Last year, 25 pedestrians were killed in the District. Every day, there are countless more near misses with our neighbors trying to walk safely to and from school, work, errands, the park, and more. In February and March of this year, I hosted a two-part community forum on pedestrian safety in the ward -- focusing on identifying problems as well as developing solutions.

The interest, concern and urgency around improving pedestrian safety are palpable across Ward 6 and the city. No one needs to wait until a tragedy to take action and the recent pedestrian safety forums were a proactive effort to share updated information and work directly on some shared ideas for progress. As I continue to work on issues around making our neighborhoods more livable and walkable, slowing the speeding traffic on our streets and creating pedestrian improvements are of top concern.

The energy and ideas that came from our two pedestrian forums were very helpful. For everyone that attended, thank you very much for all of your hard work. We identified several systemic issues such as traffic calming needs, lack of sufficient pedestrian and driver education, greater road planning that includes pedestrian access, and policy decisions the city has made in the past that make it more difficult for pedestrian safety. In addition, many of you helped identify very specific intersections and streets that need improvement.

At the solutions forum, you rolled up your shirt sleeves and worked with key decision makers on ways to get engaged to make a difference. As just one example, following the MPD breakout session, officers targeted several of the recommended intersections and cracked down on enforcement with hundreds of tickets issued to drivers that weren’t complying with pedestrian safety laws.

I plan to use this Pedestrian Safety Report as a guide over the next year to work on several fronts for our neighborhoods. I know I can count on you to update my office and our efforts on new needs, new problems and new solutions – making this a living, breathing document we can continuously update and improve.

Thank you again for all of your hard work that went into this report.

You can Click Here to download and read the report.

New updates from the Department of Parks and Recreation on work at the Rumsey Pool:

Installation of New Pool Systems Require Temporary Closure of Rumsey Aquatic Center

As previously announced, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will temporarily close the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center located at 635 North Carolina Avenue, SE, on Monday, May 19, 2008.  The facility will re-open on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.

The temporary closure is required to accommodate the installation of new systems for both pools.  Work that is that is now underway includes:

Installation of new pool pumps for both pools
Installation of new pool filters for both pools
Installation of new pool heaters for both pools
Installation of new automatic chemical treatment systems for both pools
Installation of new backwash piping for both pools
Installation of new pool and pump piping for both pools
Installation of new sump pump
Installation of new pool ultraviolet (UV) sanitation system which will assist in the destruction of microorganisms and reduces the impact of chlorine smell and eye irritation
Diagnostic tests on the HVAC and boiler systems

DPR will offer expanded hours at the Turkey Thicket Aquatic Facility, 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE, (202) 576-9236.  Expanded hours will be Monday – Friday, 6:30 am to 9 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Programs and classes that were to be held at Rumsey Aquatic Center during the temporary closure will be rescheduled at other nearby DPR aquatic centers.  Registrants that would prefer to opt out of rescheduled classes or would like additional information can contact DPR Aquatics at (202) 673-7647.

 

Last night, Tommy helped Harris Teeter open its doors at the new Potomac Ave, SE location in Hill East. This makes only the second Harris Teeter open for business in the District.

Tommy was joined by ANC Commissioners Ken Jarboe, Will Hill, and Carol Green (and possibly more, that's just who I saw) and hundreds of neighbors to cut the ribbon and flood into the new grocery store. One important fact to point out – out of the nearly 130 new employees at this location, 84 are DC residents. Not only is this a great new amenity in the neighborhood, its adding jobs for DC residents.

After the store opened, hundreds of neighbors wandered the aisles testing free samples of just about everything the store has to offer. Based on what we saw last night, we can expect a lot more foot traffic and with the outdoor seating for prepared meals, a lot more eyes on the street.

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells joined Mayor Adrian Fenty today to announce a major step in the development of the Reservation 13 – Hill East site. The District released to developers the Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) – a first step to garner proposals for a master developer of the property.

“Today marks a day long in the making. But even with the excitement of today’s milestone, we still have our work cut out to prove to this neighborhood that the city intends to make good on its promise of redeveloping Reservation 13,” commented Tommy Wells.

Plans call for Hill East Waterfront to be transformed into a vibrant, mixed-use urban waterfront community in accordance with the Hill East Master Plan that was worked on and approved by the community over many years. This new waterfront community will connect the surrounding Hill East neighborhood to the Anacostia waterfront via tree-lined public streets, recreational trails, and accessible waterfront parklands.

Wells added, “The call today is to bring in a master developer -- one that will honor and recognize the Reservation 13 Master Plan that the ANC and Hill East community spent years developing. I am looking for a developer that will bring the river back into our lives, creating neighborhoods with residential, retail and green space; building with an eye toward sustainability and the highest of environmental standards.”

Responses from potential developers are due August 1, 2008 and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development reports that they will work with the ANC and neighborhood during the vetting process before a finalist is chosen.

Wells summed up the project, “This is a once-in-a-generation project that will leave its mark for literally hundreds of years to come and transform the way this neighborhood relates to the river.”

For more information about this project, please click on the following links:

- Read the RFEI and other supporting documents

- Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development description of the site and plans:

- Office of Planning description of the site and plans

Local media with write-ups and reviews: 

- Washington Business Journal

- DCmud blog