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HINE JUNIOR HIGH SITE - MEETING

 Wednesday June 10 (6 pm to 9 pm) at Tyler Elementary School,  10^th & G Streets SE.   Councilman Wells has announced that the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development will host a community meeting to present the qualifying proposals received in response to its RFP for redevelopment of the Hine Jr High site (700 block of Pennsylvania Ave SE).  The meeting will be an opportunity for the neighborhood to ask questions, provide feedback, and make recommendations. See the CHRS position here.

March 2009

The 11th Street Bridges Project: What CHRS is FOR

With decisions expected in mid-April about the 11th Street Bridges Project design/build team, a review is necessary of the negative consequences of the proposed project, as well as an examination of the alternative supported by CHRS.

CHRS’s role in Ward 6 goes beyond historic preservation and zoning to include basic livability issues like parking, as well as local and freeway traffic.  For years, CHRS has been in the forefront of developing solutions like permit parking for parking problems, as well as fighting freeways in the city.

We have consistently maintained that constructing massively expanded freeway bridges in the heart of the city permanently and adversely affects rowhouse neighborhoods and their residents.

These adverse effects include health issues, such as increased asthma attacks and respiratory illnesses for children in schools near major freeways.  For this reason, California recently passed a law requiring that any new school must be at least 500 feet from a freeway or major highway.* 
Anacostia High in Ward 7, and Tyler and Capitol Hill Day Schools in Ward 6, are all within this zone.  If DDOT’s Preferred Alternative is built, there will be a daily increase of tens of thousands of vehicles near each school.

In addition, new studies indicate a shorter life expectancy for those who live close to major highways and roads.  One such study found that a person's lifespan is reduced 2.5 years if they live near highly trafficked roads.** Also, considerable recent research indicates an increase in cardiovascular disease among people living near major roads.

Just as many U.S. cities are trying to "go green" by reducing greenhouse gases and pollution, the DC government seems to be reverting to city planning ideas of the 1950s, when planners favored increasing freeway traffic through cities.  Other communities are reducing or resisting freeway construction and expansion: for instance, after the 1989 earthquake, San Francisco took down the Embarcadero Freeway rather than rebuild it and saw a renaissance in property values;*** and Arlington County is currently resisting proposed widening of I-66.

Another adverse effect is increased noise, such as additional truck noise day and night, that will disturb residential neighborhoods.  With the higher structures proposed in the Preferred Alternative, the noise will carry farther.  In addition, the visual blight of larger, higher, wider structures will increase the adverse impacts on neighborhoods and historic districts on both sides of the river.

For several years, CHRS has asked DDOT to analyze a smaller alternative to the proposed expansion from 8 lanes to 12 lanes, and to project the comparative traffic and other impacts of a smaller design.  That has not happened.  Instead, Freedom of Information Act requests have not been answered, and meetings scheduled for DDOT to respond to CHRS concerns have been cancelled.

Here is what CHRS is FOR:

CHRS would support a smaller 11th Street Bridges proposal – with one new lane in each direction, instead of two new lanes each way, that would provide needed connections between the Southeast-Southwest Freeway and I-295.  We support use of federal stimulus money for such a smaller proposal.  A smaller bridge like this would be less costly and would not create the large increases in traffic – up to 50,000 more vehicles per day – that are projected to cross the currently proposed 11th Street Bridges.  Since the amount of stimulus money available is the same for either a large or small alternative, the savings from a smaller project would accrue to the District for other needed and stimulus-ready transportation projects.  CHRS has been trying in vain to get DDOT to analyze a smaller alternative.

CHRS strongly supports methods to reduce traffic in various parts of Capitol Hill and on the Sousa Bridge.  DDOT has stated that the downsizing of the I-395 spur to Barney Circle will result in traffic reductions for the Sousa Bridge by 2030.  We very much hope that this downsizing occurs, as it seems likely that it will also inhibit cut-through traffic in Hill East which now uses the I-395 spur.  People in Hill East shouldn't have to endure racing commuter traffic, just as others in Wards 6 and 7 shouldn't have to endure increased freeway traffic, pollution, and noise.

CHRS supports making 17th and 19th Streets in Hill East two-way streets with lower speed limits to slow commuter traffic and reduce the numbers of commuters using these routes.  We support more use of speed tables on routes where drivers travel too fast.

CHRS supports methods to reduce truck noise that would increase if more trucks short-cut through the city over the newly expanded 11^th Street Bridges.  CHRS asked DDOT to do an analysis of truck noise, but again, to our knowledge that did not happen.

CHRS supports community and City Council input into the decision regarding the winner of the ongoing bridge design/build competition, so that impacts in neighborhoods and historic districts can be minimized and mitigated.

In summary, it is still possible to go forward with a smaller and less costly project that would protect the health of school children and residents affected by traffic; reduce impacts on residential neighborhoods, historic districts, and commercial corridors; and produce less noise, air pollution, visual blight, and congestion on residential streets.

CHRS will continue to press for the best possible outcome for the Capitol Hill, Hill East, and Anacostia communities on this issue.
______________________________________

*  See: http://uscnews2.usc.edu/hscweekly/detail.php?recordnum=11335

** This and other health impacts for those living near major roads are mentioned in the Nov. 2007 Smart Mobility analysis done for CHRS (the link to the Smart Mobility study is below).  Readers wishing to know more can contact CHRS Transportation Committee Chair Tom Grahame at tgrahame@mindspring.com .
***  http://www.preservenet.com/freeways/FreewaysEmbarcadero.html

Will the 11th St. Bridges Proposal Overwhelm Capitol Hill with Traffic?

Smart Mobility Study of Newly Available DDOT Data Suggests Answer is "Yes"

After much effort, the data underlying the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) analysis of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the expanded 11th St. bridges project was finally made available in late October. CHRS again contracted with the transportation planning firm Smart Mobility to analyze this data. Smart Mobility's report indicates why DDOT's traffic projections low ball — undercount — future traffic on both sides of the Anacostia River. New analysis must be done which corrects for the undercounts, and which includes traffic projections for streets previously ignored, such as 8th St. (including Barracks Row), 6th St., and 4th St., SE. Only then will Capitol Hill residents adequately understand the traffic impacts on their streets and neighborhoods.

Read a summary of the Smart Mobility report
Download the Review of 11th Street Bridges Modeling Files

CHRS Supports Hunt Development Group as Master Developer for the Hill East Waterfront

by Beth Purcell

The DC government requested expressions of interest from development teams for Reservation 13/Hill East Waterfront. Four teams responded; three teams offered specific plans. In spring 2009, a master developer will be selected.

CHRS believes that HDG Waterfront Development Group team (HDG) should be selected as master developer. HDG demonstrates that it truly understands and respects Capitol Hill’s community, buildings, and traditions. This is reflected in its repeating the traditional Capitol Hill commercial streetscape (with three and four story buildings) and rowhouses, then transitioning to taller buildings at the river’s edge. The lower density build-out (3,040,675 square feet) contributes to the effect of truly continuing the Capitol Hill streetscape and is a key factor in HDG’s favor. In contrast, two other competing developers want to build approximately five million square feet of new space. Read more...

Thank you to All Who Helped Make the Legal Defense Fund Drive a Success!

The 1877 building at 227 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, is a fine example of a 19th century commercial building in an intact row of 19th century commercial buildings. The Heritage Foundation wants to add a new third story to 227, changing the front façade of the building. We are concerned about the effect on this historic building and on the Capitol Hill Historic District. A hearing on the Heritage Foundation’s request was held by the Mayor’s Agent on December 2, 2008. CHRS hired a preservation attorney to defend the historic integrity of the building and oppose the new addition. Briefs in the case are due soon.

In November, CHRS appealed to members for help. Members contributed over $6,000 for the legal defense fund, a wonderful response. Thank you everyone for supporting this important cause. We will keep you informed of all developments in the case.

Click here to read more about the case

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Most members who have joined CHRS during the past year have provided e-mail addresses, but we don't have e-mail addresses for many of our longer-term members. To provide your address, please send an e-mail to CAPHRS@aol.com with a subject line of “e-mail address” (no need to include the quote marks). We will only send e-mails when we have something significant to say.

NOTE: If you received an e-mail announcement concerning the January membership meeting, we have your e-mail address!

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