Transit

Scheduled Street Closures for DC Emancipation Day Parade and Festival

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering

From MPD:

“The Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Transportation would like to inform the public of street closures in conjunction with the DC Emancipation Day Parade and Festival scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2015.

The following streets will be closed from 4:00 am to midnight Friday morning.

§ E Street, NW from 14th to 13th Streets, NW

§ Pennsylvania Avenue, NW from 14th to 12th Streets, NW

§ 13th Street, NW from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

The following streets will be closed from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

§ Constitution Avenue, NW from 9th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

§ 7th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW

The following streets will be closed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

§ Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th Street to 3rd Street, NW

§ All streets crossing Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th to 4th Street will be closed between E Street & Constitution Avenue, NW”

Green Line Metro “service suspended indefinitely between College Park & Greenbelt due to pedestrian bridge collapse”

By Prince Of Petworth

@Metrorailinfo tweets:

“Green Line: Rail service suspended indefinitely between College Park & Greenbelt due to pedestrian bridge collapse. Shuttle buses available.”

Updates as more info becomes available.

Update from WMATA:

“Metro personnel are on scene at the site of a pedestrian bridge collapse onto the Green Line tracks between College Park and Greenbelt stations.

A portion of the concrete bridge collapsed onto the tracks shortly before 3 p.m. today after being struck by the boom of a rail crane operated by a Metro contractor.

The contractor, Skanska, was performing work to support the construction of a new track. There were no injuries.

Green Line service is expected to remain suspended through the evening rush hour and possibly into the night. Metro is providing free shuttle bus service between College Park and Greenbelt stations for affected customers. Riders traveling to of from Greenbelt should allow 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Green Line service between College Park and Branch Avenue stations is operating normally. In addition, Metro has extended some Yellow Line trains to/from College Park to supplement Green Line service.”

From AlertDC:

“MDOT reports service on MARC Train’s Camden Line is temporarily suspended due to repair activity at Greenbelt. There is no service in either direction.”

Update 5pm:

“Green Line service remains suspended between College Park & Greenbelt. 18 shuttle buses currently operating btwn stations. 4:55p #wmata”

Metro Transit Police to raise awareness about sexual harassment and assault

By Prince Of Petworth

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From WMATA:

“On this third week of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Metro Transit Police (MTPD) is joining Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) and Stop Street Harassment, April 15 to raise awareness of sexual harassment prevention efforts on public transportation.

To amplify the message that sexual misconduct will not be tolerated, Metro Transit Police will hold high-visibility outreach events during evening rush hour at five Metrorail stations, including:

Foggy Bottom
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Metro Center
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Congress Heights
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Silver Spring
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Clarendon
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

“Every customer has the right to expect a safe ride without fear of being assaulted or harassed in any way,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik. “Through our ongoing efforts, we continue to increase awareness and improve our tracking and response to sexual harassment and assault incidents on Metro.”

“he had to jump to avoid a car as it almost struck him, he was then drilled in the back by the white van”

By Prince Of Petworth

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A reader reports:

“It might be time for better yellow crosswalk signs, stop signs or a yield sign in the middle of the street on Columbia Rd between 16th and 19th, just like 18th street has received.

I walked out of my apartment this morning to see a man crossing Columbia Rd at Mintwood Pl and watched as he had to jump to avoid a car as it almost struck him. Circling that car he was drilled in the back by the white van pictured. He was loaded into an ambulance by gurney and taken to hospital. While police took statements from 3 witnesses that stayed on scene (myself included).

The response time was 7 minutes for fire and 15 for police, but at what point is something going to be done about this and the several other crosswalks on Colombia Rd which don’t really need (or want) a light, but we need something more.”

“Horrible Traffic in Shaw/LeDroit /Florida ave/Georgia ave Needs a Solution”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Time for Howard University and Washington Metropolitan Police Dept. to review traffic patterns in ‪Ledroit Park‬. The Howard University Hospital parking lot should be opened so the traffic on Florida Avenue can flow better. The time has finally arrived to make modifications in the neighborhood as the exploding growth demands it.

There must be a solution for the terrible traffic congestion on Florida Avenue NW, and converting the Howard University Hospital parking lot into a regular road should help the traffic.”

Traffic Advisory for Saturday’s Cherry Blossom Parade and Japanese Street Festival

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering

From MPD:

“Cherry Blossom Parade

Saturday, April 11, 2015, the Cherry Blossom Parade will take place in the District of Columbia. The Cherry Blossom Parade will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. In conjunction with this event, there will be several street closures that motorists should take into consideration:

All road closures will begin at 8:30 am until approximately 1:00 pm. Roads will be closed from 9th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW to 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.

Assembly Area

The parade will assemble on 7th Street between Independence Avenue, SW and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW between 6th Street to 9th Street NW from 3:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Parade Route

The parade will start at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW and will disband west of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.

55th Annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival

The street closures will go into effect on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 6:30 pm and will reopen on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 11:59 pm at which time the roadways mentioned below will be closed to traffic.

· Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 14th Streets, NW

· 12th Street between Constitution Avenue and E Street, NW

· 10th Street between Constitution Avenue and E Street, NW

· 11th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street, NW

· 13th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street, NW”

Smoother Rides Coming to the Red Line Monday when automatic train operation return

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user James Calder

From WMATA:

“Following years of signal upgrades, rigorous independent testing, and the successful closure of key NTSB safety recommendations, Metro will return the Red Line to automatic train operation (ATO) on Monday, April 13, Metro Deputy General Manager Rob Troup announced today.

“The return of automatic train operation on the Red Line is a significant safety milestone for Metro,” said Troup. “I want to thank our riders for their forbearance through years of work, often on weekends, to allow us the track access necessary to perform essential signal upgrades.”

Only eight-car trains will run in automatic mode initially; six-car trains will continue to operate in manual mode. A future software upgrade on Metro’s existing railcar fleet will allow six-car trains to return to automatic mode at a later date.

Metro’s five other rail lines (Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Green) are currently undergoing track-circuit module replacement projects, and a return to automatic train operation on these lines is expected in late 2017.

In automatic mode, trains accelerate, decelerate and stop under computer control, resulting in consistent ride quality and improved efficiency across the line. Train operators will continue to ride in the cab of each train, and will have responsibility for opening and closing doors and making announcements, even when operating in automatic mode.”

More work on I-395/Third Street Tunnel project “will lead to several road closures and temporary lane closures, resulting in moderate-to-heavy traffic delays”

By Prince Of Petworth

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From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Property Group Partners (PGP) announced that a new phase of utility relocation work along Massachusetts Avenue and H Street NW, between 2nd Street and 4th Street in Ward 6, is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 11, 2015, from 8 am to 6 pm. This will lead to several road closures and temporary lane closures, resulting in moderate-to-heavy traffic delays, in the coming weeks.

Commuters should be advised that during this phase, which is expected to last five months, Massachusetts Avenue will be closed at 2nd Street on Saturday, April 11. Detour signs will point motorists around the work zones to use H, I, K and 5th Streets.

During this phase, H Street westbound will no longer connect directly through Massachusetts Avenue. Instead, H Street will continue straight from 2nd Street toward the intersection of 4th and Massachusetts. Motorists traveling to H Street can turn south (left) onto 4th Street and west (right) back onto H Street.

Additionally, work on 3rd Street between E Street and Massachusetts Avenue will also begin during this phase. Drivers can expect lane closures on 3rd Street. Parking will be restricted on 3rd Street for the duration of this work.

Besides Saturday’s closures, there will be continuous closures on Mondays and Tuesdays, from 7 am to 12 am the next day; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 7 am to 3 pm; and Saturdays and Sundays, only as needed, from 8 am to 6 pm

Motorists are advised to plan for additional travel time, as traffic delays are likely to occur, or use alternative routes to bypass the construction area. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to stay alert and to use caution when traveling through the work zone.”

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