WHEREAS, the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Chesapeake Street, N.W., is in ANC 3E, but also within 200 feet of the boundary of ANC 3F; and

WHEREAS, this intersection is bounded by Wilson Senior High School and Fort Reno National Park on the west and by a large residential neighborhood on the east; and

WHEREAS, this intersection is approximately 200 feet (67 yards) from the building of Wilson High School and thus, within a school zone; and

WHEREAS, this intersection is approximately 1,200 feet from the signalized intersection at Nebraska Avenue and Albemarle Street, N.W., and approximately 600 feet from the signalized intersection at Nebraska Avenue and Davenport Street, N.W., which controls the crossing to Alice Deal Junior High School and the Rose School; and

WHEREAS, this intersection is traversed by a significant amount of pedestrian traffic, including Wilson High School students and teachers who park on the residential streets east of Nebraska Avenue (DPW having denied their request for permit parking on Chesapeake Street next to the school); Deal Junior High School students who take a shortcut across Nebraska at Chesapeake Street rather than continuing to the light at Davenport Street; persons attending ball games and summer evening concerts at Fort Reno National Park; and residents walking to the park; and

WHEREAS, visibility of and by approaching cars is obscured by massive street trees and by other vegetation along Nebraska Avenue; and

WHEREAS, cars traveling on Nebraska Avenue in each direction routinely drive through this intersection at speeds greater than 40 mph, in excess of the posted 30 mph speed limit and far in excess of the recommended speed limit of 15 mph for school zones, causing nearby residents to refer to this stretch of Nebraska Avenue as the "raceway"; and

WHEREAS, the only traffic control device currently installed, a pedestrian sign accompanied by a small "15 mph" sign and two flashing lights located on the southwest corner of the intersection, has proven completely ineffective in calming traffic; and

WHEREAS, the speed of the cars on 4-lane, 40-footwide Nebraska Avenue requires cars on Chesapeake Street to accelerate hard to get across and makes it hazardous for pedestrians to cross at any pace less than a run; and

WHEREAS, serious accidents frequently occur at this intersection, not only between cars, but also between cars and pedestrians, including Wilson students in the past and two girls returning from an evening concert at Fort Reno last summer; and

WHEREAS, the Wilson Student Government Association has conducted a survey of students crossing Nebraska Avenue at Chesapeake Street and has found that a significant number of them were involved in "near miss" situations [Attachment A]; and

WHEREAS, 210 students and faculty members of Wilson High School have signed a petition requesting a traffic light be installed at the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Chesapeake Street, N.W., [Attachment B]; and

WHEREAS, fortyeight (48) residents of the streets immediately east of this intersection have signed a petition requesting installation of a traffic light at this intersection to reduce accidents caused by excessive speeding and poor visibility [Attachment C]; and

WHEREAS, Theodore C. Tuckson, Deputy Director of DCPS Division of Security, has requested, by letter of March 19, 2001, that DPW give priority to conducting a traffic control study for this intersection because of the vast number of students using it and the potential for fatalities [Attachment D]; and

WHEREAS, the School Proximity Traffic Calming Act of 2000, D.C. Law 13111, requires the Mayor to place traffic control devices, as deemed necessary, on every street within 100 yards of a school building [Attachment E].

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F joins ANC 3E in requesting that the Department of Public Works (DPW) install a traffic light at the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Chesapeake Street, N.W. [see ANC 3E Resolution of 8/10/00 at Attachment F]; and

ANC 3F RECOMMENDS THAT:  DPW designate the area on Nebraska Avenue between
Albemarle Street and Reno Road a school zone for Wilson High School, Alice Deal Junior High and the Rose School; and

FURTHER RECOMMENDS THAT:  DPW consider reducing the speed limit on Nebraska Avenue from Tenley Circle to Reno Road, N.W., because of the number of school children that pass through this area daily, not only to Wilson High School, but also to Alice Deal Junior High School, the Rose School and the several other schools immediately west of Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., and take all additional steps deemed necessary to ensure that this area is safe for students, as required by D.C. Law 13111.
______________________________________________________________________________
Approved by a vote of 7-0-0 at a duly noticed meeting on April 16, 2001 with a quorum present.

/s/ David J. Bardin___                                   /s/ Robert V. Maudlin______
Chair                                                                    Secretary
 

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