DDOT changes to Jenifer Street won't make it more of a bikeway

DDOT intends to make some changes to 39th Street, Jenifer Street and Ingomar Street near Reno Road, NW to deal with the tricky intersection of 39th and Reno. There are trees and a crest that block sight lines making turns off 39th difficult and DDOT has recorded numerous crashes at the intersection of 39th, Reno and Ingomar. A few ideas were considered, and DDOT decided not to add a four-way stop sign or a traffic signal, because there was too much traffic on Reno.

Instead the changes they have planned are 

• Convert 39th Street NW between Reno Road and Jenifer Street NW to one-way northbound;
• Remove on-street parking on west side of 39th Street NW between Reno Road and Jenifer Street NW to allow for the installation of a contra-flow bike lane;
• Convert Ingomar Street NW between 39th Street and Reno Road NW to one-way eastbound;
• Convert the intersection of 39th Street and Jenifer Street NW from two-way to all-way stop control;
• Remove on-street parking on north side of Jenifer Street NW between 39th Street and Reno Road NW to accommodate increase in vehicle trips on this segment; and
• Install additional signing and marking improvements, including high-visibility crosswalks.

Jenifer Street is a "bicycle boulevard," though it doesn't have many of the features of one, that creates part of the connection between the Capitol Crescent and Rock Creek Park trails. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like enhancing Jenifer Street's boulevard status is part of the plan. The local ANC opposes the plan, and that may be why DDOT had a meeting on it last night. 

The ANC would like a 4-way stop installed, and while I don't agree that the contra-flow bike lane would put cyclists at risk, I do agree that this plan could be better (and that a 4-way stop might just be a simpler solution).

For starters, I don't like converting streets to one-way streets without a contraflow bike facility as their planning to do on Ingomar.

But in addition, they should take this opportunity to improve Jenifer Street. If they do what is planned and remove parking on Jenifer, they should use some of that space to add a bike lane or other pavement markings. They could also add some speed management items like a short center island at Reno and try to slow traffic on Reno itself.

The 30-day comment period on the Notice of Intent has long passed, but you can still write to Mary Cheh or Leif Dormsjo about the project if you have an opinion on it. Clearly, it's still being discussed. 

Comments

[fongfong]

I live on Ingomar Street and can shed some background.

The intersection where the 17 accidents have occurred over the past 3 years is caused because the sight lines are horrendous. The owner of the home on the East side of Reno abutting 39th Street heading South has over-planted on their front lawn to screen themselves from the traffic noise so that it is impossible to see traffic on Reno Road.

For some reason, even though DC law is explicit that their front lawn is public property, and that the City can cut down the bushes due to the hazard it creates, DDOT has not done so. Perhaps it is because the homeowner is a lawyer at a high powered firm who has threatened to sue, or something.

One ANC is in favor or this, and another is not. A 4 way stop sign is not permitted under federal rules, according to DDOT, because of Reno being a minor arterial, or something like that. In any case, that would be a horrendous idea, and the traffic backups it would create would channel traffic onto surrounding streets.

Making 39th one way deals with the hedges, since the accidents are caused exclusively by Southbound traffic that now will be prohibited. The contra-flow lane was my idea (sorry) since this is along a safe routes to school route to Wilson, Deal and Janney. DDOT has decided not to eliminate any parking on Jennifer, which is a mistake.

The intersection itself will have bulb-outs of sorts, with high visibility signage and cross walks. Frankly, pedestrians really have little trouble here, despite the protests of the anti-group; traffic comes in bunches based on the traffic lights at Nebraska and Military.

DDOT is also seeking to narrow Reno a bit with paint (not real narrowing) to encourage cars to slow down. I do not believe this will work. Real curbs, as you suggest in the above photo would be much more helpful.

Interesting that you would choose the photo above, where those living on the streets near the diverter vehemently protested against installing the gaps for bikes to fit through. Said one opponent: "bikes are traffic too!"

At the meeting last week, one lady who lives on Jennifer said, and I am not making this up, "Have you [DDOT] done an environmental assessment on the added pollution that will occur in front of MY HOUSE house on Jennifer St due to the cars stopping at the stop sign at 39th and Jennifer?" To DDOT's credit, they astutely pointed out that the total tailpipe pollution in the area will remain constant given the same number of cars

[Uptowner]

DDOT once again demonstrates its continued car-centric values, and it's ignorance about what bike boulevards are.

1) DDOT decided not to add a four-way stop sign or a traffic signal, because there was too much traffic on Reno.
In DDOT's view, car traffic > safety So much for Vision Zero

2) Bike Boulevards work by providing 3 things: Low speeds, low volumes, and bicycle priority at intersections. Speeds on Jennifer are already slow because the street is narrow due to parking. Removing parking, as DDOT proposes, will speed up traffic. Also, DDOT is planning to increase volumes on Jennifer. What?!? And, crossing Reno road is the most difficult / dangerous intersection on the corridor, and they're doing nothing to make it easier.

So, to sum up, on a bike boulevard where the goal is to keep speeds and volumes low and give bicycles priority at intersections, DDOT is increasing speeds and volumes, and still not giving bicycle priority at the most difficult intersection. Facepalm.

[JR]

DDOT shits the bed, again.