[Lincolnparkdc] Plea for Consideration of Sensible Solution to DDOT Bike Infrastructure Improvement - Independence Ave., Kentucky Ave., 13th St. Crosswalk

[David Morris]

What Ed has written is entirely true and corresponds to my own observations
living near this intersection for nearly 25 years. I’ve witnessed a
collision and many close calls at precisely this spot. Move the planned
crosswalk on 13th and put it across Kentucky.
David

On Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 2:23 PM Edward Wendel <wendel.epw at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello Will -
>
> One additional comment on the interplay between any new cross-walk and the
> streets making up the intersection of Kentucky Avenue, S.E., Independence
> Avenue, S.E., and 13th Street, S.E.  Sometime within the last year (perhaps
> even the last six months) the traffic light at this intersection has been
> reprogrammed to increase significantly the waiting time for a red light as
> you proceed north on Kentucky Avenue, then proceed across Independence
> Avenue and continue  onto either Kentucky Avenue or 13th Street.  I presume
> the reason for the change has to do with keeping traffic moving along
> Independence Avenue, a major commuter travel corridor.  I am not raising
> the issue of the timing itself, only its affect on traffic speed and
> therefore on this project.
>
> As a result of the increase in waiting time at this traffic light for
> northbound traffic the commuters who use this route, or just neighborhood
> folks proceeding around the Hill, now speed up to make it through this
> light so the don’t face an additional wait.  I observe this daily as I
> myself drive through that light many times a day.  Again, not something I
> think is either legal or to be encouraged, but it is what people do.  As
> noted previously the overwhelming majority of these vehicles proceed to the
> north along the 100 block 13th Street.   This will be the exact path where
> the new cross-walk is proposed.  The far fewer number of vehicles which
> proceed along the 100 block of Kentucky Avenue either live on that block of
> Kentucky (my earlier email had mistakenly said 13th Street at this point),
> or do not realize they will dead- end at Lincoln Park at the end of the
> block and then have to make a right turn to go half-a-block  and then make
> a left turn to proceed north around the park.
>
> So in essence the proposed crosswalk is being placed on 13th Street,
> directly in the path of the overwhelming majority of vehicles proceeding
> north on that street, and now driving frequently at excessive speeds.  The
> only possible way someone would understand this is to live in the
> neighborhood and observe the street patterns of automobile drivers, as well
> as their behavior. Many, if not most of the people crossing this new
> cross-walk will be parents or care-givers pushing carriages, frequently
> while talking on cell-phones, as well as children of various ages, who have
> been permitted by their parents to cross streets in the neighborhood  They
> are now going to be subject to vehicles heading in their direction who they
> will frequently not see and who will not seem them in time to stop to avoid
> hitting them.  *I am not engaging in histrionics to say it is an accident
> waiting to happen, hopefully not a fatal one.*
>
> The alternative,  a crosswalk proceeding west, from the end of the
> sidewalk on the south end of Kentucky Avenue, to the island in the middle,
> and connecting with the existing sidewalk on that island along Independence
> Avenue will have far, far fewer vehicles attempting to cross it.  With
> proper marking it will also be far more visible to cars heading north than
> a 13th Street crosswalk, which is not as fully visible as you drive on
> Kentucky Avenue across Independence Avenue.
>
> As I said earlier, I appreciatie that there is an additional cost to such
> a cross-walk, but believe it is well-worth the expenditure of funds to meet
> the myriad of objections to the plan as proposed and for the safety of
> everyone involved - residents, bike riders and pedestrians seeking to
> navigate the streets.  I hope you will seriously consider these comments.
>
> Ed Wendel
> 148 13th St., S.E.
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/148+13th+St.,+S.E.?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> wendel.epw at gmail.com
>
>
>
> On Nov 10, 2020, at 8:44 AM, Edward Wendel <wendel.epw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Good morning Will and other participants -
>
> In the light of day I would like to ask that serious consideration be
> given to an alternative that surfaced last night (at least to me) for the
> proposed crosswalk at this intersection.  I believe it suggests a solution
> that removes much that is objectionable to the community with regard to the
> proposal AND actually enhances pedestrian safety.
>
> It was discussed on the zoom call that there were three possible
> alternatives for the proposed crosswalk.  First, the plan as set forth,
> having the crosswalk go from the end of the sidewalk on the south end of
> Kentucky Avenue, angled (with a substantial width) to the corner of the
> east side of 13th Street.  Second, going directly across 13th Street from
> Kentucky Avenue to the east side of 13th Street.  And third, having the
> cross-walk go WEST from the end of the sidewalk on Kentucky Avenue to the
> island in the middle of the street, where it can be hooked up with the
> existing sidewalk there on Independence Avenue.
>
> The benefits of the last alternative (west to the island, connecting there
> with existing Independence Avenue sidewalk, are twofold.  First, it removes
> a major point of contention to the overall project.  The houses on east
> side of the 100 block of 13th Street (mainly occupied by residents in their
> 70’s and 80’s) will be largely unaffected.  And second it is simply a much
> safer alternative.  I had not understood this until the discussion last
> night. I would say that 95 per cent of the vehicular traffic that crosses
> Independence Avenue from Kentucky Avenue proceeds ONTO 13th Street (and NOT
> Kentucky Avenue), which is what the street pattern suggests it should do.
> Nothing in this plan changes the expected pattern of vehicular traffic, nor
> should it.  The only drivers who presently proceed north onto Kentucky
> Avenue after crossing Independence Avenue are those who live on the 100
> block of 13th Street, or those few drivers who do not realize that Kentucky
> Avenue is going to dead-end at the end of this one block at Lincoln Park
> and they will then have to make a right turn, then a left, to proceed
> north.   The present pattern of traffic crossing Independence Avenue and
> proceeding north on 13th Street has always been the case, for the almost
> fifty-years I have lived in my house (five houses off the corner on the 100
> block of 13th Street, S.E.).
>
> Any crosswalk that is placed on 13th Street will therefore face the
> onslaught of traffic coming down that street, day and night.   This is
> hardly an improvement that enhances safety.  A cross- walk place on
> Kentucky Avenue, properly marked and made noticeable, will face very little
> in the way of vehicular traffic making it a much safer alternative.
>
> I realize that there may be some additional cost in the alternative
> proposed, but for all of the above reasons I think it is well worth your
> consideration.
>
> Ed Wendel
> 148 13th St., S.E.
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/148+13th+St.,+S.E.?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> wendel.epw at gmail.com
>
>
>
> --
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