DC Government

Mayor Gray Establishes Flood Prevention Task Force for Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced that he was establishing a flood prevention task force that will study the causes of, and short- and medium-term solutions to, frequent street flooding and sewer backups in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods. In early July the area was inundated with flood waters three times, resulting in damage to dozens of homes and businesses.
“Residents of the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods deserve to enjoy a high quality of life and should not have to bear a disproportionately negative impact because of an aging infrastructure,” Mayor Gray said. “Just as I have done in asking a task force to look at solutions to frequent power outages, I am now asking officials, utility representatives and residents to work together to address the flooding and sewer back up issues that happen all too often in these neighborhoods While D.C. Water has already been working on long-term solutions, this panel will help us bring about short- and medium-term mitigation strategies.”

The task force will be co-chaired by City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and D.C. Water General Manager George Hawkins. The panel will investigate the causes of flooding in the affected areas and work to develop actions that may be taken by D.C. Water, other District agencies and residents to reduce the likelihood or severity of flooding and its consequences.

“As a member of the D.C. Water Board, I am acutely aware of the impact of the floods on the community. The task force will monitor the interim steps taken by D.C. Water to prevent or mitigate the flooding problems in the short term,” said Lew. “DC Water has already initiated closed-circuit inspections of sewers and, along with the Department of Public Works, is distributing sandbags for any impacted residents who want them. I look forward to working with the Task Force to examine these issues and to develop possible long-term solutions.”

The task force will transmit a written report to the Mayor no later than December 31, 2012. The task force will also estimate the costs to implement the necessary remedial measures and the time periods within which those actions may be implemented.

The task force will include four members drawn from residents of the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park communities. Mayor Gray has appointed one resident to the panel from each neighborhood, and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham – whose wards include the affected area – will each appoint one additional representative to the panel.

Other members of the task force include: Councilmembers McDuffie and Graham; District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy; District Department of the Environment Director Christophe Tulou; Department of Public Works Director William Howland; D.C. Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Geldart; Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs Director Nicholas Majett; D.C. Department of Health Director Dr. Saul Levin; and Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking Director William White.

You can read about the recent floods in Bloomingdale here and look at a sewage and plumbing map of DC here.

DDOT Seeking Public Input on Parking in the District

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting a series of community conversations, called Parking Think Tanks, to gauge the state of parking and to solicit public input on the future of parking in the District. DDOT envisions that these conversations will contribute to the development of a comprehensive curbside parking management plan.

In the ten years since DDOT’s establishment both the District and the role of transportation have changed dramatically. The population has grown; vehicle ownership has declined; transportation options and choices have greatly expanded; and more people are taking advantage of these new options. DDOT is asking for citizen input to develop strategies and recommendations to better balance the parking needs of everyone -employees, residents, and visitors – who competes for a share of the limited curbspace.

The goal of parking management in the District is to improve mobility and convenience by:

× Preserving access to parking in residential areas for residents;

× Promoting and facilitating commerce by prioritizing customer and commercial vehicle access in commercial areas; and

× Ensuring the safety of all transportation users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists.

DDOT is seeking comments and recommendations on a number of its current parking programs such as the Residential and Visitor Permit Parking (RPP) programs, Performance Based Parking, parking meters, the management of reserved / restricted spaces (such as commercial loading, car sharing, ADA parking, etc.) and bicycle and scooter parking accommodations. Details about DDOT’s current parking programs are available online. In addition, DDOT is seeking suggestions for future parking enhancement opportunities

Anyone who visits, lives or works in the District is invited to attend a Parking Think Tank and/or to share their input via an online survey. The input received will help shape future parking policies and programs to create a more efficient use of parking resources.

The following Parking Think Tanks are scheduled to take place as follows:

× Tuesday, August 28, 2012
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
One Judiciary Square (Old Council Chambers)
441 4th Street, NW

× Tuesday, September 18, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Ora Glover Community Room
1800 Good Hope Road, SE

The schedule for the additional Parking Think Tanks, the online survey and the information that will be presented at these meetings will be made available online at ddot.dc.gov/ParkingThinkTanks. The same DDOT presentation will be made at each Parking Think Tank.

Following the Parking Think Tanks, DDOT will host a public summit to report on the input received from the public; how the input may potentially shape the outcome of comprehensive curbside parking management plan; and the agency’s next steps.

We recently spoke about the Visitor Permit Parking program here.

Do You Think You Can Tell The Difference Between DC Tap Water and Bottled Water? Prove It!

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Christopher Michael Poole

From My DC Water:

Can you tell a difference between tap water and bottled water? Test your drinking water preferences and learn how you can save money and the environment by choosing clean, affordable DC tap water.

DC Water is promoting tap water, protecting the environment and saving people money. Hundreds of water samples are tested each week throughout the District to ensure the delivery of high quality tap water. Bottled water involves significant economic and environmental costs. DC tap water is only a penny per gallon and bottled water costs 100 times more.

Join DC Water during a series of blind taste tests that will challenge people’s knowledge about tap water. Taste test challenges are scheduled in each Ward of the District.

Locations after the jump. (more…)

“Mayor Gray Announces Members and First Meeting of Power Line Undergrounding Task Force”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user UrsulaAntares

From a press release:

Today, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the membership and that the first meeting of the newly formed Mayor’s Task Force on Power Line Undergrounding will be held on Thursday, August 23rd at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in Room G-9 of the John A. Wilson Building, located at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and is open to the public.

“I called for a ‘game-changer’ after the repeated power outages caused by this summer’s severe storms and delays in restoring power to many District residents. The undergrounding task force will finally develop long-term solutions to these all-too-frequent disruptions,” said Mayor Gray. “This group will be tasked with gathering information to develop plans that will, over time, greatly reduce the impacts of severe weather on our power grid.”

The task force will be co-chaired by City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and PEPCO Holdings Chairman Joseph Rigby. Other task force members will include Herb Harris of Ward 7 and Matt Frumin of Ward 3, representatives of two areas that routinely experience the highest number of outages.

Aditionally, task force members will include: Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette M. Alexander, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs; Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Paul Quander; Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi; District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy; District Department of the Environment Director Christophe Tulou; Department of Public Works Director William Howland; Mayor’s Office of Budget and Finance Director Eric Goulet; D.C. Public Service Commission Chair Betty Ann Kane; People’s Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye; Verizon Vice President for Government Affairs Karen Campbell; and Comcast Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Donna Rattley-Washington.

The meeting agenda includes a public comment period. Members of the public with disabilities or possible language barriers and those who wish to speak during the public comment period are requested to register at least three (3) business days before the meeting.

To register, please provide your name, your telephone number or email address, and organizational affiliation (if any) to Phyllis Love by telephone at 202.478.9200 or by email at [email protected]. The time limit for speakers is three (3) minutes. Public speakers are also requested to submit at least two (2) written copies of their testimony at the meeting.

The Task Force is committed to making its meetings and vital documents accessible to the public. All non-proprietary documents will be posted to the special task force section of the Office of the City Administrator website at www.oca.dc.gov.

Citizenship Requirements for DCPS Afterschool Programs Suspended by Kaya Henderson

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user rockcreek

From a press release:

The District of Columbia Public School System (DCPS) announced August 14, 2012 that parents that wish to enroll their children into afterschool programs must provide proof of citizenship for the 2012 academic school year. DCPS informed the public that the notice was initiated from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) met with DCPS superintendent Hosanna Mahaley to discuss DCPS initiatives that must provide educational and after school programs to every child in the District.

“These requirements possess a president danger for public offices. It discriminates against children and families that are undocumented, destroying the trust between teachers, and families. It discourages participation of many programs and educational rights. It also creates a level of hesitance to obtain services from many other agencies that do not have the same requirement. Education is a human right that should be offered to everyone without reservation” Said Roxana Olivas director for the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs

“Effective immediately, I have told our folks (after school team and coordinators) to suspend/not enforce the citizenship requirement. If counsel concludes we need to, we can go back and communicate that” Said Kaya Henderson Chancellor for Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

On August 15, 2012 DCPS notified all afterschool coordinators informing them that they must suspend the order to request citizenship requirements for enrollment of children into afterschool programs. OLA will continue to work with DCPS and OSSE until an agreement is reached and ensure that students in the district receive education and afterschool programs.

Dear PoPville – Advice on Cleaning Up Overhead Backyard Wires

By Prince Of Petworth

Dear PoPville,

My Capitol Hill rowhouse has always had a ridiculous amount of overhead wires crisscrossing my backyard. I assume the wires are power, cable television, and even landline telephones. After the derecho storm, many of the wires are drooping really low and some have even pulled loose from their mounts on various neighboring properties. The cables are an eyesore in my backyard and I’d like to get them removed or uncluttered. Unfortunately, many of the lines cross several yards and attach to rowhouses as well as an apartment building. Do you know which entity in DC has jurisdiction over the wires that cross multiple yards? Or is cleaning them up a function of each individual property owner?

I believe these are cable/phone wires. You may have to deal directly with comcast, verizon etc. Has anyone had any recent success getting backyard wires cleaned up?

Second Phase of Connecticut Avenue Streetscape Project to Start

By Prince Of Petworth


Phase One of Connecticut Avenue Streetscape Project from K to L Street, NW

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) begins work this week on the second phase of the Connecticut Avenue Streetscape project. The project will include the construction of a raised median on Connecticut Avenue between Jefferson Place and L Street, NW, picking up where the first phase left off. Phase I, completed last summer, included the construction of a raised median between K and L Streets. The median is landscaped and maintained by the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID).

The goal is to enhance pedestrian safety on this heavily traveled avenue and improve the appearance of the retail corridor. The new 12 foot wide median will serve as a safe area for pedestrians to pause when crossing the broad avenue. Connecticut Avenue is one of DC’s most highly traveled vehicular thoroughfares with more than 24,100 cars on the downtown portion of the street each day.

In addition to the new median, the project will:

· Remove the existing concrete sidewalk and replace with new concrete pavers
· Install structural soil under sidewalk paving between tree boxes
· Remove existing and Install new metal tree box fences
· Plant trees and shrubs
· Install bicycle racks
· Adjust WMATA shafts to new grades
· Provide electric power service for median
· Provide irrigation and water service
· Mill and Resurface roadway
· Install new pavement markings and traffic signs

It is anticipated that the work will take 240 calendar days. The Contractor is permitted to work from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday, although work can be allowed beyond these times with prior notice and approval.


Connecticut Avenue and M Street, NW

Dear PoPville – Restore Librarians to DC Schools

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user caroline.angelo

“Dear PoPville,

A few more signatures are needed for this petition by Thursday!”

The petition, Restore Librarians to DC Schools, explains:

My son Kai attends our neighborhood elementary school and loves his librarian, Ms. Woodard, who always had wonderful literacy activities for the younger, just-learning-to-read kids like Kai, as well interesting activities to foster a love of reading in older kids. Thanks to the excellent teachers and Ms. Woodard, our struggling urban school raised its reading scores by 14% last year!

So I was shocked to hear that Ms. Woodard had been let go, due to “budget cuts.” In fact, 57 schools and 16,600 students in DC will have no librarian next year. And the remaining librarians are being re-labeled as optional/flexible staff! According to an independent City Council analysis, the DC Public School system has enough in its budget to fund a librarian and top-notch library materials for all of its schools. But despite the claims by Mayor Vincent Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson that they want to improve literacy and reading proficiency (outlined in their new five-year plan), they have so far refused to shift their priorities and ignored all protests by concerned parents and students.

My husband and I, along with hundreds of other parents in D.C., are fighting hard to Save Our Librarians. Librarians from the whole DC area have been joining us in this fighting including Kamaria Hatcher, a librarian in Maryland, who helped us start this petition. We have been working non-stop, but the Mayor and Chancellor Henderson have so far refused to hear us. We need your help! Tell Mayor Gray and Kaya Henderson that librarians are not optional!

We want a librarian in every school (at least part-time in smaller schools, if needed), a per student allotment for library materials as other school districts have, and for librarians to be put back in the essential staff category. Please sign our petition and help us Save Our Librarians! Thank you!

“District Awarded $8M in Federal Grants for Key Transportation Improvement and Infrastructure Projects (Includes Funds for Revitalization of Kennedy Street, NW)”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo of Taqueria Distrito Federal at 805 Kennedy St, NW by PoPville flickr user rockcreek

A few weeks ago a reader wondered “Why Aren’t Investors Showing Kennedy Street Any Love?”

From DDOT:

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the District of Columbia more than $8M in grants to fund four projects in the city, including the revitalization of Kennedy Street, NW. The funding will also allow the District to move forward with planning for improved bicycle and pedestrian access near rail stations; implement a program to better manage curbside parking in busy commercial areas; and make infrastructure improvements for construction of the America Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial near the U.S. Capitol.

The Kennedy Street Revitalization project will receive $1M from the Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program (TCSP) to transform the public realm of the commercial corridor. The funds, matched by local monies, will upgrade streetscape facilities including streetlights, sidewalks, and street trees/landscaping; and implement low-cost, high impact safety improvements at key nodes. That includes the signalized intersection of Missouri Avenue/Kansas Avenue & Kennedy Street; and the non-signalized intersection of Mi ssouri Avenue/1st Street and Jefferson Street.

The District was also awarded more than $6M to complete infrastructure improvements for the Closing of C Street, SW from 2nd Street to Washington Avenue, to facilitate the construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. The approved location for the memorial is a triangular-shaped site bounded by 2nd Street, SW on the west, Washington Avenue on the east, and the I-395 tunnel portals on the south, necessitating the closure of C Street, SW between Washington Ave and 2nd Street. The infrastructure improvements include utility work, signage, lighting, pavement markings, reconfiguration of the roadway, and improving pedestrian facilities. The project will result in improved traffic flow, an increase in pedestrian and bicycle safety, and improved security at the nearby Rayburn Office Building.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will use a $1.09M grant to implement a Multimodal, dynamic parking pricing pilot program in the Chinatown/Penn Quarter area of downtown DC. The program will include a reservation system for commercial vehicle parking to manage metered curb-side spaces in congested areas. It will encourage freight travel at off-peak times and enable tour bus operators to find parking, as well as use parking revenues to support transit services.

Finally, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) was awarded $160,000 to identify opportunities for promoting housing and employment development close to rail by providing walk or bike access to and from the stations using a complete streets approach. The project will seek to moderate demand pressures on the transportation system and improve efficiency by encouraging rail ridership in the reverse-peak direction on trains that currently have plenty of seats, or by selling the same seat twice in the peak travel direction (where one group of commuters alights at a mixed-use suburban location providing space for new commuters traveling further in the peak direction). The final product of the project will be an inventory of up to 25 rail stations with high promise for housing and employment development, and an accompanying list of high-impact transportation capital projects to improve access to these stations that could be quickly implemented should funding become available from the public or private sectors.

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