Wouldn’t it be great if all drivers actually drove at the posted speed limits? 

Impossible, you might say, but now there is a program to help slow down speeding traffic.  The Pace Car program is looking for people who want to help make traffic (especially in neighborhoods) flow at the proper speeds.  You can help by becoming a leader who sets an example of the proper way to drive through neighborhood streets.  Take the driver pledge and receive a Pace Car sticker for your car. 

You will become a positive force by agreeing to be a responsible driver who respects pedestrians, bicyclists, school zones, speed limits, and other safety traffic laws.  If enough drivers in a neighborhood become “pace cars” the culture of safe and courteous driving will develop.  This is part of a public education campaign designed to remind drivers that many others who are not in cars also share the streets.  It will increase community safety and make our streets friendlier and more enjoyable. 

To learn more about the program or to sign up to take the pledge and receive the sticker, go to http://www.waba.org/pacecar/.

Pace Car Driver Pledge

1. I will drive within the posted speed limit on city streets.
2. I’ll treat people walking and bicycling with respect and will share the road safely with them.
3. I'll give myself enough travel time so that I'm not sacrificing courtesy or safety.
4. I will not be pressured by others' impatience to drive above the posted speed limit.
5. I’ll display the PACE CAR sticker on my vehicle, and encourage others to join!

“On your mark. Get set. Go!!!”  Hello all!  Next Saturday, March 29, 2008, the Suntrust National Marathon will take place running through many Ward 6 streets next weekend on Saturday March 29, 2008. Many residents might remember some headaches from last year. But, this year, the Greater Washington Sports Alliance worked closely with our Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and community groups to assure that this event runs smoothly and does not block off major arteries for long period of time. 

Please notes that East Capitol St from 19th St NE to 2nd St NE will be open to intermittent north/south traffic flow from 7:15 am to 8:15 am at all MPD controlled intersections. Traffic flow is at the discretion of MPD. Local Traffic Policy: Residents trying to access their neighborhoods during event road closures may cross the route per MPD discretion - provided they have a valid I.D. which shows the driver’s address.  The Marathon Route street closures are as follows is as follows:

• East Capitol St SE – , From 22nd St SE , To 2nd St NE,  *6:45 AM -7:15 AM
• 2nd St SE  - From East Capitol St , To Independence Ave SE-SW , 6:50 AM - 7:30 AM
• Independence Ave SE-SW - From 2nd St SE, To 3rd St SW-NW, 6:50 AM - 7:40 AM
• 3rd St SW-NW - From Independence Ave SE-SW , To Pennsylvania Ave , 6:55 AM - 7:40 AM
• Pennsylvania Ave NW - From 3rd St SW-NW, To Constitution Ave NW, 6:55 AM - 7:45 AM
• Constitution Ave NW - From Pennsylvania Ave NW, To 21st St NW, 6:55 AM - 8:00 AM
• Constitution Ave NW - From 21 St NW, To 18th ST NW, 7:00 AM - 8:10 AM
• 18th St NW - From Constitution Ave NW, To Connecticut Ave NW, 7:05 AM - 8:15 AM
• Connecticut Ave NW - From 18TH St NW, To Columbia Rd NW, 7:05 AM - 8:30 AM
• Columbia Rd NW - From Connecticut Ave NW, To Harvard St NW, 7:10 AM - 8:40 AM
• Harvard St NW - From Columbia Rd NW, To Michigan Ave NW, 7:15 AM - 9:00 AM
• Michigan Ave NW - From Harvard St NW, To North Capitol St NE, 7:15 AM - 9:15 AM
• North Capitol St NW - From Michigan Ave NW, To K St St., NE, 7:25 AM - 9:30 AM
• K St NE - From North Capitol St NE, To 4th St NE, 7:30 AM - 9:40 AM
• 4th St NE - From K St NE, To H St NE, 7:30 AM - 9:45 AM
• H St NE - From 4th St NE, To 13th St NE, 7:35 AM - 9:45 AM
• 13th St NE - From H St NE, To North Carolina Ave NE , 7:35 AM - 9:50 AM
• North Carolina Ave NE - From 13th ST NE, To C St NE, 7:35 AM - 9:50 AM
• C St NE - From North Carolina Ave NE, To 22nd St NE, 7:35 AM - 10:00 AM
• Independence Ave SE - From RFK Lot 8 entrance , To 19th St SE, 7:45 AM - 10:15 AM
• 19th St SE - From Independence Ave SE, To East Capitol St SE, 7:45 AM - 10:20 AM
• East Capitol St SE - From 19th St SE, To 2nd St SE, 7:50 AM - 10:45 AM
• 2nd St SE - From East Capitol St , To Independence Ave SE-SW , 7:50 AM - 10:30 AM
• Independence Ave SE-SW -  , From 2nd St SE, To 3rd St SW-NW, 7:55 AM - 10:35 AM
• 3rd St SW-NW - From Independence Ave SE-SW , To Pennsylvania Ave , 7:55 AM - 10:40 AM
• Constitution Ave NW - From Pennsylvania Ave NW, To 9th St Tunnel NW, 8:05 AM - 11:15 AM
• 9th St Tunnel NW - From Constitution Ave NW, To Maine Ave SW , 8:15 AM - 11:30 AM
• Maine Ave SW  - From 9th St SW , To 6th St SW , 7:00 AM - 11:30 AM
• 6th St SW  - From Maine Ave SW , To Water St SW , 7:00 AM - 11:30 AM
• P St SW  - From Anacostia Riverwalk Trail , To 2nd St SW , 8:20 AM - 11:40 AM
• 2nd St SW  - From P St SW , To R St SW , 8:25 AM - 11:40 AM
• P St SW  - From 2nd S SW , To South Capitol St SW, 8:25 AM - 11:40 AM
• South Capitol St SW  - From P St SW , To Douglass Bridge Access rd, 8:25 AM - 12:00 PM
• Douglass Bridge Access Road - From South Capitol St SE, To Anacostia Dr SE, 8:40 AM - 12:00 PM
• Anacostia Dr SE - From Douglass Bridge Access rd , To Nicholson St SE, 8:45 AM - 12:30 PM
• Nicholson St SE - From Anacostia Dr SE, To Fairlawn Ave SE, 8:45 AM - 12:30 PM
• Fairlawn Ave SE - From Nicholson St SE, To Pennsylvania Ave SE, 8:45 AM - 12:35 PM
• Pennsylvania Ave SE - From Fairlawn Ave SE, To Minnesota Ave SE, 8:50 AM - 12:45 PM
• Minnesota Ave SE - From Pennsylvania Ave SE, To E. Capitol St exit ramp , 8:50 AM - 1:15 PM
• E. Capitol St SE - From Minn/E.Cap exit ramp , To 22nd St NE, 8:50 AM - 1:20 PM
• 22nd St NE - From C St NE, To East Capitol St SE, 8:55 AM - 1:30 PM

For more information on this event please visit the National Marathon Website at www.nationalmarathon.com.

The DC Office of Property Management (OPM) has sent an announcement that they are seeking public comment on two types of window glass currently under consideration for use in the renovated Eastern Market.  A mock-up of the windows has been set up in the North Hall, and will be open to the public the weekends of March 15-16 and March 22-23, 9:30 am-4:00 pm. 

The mock-up has been placed next to a typical existing window assembly to provide maximum unobstructed view and comparison and also to allow for substantial morning sun to aid observation of the glazing.  See details and drawing below.

Please email comments to Anne Brockett, SHPO, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , with a copy Matt Hussman, OPM, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  All comments are due by Monday, March 24, 2008 at 5:00pm.   Additional questions should be directed to Mr. Hussman, (202)-741-0940.

Eastern Market Window “Mock-Up” Fact Sheet

Following the devastating Eastern Market fire on April 30, 2007, District agencies worked together to build the new East Hall as a temporary home for the displaced South Hall merchants.  The Office of Property Management (OPM) also redoubled its efforts to renovate both the South and North Halls of the Market. 

Eastern Market is being renovated based on a design by Quinn Evans Architects.  The design for the renovation has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate agencies, with comment by the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC).  The construction documents require that the Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) view two full-scale glazing options installed on site prior to issuing final approval. 

OPM has built the window mock-ups in the North Hall to show these glazing options. This allows the SHPO, OPM, the design team, EMCAC and the public to view the two possible glass types and be better informed as they formulate their comments. The mock-up is on view for the next two weekends in the North Hall, March 15-16 and March 22-23, 9:30 am-4:00 pm.

1. Purpose

The mock-up has been prepared by Keystone Plus Construction in conjunction with The Craftsmen Group in fulfillment of contract requirements and will provide the opportunity to view two aspects of the work: 

1)  The workmanship of the window rehabilitation process. 
2)  The two types of glass that are being considered for the windows throughout the building.

The mock-up must be reviewed by OPM, representatives of Quinn Evans Architects, and the DC Historic Preservation Office.  Once approved by these parties, the contractor may commence rehabilitation work.  

2.  Location:

Two window assemblies of the North Hall were selected because they were in fair condition before any work began.   These are on the east side of the building and should receive substantial morning sunlight.  The viewing area is unobstructed by construction equipment or scaffolding.

3.  Comparison Window

An existing window assembly has been left in place immediately adjacent to the two rehabilitation mock-up assemblies.  This is glazed with the plastic (lexan) material from the 1970’s.  Although this material has been cleaned for this review, this material has been impacted by sunlight over time and it is obviously very cloudy.

4.  Criteria for Review:  Wood Rehabilitation

The rehabilitated sash and frame will be viewed to see that the wooden members are smooth and free of dents or gauges.  The sashes have been removed from the frames and each has been individually repaired in the contractor’s workshop.  After repairs, the wood received a primer and intermediate coat of off-white color paint.  The final paint coating and color will be determined later as part of the overall building rehabilitation project.

5.  Criteria for Review: Glass types
In order to meet the criteria that has been established through the design process and approved by OPM and the DC Historic Preservation Review Board, efforts have been made to ensure the glass is both energy conserving and will reduce the amount of direct sunlight and ultra-violet (UV) light that enters the building.   These criteria will meet the food degradation concerns as expressed by merchants through the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC).  Samples of the warm-tinted glass were reviewed during the review process.        

Although these criteria address issues of the South Hall, a single glass strategy will be applied to all windows, regardless of location, to achieve a uniformity of appearance on the exterior of the building.

The mock-up has two glass types from which to select: a light and a medium tint.  Either glass type meets the minimum technical requirements discussed during the historic preservation review meetings.   The diagram below shows which glass type is installed in which window.

Type A:  light tint
Installed Product:  PPG Solarbronze
Visible Light Transmittance:  67%
Ultraviolet light Transmittance: 39%

Type B:  medium tint glass
Installed Product:  PPG Solarcool (2) bronze
Visible Light Transmittance:  22.5%
Ultraviolet Light Transmittance:  8.5%

For comparison purposes, clear glass, without coatings, would have a Visible Light Transmittance of 90% and an Ultraviolet Light Transmittance of 73%

6. Glossary:

Visible Light Transmittance:  The percentage of visible light (solar spectrum wavelength band of approx. 380 to 780 nanometers) that is transmitted through the glass.  The higher the number, the greater amount of light that passes through the glass.

Ultraviolet (UV) Light Transmittance:  The percentage of ultraviolet light (solar spectrum wavelength band of approx. 300 to 380 nanometers) that is transmitted through the glass.  The higher the number, the greater amount of UV light that is passing through the glass.

A reminder to join Councilmember Tommy Wells and staff at his Southwest Community Office Hours: Evening Edition. For this month, at the request of several constituents, we're holding the office hours in the evening. Join us this Thursday evening, March 13, 2008, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. at Channel Inn on the Waterfront at 650 Water St., SW, Washington, DC 20024.