Georgetown BID planning connection between the Capital Crescent and Rock Creek Park Trails

The Georgetown BID has been working for some time on a MWCOG Transportation Land-use Connections grant that will allow them to study and plan improvements to the K Street/Water Street corridor, with the focus being a bike path connection between the Capital Crescent Trail trailhead and the Rock Creek Park Trail. The study would also look at ways to improve the pedestrian spaces in the corridor. 

As part of this process, the BID will be holding a public meeting  at Georgetown Waterfront Park on June 25th between 10 AM and Noon to go over the plan and follow it with a walking tour.

There are two phases to the K Street and Water Street Bikeway/Pedestrian Enhancements. The first is an interim phase that will go into place until the streetcar is extended. It would involve an 11' wide, two-way protected bikeway on the southside of the street, painted bicycle and pedestrian crosswalks, curb extensions and a traffic circle at the intersection of Water Street and 34th Street. Beyond 34th Street, vehicular traffic on Water street would be limit.

The second phase, the optimum phase, would come into play when the streetcar arrives. DDOT needs the whole right-of-way for their streetcar design, so the bicycle connection would be moved to an expanded 16' wide, multi-use path on the north side of Georgetown Waterfront Park. The traffic circle, and limit access west of 34th would remain.

It would also build a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Rock Creek on the east end.

I suspect there are more than a few cyclists who are interested in this connection and in seeing Water Street improved. Attending this meeting is an opportunity to help with that. 

Comments

[CCT Rider]

It's sort of silly to predicate so much planning on the trolley potentially coming to Georgetown. In all likelihood, the trolley won't be coming to Georgetown, so it would be better to optimize the design with that reality in mind. Otherwise, it looks great, though the intersection of Wisconsin and Water probably needs a light. Also, I'd like to see better connections to the canal; as it stands now, there are a series of hidden, unfriendly stairs. It would be nice to have some ramps from the canal to Water, as well as better lighting, wider treads, and any other improvements that would make the canal and waterfront a cohesive experience.

[Jeffb]

I attended the information session on Saturday.

After talking with one of the BID personnel on hand using the terms interim and optimum may be misleading as it suggests the second phase is better.

An argument can be made that the first phase (interim) is better bike infra as it creates an onstreet PBL.

Once (or if) the streetcar arrives DDOT will need the entire street so the trail is relocated to the park where cyclists will, no doubt, have to contend with other park users.

I'm still not clear but I think the big thing missing from phase 1 is an improved crossing of Rock Creek. Right now it's a narrow sidewalk with a blind corner to oncoming traffic.

I think the new bridge connection should be part of the first phase.

Oh - one more thing. The hope is to do design this Fall with construction early in the following Spring.

[Brett Young]

I was also a the Sat event.
IMO I would classify the bridge over Rock Creek as 1A.
Meaning, the bridge gets done once NPS approves it after an environmental review.
The design team tagged it in Plan 2, but I think once it gets approved, it could easily be part of Design 1.

The plan seems well thought out to me.

As for design two, the design team contends that pedestrians would use an extended sidewalk rather than the bike lane. SO the bushes next to the sidewalk would be removed.

I do believe the streetcar will eventually extend to Georgetown...
Ultimately, this seems like an excellent plan