The DC Office of Planning (OP), in partnership with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), is in the process of the Mount Vernon Square District Project.

According to OP, the project is designed to generate implementation-driven solutions for specific transportation, public realm and real estate challenges and opportunities in the blocks, streets, and reservations surrounding Mount Vernon Square. It’s also looking at different configurations to accommodate bikes and buses on 7th and 9th Streets.

Key goals of the analysis include:

- Creating a destination that attracts visitors from the Convention Center, Downtown, the National Mall and other District neighborhoods;
- Creating value through strategic public investments that will benefit the District’s investment in the area, surrounding properties (existing and proposed), and the adjacent neighborhoods;
- Enhancing the rich physical and cultural heritage of the surrounding neighborhoods;
- Integrating with the city’s transportation network via inter-modal connectivity and improved pedestrian access; and
- Building a compelling “great place” through unique public space design, programming, and adaptive reuse.

Over the past several months, OP and DDOT have hosted public forums to gather input on community issues and concerns in the MVS area. In response to those forums, they've developed four transportation alternatives, along with a variety of options that could be implemented with any alternative. Options include:

- One-way streets
- Two-way streets
- Bike lanes and cycle tracks
- Transit-only street
- Widening sidewalks
- Mid-block crosswalks
- Moving bus routes and stops
- Streetcar

The four alternatives and options are online at the Project's web page:
http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view,a,1423,q,647286.asp.

OP is asking for comments by Friday, January 22, 2010.

For more information, please contact Christopher Ziemann, DDOT Transportation Planner, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Patricia Zingsheim, OP Associate Director of Revitalization and Design, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

WMATA sent the following announcement about possible service cuts and fare increases yesterday: 

Metro sets public hearing on options to close FY2010 budget gap 
Options include increased fare by up to 10 cents per trip, service reductions

Metro will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 27, to get public input on a variety of options for how the transit agency should close a $40 million budget gap in the current fiscal year that is largely due to lower than expected ridership and passenger revenues.

Much of the loss in ridership is a result of the economic recession, and Metro’s experience is not unlike other transit agencies. Nationally, total transit ridership is down compared to the same period last year.

“Year to date, average weekday rail ridership is almost 2.5 percent below last year’s levels and more than 5 percent below budget,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe. “Bus ridership is almost 6 percent below last fiscal year and 12 percent below budget.”

In an effort to address this year’s $40 million budget shortfall, Metro needs to generate additional passenger revenue and reduce costs. Some cost-reduction measures mean service cuts, and Metro is considering altering some bus routes, reducing hours of service for both Metrobus and Metrorail, and making minor service changes to Metrobus and Metrorail service. A possible fare surcharge of up to 10 cents also is being discussed. Additionally, consideration is being given to capitalizing the purchase of various parts and using capital funding for eligible costs of preventive maintenance.

Metro will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, at Metro Headquarters, 600 5th Street, NW, to seek comment from the public on the following proposals:

1. Increasing the fare for all Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess trips by up to 10 cents per trip. The cost of all passes also would increase to account for this change.

2. Possible cuts to the span of service on Metrorail, including:
• Opening the Metrorail system one hour later on Saturdays and Sundays;
• Opening the Metrorail system 30 minutes later on weekdays; and
• Closing the Metrorail system one hour earlier on Fridays and Saturdays.

3. Restructuring bus service on the following bus lines:
• 16A,B,D,E,F,J,P Columbia Pike Line in Virginia;
• 52, 53, 54 14th Street Line in the District of Columbia;
• 80 North Capitol Street Line in the District of Columbia;
• J1 Bethesda–Silver Spring Line in Maryland; and
• N2,4,6 Massachusetts Avenue Line in the District of Columbia.

4. Minor adjustments to intervals between Metrobuses and Metrorail trains during rush hours and non-rush hours weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

5. Closing a few Metrorail station entrances on weeknights and weekends where alternate entrances at the same stations are available.

In addition, Metro is interested in public comments weighing the use of capital dollars for preventive maintenance and parts against a larger fare increase and/or greater service modifications or a reduction in other capital projects.

More detailed information about the proposals will be posted on Metro’s Web site, www.wmata.com, with the public hearing docket in mid-January.

To establish a witness list, individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to be heard at this public hearing are asked to provide in writing their name, address, telephone number and organization affiliation, if any, to Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Alternatively, requests to speak may be faxed to 202-962-1133 or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please submit only one speaker’s name per letter and reference Hearing Number 547. Lists of individual speakers will not be accepted. Others present at the hearing may be heard after people who have registered have spoken. Public officials will be heard first and will be allowed five minutes each to make their presentations. All other speakers will be allowed three minutes each. Relinquishing of time by one speaker to another will not be permitted.

Written statements and exhibits may be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, or e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please reference Hearing Number 547. Submissions must be received by the close of the hearing on Wednesday, January 27.

Any possible service reductions or fare increase would take effect on or about March 1 and only apply through June 30, which is the end of Metro’s fiscal year 2010. Additional public hearings related to Metro’s fiscal year 2011 budget are likely later this spring as Metro grapples with a projected $175 million budget deficit.

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Media contact for this news release: Angela Gates or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.
News release issued at 6:05 pm, January 7, 2010.

DDOT announced last week the start of construction on the 11th Street Bridge Project, which aims to provide better connections to existing freeways as well as an additional local bridge to create more convenient connections for neighborhoods east and west of the Anacostia River. Construction contractors are set to start pile driving in the Anacostia River for the foundations of three new bridges – one for local, and two for freeway traffic.

Barrier placement, off-roadway clearing and drainage work also will begin adjacent to both directions of DC 295. Eventually, land-side pile driving on both sides of the river will be required to construct new connecting ramps for planned highway improvements.

Scheduled for completion in mid-2013, the $300 million project will:

- Improve mobility by providing separate freeway and local traffic connections to both directions of DC 295, the Southeast-Southwest Freeway and local streets on both sides of the Anacostia River
- Provide a shared path for pedestrians and bicycles, as well as future streetcar connections
- Replace the existing functionally deficient and structurally obsolete bridges
- Provide an additional alternate evacuation route from our Nation’s Capital, and
- Include new trail connections, improved drainage and other environmental investments

The new bridges will be constructed between the existing bridges, allowing existing travel movements to continue.

Lane closures:

On Wednesday, January 6th, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) began work this week that requires daily lane closures on 11th Street, SE and I-295 DC. The work is part of the 11th Street Bridge Project which kicked off last week.

Beginning Wednesday, January 6 through Friday, January 22, weather permitting, contractors will close the following lanes, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm daily:

The left lane of eastbound 11th Street, SE, from the Anacostia River to the intersection of Good Hope Road/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue;

The right lane southbound on I-295, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Howard Road. 

Crews may also close the shoulders during the same hours each day. During these closures, contractors will be placing construction access points, concrete barriers, attenuators and other traffic controls related to the start of 11th Street Bridge Project construction.

Pedestrian bridge closure:

Beginning Monday, January 18, 2010, the pedestrian bridge crossing DC 295 between Anacostia High school and Anacostia Fitness Center will close to allow 11th Street Bridge Project construction.

The existing pedestrian bridge must be demolished to enable construction of new ramps from southbound DC 295 as part of the overall project. The new pedestrian bridge will be built in the same location and will be open prior to the Memorial Day Weekend 2010.

For more information about the 11th Street Bridge Replacement project, please contact Bryon Johnston at 202-484-2330, ext 137 or visit the project website at http://www.theanacostiawaterfront.com/11thstreet.jsp.

Great news today from our men and women in blue. 1st District Commander David Kamperin shared breaking news earlier today about a major break and arrests in the recent robberies in Southest. The arrests are the result of lengthy investigation that was helped by neighbors in the area that worked to provide MPD and city officials vital information. From Commander Kamperin:

I wanted to update the community, and in particular Capitol Hill, of several key arrests we have made over the weekend. Until now, I could not discuss our work on these cases as it may have jeopardized our progress. I understand the frustration many of you may have had regarding these crimes, but am now able to discuss some of these and what happened earlier today.

Over the weekend we made 4 arrests for 2 separate burglaries in the Capitol Hill Community. In addition to these arrests, we have been working on several other known targets, to include surveillance of some residences and individuals. This investigation finally came to the point where we had enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant for a residence last night. This morning we executed the search warrant in the 1000 blk of 15th St SE, and during the search recovered a large amount of property that was taken during burglaries over the past several months. These items include flat panel tvs, computers, jewelry, electronics, and games and DVDs. Additionally one subject- one of our targets- was arrested and charged with multiple felony charges. This investigation continues and we are hoping on other arrests and search warrants.

In addition to the combined efforts of our officers and detectives, some key information came in from citizens and this partnership proved to be successful.

In an unrelated matter, on Jan 2nd we arrested an individual for assault with intent to rob in the 1700 blk of PA Ave SE. This subject was arrested for UUV (unauthorized use of a vehicle) in 7d a couple of days prior to this arrest. The vehicle he was in was reported stolen in a carjacking in PG County.