LeDroit Park & Bloomingdale Heritage Trail working group is soliciting volunteers

See this 1/12/2011 message from Bloomingdale resident Christian Seitz:

LeDroit Park & Bloomingdale Heritage Trail needs your help!

Share our history!

LeDroit Park & Bloomingdale Heritage Trail Working Group needs volunteers, participants, old family photos & stories.

Many believe Washington is a city of politicians. We know better! It is a city of great neighborhoods.

LeDroit Park & Bloomingdale are working together to develop our Heritage Trail. Heritage Trails are self-guided walking tours of historic neighborhoods featuring trail signs that combine stories, historic photos, and maps. These trails teach residents and tourists alike about the rich history that makes up the fabric of our city. You've seen these trail signs in the U Street Corridor, Shaw, Adams Morgan, Barracks Row, Pleasant Plains, and several other neighborhoods.

Heritage Trails are developed in coordination with community working groups. The working group shapes the trail; collects neighborhood stories and images, decides what sites are important to neighborhood history, what should be included on the signs, where the signs should be placed, what the trail should be named, and more. We are beginning the process of developing a trail for LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale, and we need your help. A little time can go a long way. Volunteers / participants can share a photo and a story, organize responsibilities, pass out flyers, reach out to former residents or their descendants, record stories, or conduct research.

If you're interested in participating in this wonderful project, please contact Robert Sullivan at 202- 365- 8542 or rbsll@yahoo.com .

For more information on Heritage Trails, follow this link:
http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/things-do-see/trails-tours/neighborhood-heritage-trails

DDOT painting parking lines on Flagler & U Streets NW: what is your opinion?

See this 11/19/2010 message from Bloomingdale resident Christian Seitz:

I awoke Thursday morning and was startled to see the rough outlines (in spray paint) of parking box delineations along the 100 block of U Street, much like those that exist now on 1st Street. There was absolutely no notice from DDOT about this change to our streetscape. I have received info that all of U & Flagler Streets in Bloomingdale will be receiving these new parking delineations. The parking lines are new to these streets and a part of the overly-long WASA improvement project.

If you live on these streets (and want them or do not want them) or care about the aesthetic or safety of Bloomingdale, please email me by Monday at 6 PM and let me know: Your name(s), address, and if you are FOR or AGAINST these new parking lines. Email: cmseitz17@hotmail.com . I will pass this info along to John Salatti and DDOT for their consideration.

Below is a list of the PROS and CONS. Thank you.

Arguments Against Lines:

1) There is no chronic speeding or traffic problem requiring lines. U & Flagler Streets are not heavily traveled streets even during rush hour. 1st Street received these because it has a much higher traffic volume and a problem with speeding cars. Cars speeding on U & Flagler are limited and consistant but not at all pervasive and chronic. There is even less of a need on Flagler which is one-way. This is a problem requiring occasional police enforement for reckless commuters from MD and far reaches of the District, and not a permanent, visually extreme, streetscape-altering solution. If traffic worsens in the future, then lines are one among many possible solutions that should be discussed by neighbors.

2) Lines may draw more traffic. The highly visible lines may actually draw traffic off of 1st St and down U over to 2nd St in order to attempt to avoid the typical backup at the light at Rode Island Ave.

3) Lines may tarnish our streets’ quiet residential feel and lower property value. U & Flagler Streets (unlike 1st Street) are quieter side streets and not heavy commuter streets. They are more residential in nature. Often neighbors are crossing from between parked cars to visit one in other. Children ride bikes on the street. Once in, it is doubtful that these will ever go away. Do we want to detract from the peaceful feeling? The lines would add to the already vast amount of roadway indicators, signage etc., creating just one more layer of visual clutter. Furthermore, the lines will dilute that residential feeling that makes our neighborhood appealing to prospective buyers thus lowering property value.

4) Lines would alter Bloomingdale’s unifying visual aesthetic to accommodate outside commuters. The lines would create inconsistency in the visual aesthetic that defines and unifies our neighborhood. Since only 1st and Bryant Streets have these, this would add to those odd few, and I do not think we want to do this to all streets in Bloomingdale. Can you think of any other neighborhood in DC that has these on consistently on side streets? Should we alter the look of our neighborhood to pacify reckless commuters from other regions or should they adapt to our needs?
5) U & Flagler are not commuter streets. The exceptions to this 1st and Bryant Streets are commuter “through” streets. 1st is used by MD and DC commuters for access to Michigan, Rhode Island, Florida, and New York Aves. Bryant is a through route to/from North Capital, George Ave, 1st and 4th Streets, and the Howard U. Campus, thus, there these lines are justified to abate speeding and define lanes.

Arguments For Lines:

1) Lines help to slow traffic by visually thinning the street. These lines help to slow traffic because of drivers belief that there is less room to maneuver. [However, where this has been effective, there have also been yellow lane lines. We definitely do not want the addition of lane lines. In addition, as previously mentioned, traffic and speeding is not a pervasive and chronic problem].

2) Lines help to make more easily visual what is legal and illegal parking. Given the confusing nature of the plethora of the Districts parking signs that seem to be ever-changing, lines will help to make more easily visible where it is legal and illegal to park. [However, given the inconsistency in signage, it is likely that this will just add another layer of confusion and it is not a solution to a shortage of parking.]

3) Lines increased safety will help our neighborhood by protecting residents. The decreased speed resulting from these lines will help our neighborhood by increasing the safety or residents. [However, because there will be no lane lines in the center of the roadway, I have doubts about their ability to lower speed and worry about increased traffic because of their higher visibility. Furthermore, speeding is not a chronic problem requiring so permanent a solution.]