Res 04-05
 
ANC 3F RESOLUTION ON CERTAIN TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES
ON THE 3600-3800 BLOCKS OF UPTON STREET, N.W. AND RELATED
MATTERS


Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F
Forest Hills, North Cleveland Park, & Tenleytown
4401-A Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Box 244
Washington, D.C. 20008-2322

WHEREAS, the 3600, 3700 and 3800 blocks of Upton Street, NW are within the boundaries of ANC 3F; and

WHEREAS, the residents of those blocks requested DDOT implement traffic calming measures on their street; and

WHEREAS, in response to that request, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) prepared a report entitled Upton Street, N. W. Traffic Calming Study, July 21, 2003, presented it to residents of Upton Street and supplemented the report with a September 2, 2003 addendum; and

WHEREAS, many residents appeared at the October 20 and December 15, 2003, ANC 3F meetings and a Single Member District meeting on December 11, 2003, expressing concerns and disagreements with the recommendations in this study; and

WHEREAS, this discussion led residents of neighboring streets to petition ANC 3F to request DDOT collect baseline data to determine whether the proposed traffic calming devices would shift traffic to their already congested residential streets; and

WHEREAS, DDOT agreed to collect data at four more locations; and

WHEREAS, ANC 3F has reviewed the Upton Street, N.W. Traffic Calming Study; commissioners have made numerous trips to Upton and surrounding streets to observe traffic, as well as to other jurisdictions to observe the operation of traffic calming devices; and have considered the comments from residents of Upton and surrounding streets,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that ANC 3F:

Recommends:

1. That the following four locations be studied for speed, volume and congestion, as requested by residents of surrounding streets and supported by the ANC. These studies should be completed and submitted to the ANC for review before any changes are effected on Upton Street.

    A. Intersection of 37th and Van Ness
    B. Intersection of 38th and Van Ness
    C. Intersection of 37th and Veazey
    D. 3600 block of Van Ness Street.

2. That DDOT study repositioning the Right Turn Only sign on the NE corner of Upton at Wisconsin Avenue as it is partially obscured by a large tree and not visible to drivers traveling west on Upton.

3. That DDOT consider reconfiguring the existing traffic island at Reno and Upton to prevent drivers from running the stop sign at Reno Road and that this island be configured to prevent flooding to adjacent residential properties, and that in its design DDOT take into account the neighborhood desire to landscape and maintain the island. This new design should be provided to ANC 3F and the community for consideration and vote at a public meeting prior to implementation.
 
Does not object to,
 
1. The small traffic circles at the intersections of 37h & 38th Streets and Upton Street as long as they are designed to permit the smooth passage of trucks, delivery vans, ambulances and other emergency vehicles to The Washington Home and residential properties.

2. The speed bump in the 3600 block of Upton Street, as shown in the engineering design drawing accompanying the July 21 report.

3. The replacement of signs and poles, if necessary, which are faded, broken, or graffiti covered.

4. Remarking the street on Upton at the Wisconsin/Upton Street intersection and southbound Wisconsin Avenue.

5. The addition of a speed bump sign on the 3600 block of Upton Street and a no left turn sign facing north on the SE side of Wisconsin Avenue.
 
Does not support:
 
1 - The addition of no left turn sign, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Reno Road into Upton Street.

2. Changing the Ward 3 Zone residential parking signs to Monday-Saturday from Monday-Friday as they are now. This proposed change appears in the engineering design drawing appendix of the Upton Street, N. W. Traffic Calming Study and not the narrative.
 
3. Putting a double yellow line on three blocks of Upton and white edge lines for the parking lanes on both side of the street.

4. A speed bump and related signage on the 3700 block of Upton Street.
 
Requests:
 
1. DDOT not proceed with the traffic diversion device of a traffic island at the Wisconsin/Upton intersection until the effectiveness of the traffic calming devices of the circles and the speed hump on Upton Street, as approved above, has been determined and ANC 3F can review the data and decide whether an island should be installed.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Adopted by a vote of 6-0-0 at a duly-noticed public meeting of ANC 3F on January 12, 2004, with a quorum present.

/s/ Cathy Wiss                          /s/ David J. Bardin
 Cathy Wiss, Chair                    David J. Bardin, Secretary