Thread by @Robb4DC

Our joint meeting extravaganza on the future of H St NE is starting now - come one, come all! CART (captioning) provided. #WalkDC #BikeDC

anc6a.org/wp-content/upl…

Mark Sussman, nearby resident, reminds us that 25 H St businesses signed an open letter to @DDOTDC asking for transit-only lanes, sidewalk extensions, and replacing parking spaces with pick-up/drop-off zones:

https://twitter.com/MarkSussman_/status/1348612325658533889

Roy Gross, Director of Operations for Atlas Theater, comments that on December 23 that a driver going an estimated 70 miles per hour veered across all lanes of traffic and crashed into Atlas.

"We could easily have had 100 to 200 people standing there."

They need bollards.

Commissioner Phil Toomajian and I responded that DDOT recently committed to a speed camera on that block. We have followed up multiple times on the bollards and have not received a response but will keep asking.

A resident named Bill asks for restricting left turns onto H from 3rd St NE and potentially making 3rd St NE a one-way street going north.

Commissioner Jay Adelstein asks about whether 6A and 6C will submit a joint letter.

Toomajian: it is open for discussion and we want "to hear what residents are concerned about. We want to tackle H Street together. We want to use our shared efforts our great weight."

Toomajian also mentions that DDOT committed to 6A that they would install curb extensions at the H St intersections with 7th, 11th, 12th, 10th and 14th NE and we should ask for that on the western part of the corridor too.

Resident named Victoria: With 3rd and H St NE, the big problem is the extended green light for eastbound traffic alongside a red light for westbound traffic that causes confusion and is "incredibly dangerous."

Commissioner Joel Kelty, 6C05: "Our ANC over the years has made numerous recommendations, posed questions and I don't feel DDOT has adequately responded to any of that."

Kelty, continued: "My whole goal is to get [DDOT] to answer, are these good ideas or not. Just tell us that. Implement them or not. At least respond. Then we can think about next steps."

Commissioner Mark Eckenwiler, 6C04, reminds us that it is agency oversight season and the written record is still open for DDOT's performance oversight hearing for another week. Anybody still can submit a comment on DDOT's performance through the DC Council website.

Former 6C06 commissioner Tony Goodman: We need to lay out a vision of slower traffic and fewer cars. It is a comprehensive effort starting from the bridge.

Resident named Alka mentions that parking on side streets is "challenging" and asks how changes on H would affect it.

Kelty: It is a challenge and folks driving to the businesses do need to respect our neighborhoods.

Commissioner @keya_chatterjee, 6A01: If we implement a transit-only lane, it will increase the number of people using transit to visit and traverse this corridor. Reliable buses would reduce demand for parking. A bus-only lane for the X2 would make it more predictable & reliable.

Transportation committee chairs Marc Brumer (6A) and Christy Kwan (6C) discuss a potential "action item" in understanding the percentage of customers visiting H via automobile.

We may be overestimating this number and resisting change for that reason.

.@kwanimal says DDOT is not responding or acknowledging many ANC 6C letters and suggestions. "We can pursue creative ideas" but also "really need to put the pressure on DDOT."

.@GordonAChaffin shares a proposed redesign for H St NE streetjustice.news/news/h-street-… and encourages us to not dwell on "piecemeal" solutions. We want something bigger.

Correction from Eckewniler: DDOT oversight hearing is on 2/26. Details, including instructions on signing up or submitting written comments, are at dccouncil.us/wp-content/upl…

Kim from Linden Place has lived here since 2004 and recounts a driver hitting her neighbor at the corner of 13th and H.

"We cannot separate one part of H from another. It is an entire corridor."

"We have to put pressure on @councilofdc."

"You get nowhere with @DDOTDC."

Kim, continued:

The police chief is good about curtailing crime and we need a similar top-down approach for reducing dangerous driving on H. "It is chaos."

Kim says Charles Allen and the mayor need to step up and do their jobs with regard to this corridor.

Talib Shakir from the mayor's office responds to Kim: "Today I had a meeting with my core team about H Street."

Bowser's office wants to ensure that a speed camera is located high enough, out of reach of vandalism, before they install it - and install it for both directions.

Shakir confirms that it is most productive to look at the entire corridor but veers off topic addressing local rats, dog parks, etc... and then bounces back to: "I wanted to let it be known that the Mayor's office is definitely on top of these issues" and they are "concerned."

6A TPS chair Brumer reminds folks to "focus on specifically speed and transportation issues on the corridor."

Commissioner @AmberGove asks Shakir how to get a comprehensive response on the whole corridor because we don't get even responses to our piecemeal requests.

Shakir offers to "flag it for senior leadership in the Mayor's office" if we follow up with him.

Commissioner Kelty: "Has anyone suggested that we just start enforcing traffic laws? It seemed like the City just decided that all speed and moving vehicle violation are going to be handled by cameras. I'm not sure that is really the right answer."

(Back-and-forth between Mayor's office and 6C commissioners on pandemic-era enforcement)

I asked if 6A and 6C could pass a joint letter with the same three requests as the letter from businesses:

https://twitter.com/MarkSussman_/status/1348612325658533889

Shaun Lynch from 6A's transportation committee asks to look at the effect of transit-only lanes on side streets, especially with regard to car traffic. But he "appreciates" @keya_chatterjee's comment that transit reliability will shift more folks to transit.

"That is the way we should be looking."

Roy Gross from Atlas Theater says he has 20 years of experience working on H Street and agrees that we have to come together as businesses and residents. We won't go anywhere otherwise, based on his experience.

David Abernethy from 6C transportation committee: "We're about ready to have one of the largest construction projects in the history of DC [Union Station] dropped on us at the west end of H. I can't think of a more compelling reason that we need a comprehensive study of H."

@DrewCourt_6C06 recommends a group of volunteers from 6A+6C to draft a joint motion as an "outline for our advocacy going forward."

.@AmberGove makes the above motion and @keya_chatterjee seconds.

Brumer makes a friendly amendment that the joint committee work with DDOT on a regular basis. Gove accepts.

I volunteered to join the commitee.

Gove retrying a motion: "Recommend that 6A and 6C send a joint letter to DDOT requesting a comprehensive review of safety and traffic concerns on H ST NE from North Cap to 15th. Our commissions are supportive of the potential solutions posed by the H St business letter. (...)"

Toomajian asks if removing all of the 2-hour parking spaces would be controversial (but indicates that he personally supports it). Gove says several businesses say excessively long parking is hard on businesses. We need more movement.

Gove retrying motion: "6A and 6C send a joint letter to DDOT requesting a comprehensive review of safety and traffic concerns on H ST NE from North Cap to 15th. Our commissions have recieved valuable and informative input from H St businesses and Mr. Chaffin (...)"

All 6A and 6C commissioners present AND all transportation committee members from both ANCs vote to pass Gove's motion unanimously!

Maura Dundon from 6A's transportation committee makes a motion to form a Special Joint Committee on H Street Transportation Safety Issues.

Members: @keya_chatterjee, @TonyTGoodman, @kwanimal, 6C03 Commissioner Jay Adelstein, 6A transportation chair Marc Brumer, and @Robb4DC.

Motion passes unanimously!

Survey results from the 51 public meeting participants:

6A resident Jeff comments that he has a "front-row seat" to H St from his house near the AutoZone lot and it is amazing how many illegal turns and close calls he sees on a daily basis.

"We know the likelihood of nothing changing" but we can't wait for change here.

Local resident Jon Crisaf recommends turn-hardening on H.

Another resident Marc Friend thanks ANC 6A for voting in favor of public restrooms on H.

Another resident Renee reminds everyone to fill out the MoveDC survey: live.metroquestsurvey.com/?u=ua18g#!/?p=…

More survey results from (this time) 34 public meeting participants on #HStNE:

Meeting adjourned!