DDOT 19-01 New Stop Sign Installation on 41st Street at Chesapeake Resolution – February 2019

Resolution Regarding DDOT Notice of Intent 19‐01‐TOA regarding the installation of a stop sign at the intersection of 41st Street and Chesapeake Street and Belt Road NW

Whereas, Mayor Bowser announced to much fanfare on February 20, 2015 that she was committed to a goal of zero deaths on the District of Columbia’s roadways by 2025, an initiative known as “Vision Zero,” and

Whereas, in 2018 there were 34 people killed on roads in the District of Columbia an increase of 13 percent over 20171 marking the fourth consecutive year that traffic fatalities have increased in the District, a trend that confirms DC is not doing enough to make streets safer for all of its users, and

Whereas, in the last 15 years three pedestrians have been fatally struck by cars just within the boundaries of ANC 3E, two of whom were in signalized intersections, and

Whereas, the intersection of 41st Street, Chesapeake Street and Belt Road NW is a complicated 3‐way intersection2 with challenging sight line issues due to its unusual configuration and the presence of the so called Chesapeake House at the northeast corner of Belt Road and Chesapeake Street which blocks sight lines as well as the termination of the southbound contraflow bike lane on 41st Street which requires cyclists to turn to eastbound Chesapeake Street, and

Whereas, many drivers exit Wisconsin Avenue at a high rate of speed onto 41st Street which they then use to access Western Avenue or alternately veer off to Belt Road at Chesapeake Street which they then use to reach Fessenden Street but both 41st Street and Belt Road are local roadways under the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) roadway classification system, and

Whereas, many students headed to Deal, Wilson and Janney have to get across this intersection every day whether on foot, bicycle or in a car, and

1 https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/24/18019748/dc-vision-zero-traffic-deaths-safety-streets

2 DDOT indicates the intersection is 3-way in its letter by reference to “the other two legs feeding the intersection.” There is however a fourth leg – the counterflow bike lane entering the intersection on 41st street southbound. Regardless of whether it is a 3-way or 4-way stop, DDOT reaches the conclusion that the stop sign on northbound 41st street will convert the intersection to “an all-way stop condition.”

Whereas, as a result of a request from ANC 3E DDOT previously upgraded the street lights at this intersection, and

Whereas, on October 12, 2018 a constituent who lives within ANC 3E arranged for a site visit at which DDOT staff, an ANC 3E representative, Councilmember Mary Cheh and someone from the Mayor’s Office on Community Relations were present, and

Whereas, through a recent Planned Unit Development on the 4600 block of 41st Street NW ANC 3E secured funds for streetscape improvements on this block including for a bulb out, raised crosswalk and stop sign on the south end of this block,

Whereas, on January 10, 2019 ANC 3E received a notice of intent from DDOT of its intent to install a stop sign at the intersection of 41st Street with Chesapeake Street and Belt Road NW.

Now therefore be it resolved, ANC 3E supports the immediate installation of this stop sign as proposed by DDOT.

Be it further resolved, ANC 3E believes that a stop sign alone is not an adequate measure to make this intersection safe and urges DDOT to immediately consider the following additional changes:

•   Trimming or removing the tree in the treebox on the southwest corner of 41st and Chesapeake Streets NW to improve sightlines
•   Adding plastic bollards to eliminate illegal parking on 41st Street on the east side of the street just to the south of Chesapeake Street
•   Adding bulb outs and raised crosswalks for all corners and crossings at this intersection
•   Extending the triangle bounded by Davenport Street, 41st Street and Belt Road to the

  south to enable the squaring of the intersection and the movement of the stop sign and stop bar for southbound traffic on Belt Road to a point where drivers headed southbound on Belt Road are able to make eye contact with drivers headed westbound on Chesapeake Street

  ANC 3E approved this resolution at its meeting on February 13, 2019, which was properly noticed and at which a quorum was present. The resolution was approved by a vote of 0‐0‐0. Commissioners Jonathan Bender, Amy Hall, Jonathan McHugh and Tom Quinn were present.

  __________________________
  

  ANC 3E
  By Jonathan Bender, Chairperson