constructed.

At a time when DC goes backwards on its Imaginative and prescient Zero objectives, why is the company proposing to place bicyclists on a busy 48-foot-wide street with 4 journey lanes with out safety? DDOT’s design creates conflicts for everybody: individuals out buying, individuals strolling to and from the station, cyclists, and autos exiting a parking storage.

Implausible design on 4th Avenue, from Cedar Avenue to Van Buren Avenue

This lengthy phase of the MBT via Takoma is the perfect a part of DDOT’s plan. The design right here is separated and routes MBT customers instantly previous a few of Takoma’s most-beloved companies and facilities. Kudos to DDOT for this phase!

Points with 4th Avenue to Blair Street connection

The ultimate phase of DDOT’s design connects the MBT to Blair Street. At a previous neighborhood assembly, DDOT polled attendees on the design, and the best choice was to proceed the two-way protected bike lanes from 4th Avenue onto Van Buren Avenue to Blair Street the place there’s a site visitors sign to securely cross. DDOT’s personal parking evaluation confirmed that little avenue parking was used on Van Buren Avenue from 4th Avenue to Blair Street.

Nonetheless, at a latest neighborhood assembly DDOT introduced that it has determined to make use of Whittier Avenue and construct the MBT on the sidewalk as a 10-foot shared use path, which is able to shrink to an 8-foot path as soon as it crosses third Avenue. DDOT’s design will take away of 18 bushes on Whittier Avenue. DDOT mentioned that MBT customers in search of to connect with the protected MBT on Blair Street might be required to cross it with no site visitors sign. Say what?

What might be higher?

DDOT’s proposed MBT plans round Takoma are a mixture of “the nice, the unhealthy, and the ugly.” Since DDOT has already finalized its plans from Fort Totten to Aspen Avenue, I can’t suggest an alternate for that phase. However DDOT’s preliminary design for the MBT from Aspen Avenue to Takoma Park is unsafe, costly, and can take awhile to construct — and there’s a higher manner.

Partially two of this sequence, I’ll provide various designs for DDOT to think about and provides readers the chance to advocate for them.