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An understandable concern. But I think, in this case, your concern is overblown. If you look closely at the Alternative 1 graphic (page 33/48), you'll notice two things. First, an orange line along the west side of South Capitol that represents the proposed bike trail. Second, note the source of those maps: DDOT themselves.

I suggest that any comments on the Draft EIS be presented as comments on the Draft EIS, rather than as recommendations for the alternative to be selected. Not that you can't state your preferences, but it is possible that GSA will not care about your preferences. They will care, however, about any defects in the EIS since such defects could provide a legal basis to stop the whole thing.

For example, if Froggie if correct, then the comment needs to be that the EIS is ambiguous or misleading. But since it is ambiguous, the comment also needs to be that the EIS is deficient for having failed to analyze the air quality impact of preventing the bike trail.

As a precaution, we probably should get the NPS coordinator for Potomac Heritage Trail to make a brief comment.

Froggie, If you mean Figure 3-9 on page 3-31 I'm not sure you're correct. First of all, the orange line is nowhere labelled as the South Capitol Street Trail. Second, it clearly disappears under the redesigned ramp. Third, it would not be unusual for one part of DDOT to work on something without approaching the another part. Especially if the second part is the trails group.

Yes, that's the graphic. I guess I just had a different read on it than you did.

But either way (and I also mentioned this on GGW), you're suggesting that DDOT's left hand can't talk to its right. I don't think that's a fair assessment, especially since the South Capitol St Trail documents clearly mention the potential impacts of the DHS project at St. Elizabeths on the trail corridor. If there's any valid argument to make in this, it's along the lines of what Jim mentioned...in that the St. Elizabeths EIS did not do the same.

My experience is that DDOT's left hand often doesn't talk to the right. I've heard people in the bike/trails team talk about how they didn't find out about a project or change until well after it was possible to get bike facilities added in. Dozens of miles of bike lane have been missed because the road was repaved and restriped without referencing the bike plan.
The South Capitol Street plan wasn't finished until this fall, and as you'll recall involved reducing the width of roads to make room for a trail. This plan now involves widening the road to make room for the traffic. Obviously both can not be done. Considering the timing of both projects, it is not surprising that neither was aware of the others plans.

That's not quite the case here. Whomever did the trail report clearly noted in the concept plan that DHS-related construction would have potential impacts on the trail alignment and width (under "General Considerations", page 12, Chapter 2). My 12:08pm point was that the St. Elizabeth's EIS did not mention the trail at all, even though it shows up on the DDOT maps. *THAT'S* where we have leverege on this one, in line with what Jim said.

@Froggie I'm with Wash on the DDOT right/left hand issue. Even when engineers put the bicycle facilities into the drawings, they often make mistakes. Example: according to Heather Deutsch, engineers drew light poles for the new 11th St Bridge that were to be placed in the center of the bike lane (presumably between northbound and southbound riders). This an idea that makes sense on a divided highway, not a multi-user path. With some effort from Ms. Deutsch, it was fixed.

Almost every DOT in the USA needs to undergo a culture change away from the "autos uber alles" training of the past. DDOT is surely working on it, but they aren't there yet.

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