RCA's C Street NE Mobility & Streetscape Design Suggestions

The following are mobility and streetscape design suggestions based on discussions with participants at the January 2, 2010 C Street, NE Workshop

Assembled by Rosedale Citizens' Alliance (RCA) Transportation Committee Members - Ken Granata & Rob Stephens

MOBILITY

1. C & 21st Streets Intersection – connection between bike lanes/sidewalk and the existing Anacostia Riverwalk Trail (ART) Portal (northeast corner of intersection)
• Signage - informing about ART, Kingman & Heritage Islands Park and future Environmental Center
• Vegetation

2. Reduce at least one west-bound vehicular lane and one east-bound vehicular lane along C Street and North Carolina Ave from 21st to 14th Streets

3. Reduce width of remaining east- and west-bound vehicular lanes along C Street and North Carolina Ave from 21st to 14th Streets to the minimum required lane width as mandated by DDOT

4. Provide bulb-outs at all C Street and North Carolina Ave intersection where pedestrian cross-walks are located
• Provides shorter pedestrian crossing
• Allows pedestrians and motorists to better see each other
• Creates roadway “choker” points
• Provide vegetation areas within the bulb-outs, as configuration allows

5. Provide raised crosswalks at major intersections
• 21st St
• 19th St
• 17th St
• 15th St
• 14th St/Constitution Ave
• 17th Place (see item 7 below)

6. Consider removing 18th Street intersection and signal to reduce spill-over traffic onto and through 18th Street and improve C Street traffic flow
• Create a median-barrier similar to existing cross-street barriers (20th St, 18th Pl, 17th Pl, 16th St and 14th Pl)
• Considering 17th St and 19th St will be reconverted to two-way streets, 18th Street residents will experience minimal access reduction
• No cross-street to the south only Eliot-Hines access ramp
• 18th Street extends only two blocks to the north

7. C Street & 17th Place - consider adding a new raised pedestrian crosswalk with cross-walk light
• 17th Place is a major de-facto point where many students transit to/from Eliot-Hine JHS.

8. Keep some type of median barrier for all or most of C Street and North Carolina.
• Determine what is the minimum size/width of a median for grass, shrubs and/or trees (i.e. vegetation) to thrive using two scenarios – a) natural - self-sustaining vegetation (only from rainfall and storm-water runoff) and b) artificial – supplemental watering from city, residents and/or others

9. Remove sweeping west-bound turning lane at North Carolina Ave and Constitution Ave
• Relocate and reconfigure exiting island to the curb-line
• Create sharper angled turn to slow vehicular movement

10. Remove C Street turning lane at 16th Street (turning movement onto 16th Street)
• Create green space
• Relocate, but keep, residential parking in front of C Street residences
• Decrease pedestrian crossing distance

11. Remove portion of C Street turning lane (turning movement onto 15th Street) between 16th and 15th Street
• Create green space
• Incorporate into bulb-out at 16th Street (west side) to reduce pedestrian crossing distance

12. Consider removing the west-bound turning lane at C Street on to 21st Street
• Minimize potential spill over onto 21st Street and the north side of neighborhood

13. C Street and North Carolina Ave west-bound split (mid-block between 17th & 16th Sts) – provide only one west-bound vehicular lane
• Increase island green space
• Reduce one west-bound C Street vehicular lane
• Decrease pedestrian crossing distance

14. Create physically separated bike-lanes (cycle tracks) along C Street and North Carolina Ave bike-lanes from 21st Street to14th Street.
• Located between curb-side tree boxes and vehicle parking
• Separated from vehicle parking by a minimal (2’-3’) width median with porous pavers (cobbles, bricks, etc.)

15. Prohibit commercial trucks and motor-coaches, greater than 1-1/4 tons GVW
• Based on the DDOT’s August 2004 Motor Carrier Management and Threat Assessment Study (http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/cwp/view,a,1249,q,609850.asp)


STREETSCAPE

1. Any right of way width captured by the removal of vehicular lanes should be used to create additional green-spaces (natural ground surfaces to support vegetation).
• Most of the additional green space should be used to increase the width curb side tree –boxes instead of a wider median.
• Adding green-space (enlarging tree-boxes) will increase distance between residences and vehicular traffic.
• Residents are more likely to water and maintain green-spaces adjacent to their homes than the median.
• This does not preclude having green “islands” or wider green medians in certain sections where it is required or needed as a traffic calming feature.

2. When presenting options regarding street profiles/cross-sections that include areas with vegetation, present only options that are realistic and sustainable given the area size/width, type of vegetation and watering. Include features that will make it easy for residents to voluntarily water and/or maintain green areas adjacent to their homes. Be explicit and realistic regarding who is expected to provide water and maintenance (i.e. nature, city, residents or others).

3. C & 21st Streets Intersection – gateway elements to alert motorist that they are entering a neighborhood.
• “Welcome to…” sign
• Prominent median with vegetation
• Consider designating median space for future art work (sculpture)
• Consider textural/visual intersection roadway surface
• Consider raised intersection including crosswalks

4. Provide pedestrian oriented lighting
• Low light pollution
• Energy efficient
• Architecturally appealing

5. Provide roadway lighting that complements the neighborhood
• Low light pollution
• Energy efficient
• Architecturally appealing

6. Provide brick sidewalks
• Consistent with the Capitol Hill neighborhood
• Concrete base

7. Provide granite curbing
• Consistent with the Capitol Hill neighborhood

8. Provide porous hard surfaces- sidewalks, roadways and, if possible, bike lanes.
• Bike lanes surfaces should provide a smooth, safe and enjoyable ride.

9. Streetscape elements (not necessarily profile) such as materials (textures, colors), signage, lighting, vegetation, etc. should be consistent and complementary along the C Street and North Carolina Ave corridor.
• Unify neighborhoods
• Connect neighborhoods to the Anacostia River

10. Reduce or even eliminate storm-water run-off discharge into the existing regional storm-water system
• Capture and use any storm-water runoff to support the corridor streetscape vegetation