ANC6D met last Monday night and heard an update from DDOT on the I Street SW/SE Safety Project
ANC6D Slams DDOT I Street SW/SE Safety Project
by Larry Janezich
DDOT Transportation Planner Jamee Ernst must have felt like a punching bag after updating ANC6D on the plan to reduce vehicle speeds, increase visibility at crosswalks, and upgrade bike lanes on I Street between 7th Street SW and 4th Street, SE. The virtual meeting of the ANC was last Monday night and one commissioner after another lambasted the DDOT for not seeking community and ANC input before proceeding with the plan
Reservations were expressed by every commissioner, and the comments were harsh:
- You needed to come to us first….
- The plan is sexist and ageist….
- Do not assume you’re going to implement this because it isn’t going to happen….
- You’re trying to force plans on the community that are not acceptable….
- You want to move ahead in 8 months and you will have problems because you won’t listen to us….
Ernst told the Commission that a Notice of Intent on the plan will be released in the spring and that she would send commissioners a 30% plan – an initial step in the development of the project – after tonight’s meeting.
The consensus of the commission was to demand a commitment from Ernst to have a roundtable discussion with stakeholders before the Notice of Intent is issued. Ernst indicated she would take that back to DDOT.
Commissioner Andrew Litsky said that the topic was a passionate one in the densely populated area and cited ongoing and longstanding concerns with DDOT over the indifference the agency has shown to the residents and the ANC. He said a lot of projects have been installed without resident feedback.
The project was presented to the ANC in February, 2020. Here’s a link to that presentation: https://bit.ly/3rmyZd0
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
As an ANC6 resident and regular user of I Street, both walking and biking (and I do own a car), I STRONGLY support the DDOT proposal of February 2020. There is plenty of off street parking in the ANC area near I Street. The safety of pedestrians and bicyclists should be the major consideration, certainly ahead of parking.
Petty hurt feelings of egotistical commissioners are not only unattractive, but counterproductive. There has been plenty of time to comment on the plans that were put forward nearly 2 years ago. Further delay is unacceptable.
Oh great, get ready for the crocodile tears next time some kid get hit by someone with MD plates flying through at 40mph.
“Something needs to be done but only after 10 years of kowtowing to cranks with too much time on their hands and a love of subsidized parking.”
Alright, I’ll bite. How is this project sexist? (Ed. Note: This had to do with difficulties elderly women would encounter in navigating the changes in infrastructure.)
ANC commissioners need to be compromise-makers, not clout-chasers. 6D fooled around and found out. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯