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Home , Anacostia Park, East Capitol Street, East Potomac Park, Farragut Square, Lincoln Memorial, Meridian Hill Park

Monumental Core Streetscape Project: Lighting Policy and Framework , DC

Information Presentation

National Planning Commission

1 NationalDate: April Capital 4, 2019 Planning | File: Commission7886 File: 7886 Streetscape Manual (1992) and Streetscape Framework (2018)

1) Urban Design Streetscape Framework including Lighting

2) Streetscape Design Guidelines

3) Streetscape Construction Manual

Radiating & Edging 4) MOU Connecting & Traversing Guide Streetscape Update Local

Purpose Statement: provide guidelines for a coordinated and consistent streetscape treatment for roadways in the central area of the city in the vicinity of the .

2 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Overview Overview

1. Why do we need a lighting policy now? 2. Why is the lighting policy important? 3. What is the lighting policy and framework? 4. What are the foundations for the work? 5. Where does it apply? 6. What are the proposed policies and framework?

3 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 City’s Smart Street Lighting Project

Credit: DDOT/OP3

4 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetlight Fixture Ownership

Streetlight Fixture Ownership

National Capital Planning Commission 5 areas of potential ownership overlap File: 7886 Lighting

Credit: Nighttime aerial view looking northwest at the U.S. Capitol Building and .

6 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Capital City Lighting

Credit: BigBus Tours Nighttime view of Washington, DC’s monumental core from .

7 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Existing Conditions

U.S. Capitol Washington Monument • District: Yellow- orange high- pressure sodium light. Memorial Arlington House • National Mall and Parks: Whiter metal halide light. Buildings illuminated in light.

White House Credit: Google commons

Nighttime Aerial view looking southeast from 30,000 ft elevation (date: 2012). The metal halide fixtures in the Monumental Core appear distinctly ‘whiter’ than the standard high-pressure sodium lights in the rest of the District.

8 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Illustration of Future Conditions

U.S. Capitol Washington Monument

Jefferson Memorial Arlington House

Disclaimer: Image for White illustrative purposes only. House Credit: Google commons

Nighttime Aerial view looking southeast from 30,000 ft elevation (date: 2012). The metal halide fixtures in the Monumental Core appear distinctly ‘whiter’ than the standard high-pressure sodium lights in the rest of the District.

9 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Lighting Policy & Framework

10 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Capital City Lighting Plans • , United Kingdom More Detail City of London • Existing lighting conditions analysis and observations • Lighting vision and objectives • Technical lighting recommendations for structures, , and streetscapes • Ottawa, Canada National Capital Commission • Existing lighting conditions analysis and observations • Lighting vision and principles • Sector lighting plans and identification of priority projects Level of Detail Level • Canberra, Australia National Capital Authority Less Detail • Lighting policies • Visual nighttime hierarchy • Conceptual framework map

11 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscape Framework

Radiating & Edging

Connecting & Traversing

Local 12 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Lighting Technology Evolution

District Lights Federal Lights District & Federal Lights Yellow-Orange Pure-White Warm White

Mercury Vapor High Carbon Pressure Metal Sodium Halide LED Gaslight Arc Incandescent Vapor Sodium

1840s 1910s 1915 1923 1968 1990s 2010s

13 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Historic Fixtures & Lighting Plans

Millet’s Bacon’s Avenue Lighting Plan CFA Conceptual Lighting Plan Washington Globe Twin-20

1910 1923 1977 1987 1992

14 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Project Area Focus area within the monumental core

White House U.S. National Mall Capitol

Arlington National Cemetery

15 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Current Lighting Policies

Current Federal Lighting Policies: Current Local Lighting Policies: • Urban Design Element: 2 policies • Urban Design Element: 2 policies • Environment Element: 1 policy • Environment Element: 1 policy • Parks and Open Space Element: 6 policies

16 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Goals for Lighting Guidance

1. Create a lighting hierarchy that respects and protects symbolic meaning and nighttime appearance.

2. Recognize the nighttime appearance of the existing urban context.

3. Address contemporary street lighting issues.

4. Build upon the capital city’s historic lighting plans.

17 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Proposed Lighting Guidance

U.S. Capitol Union Station Tier 1 Criteria: Tier 2 Criteria: Tier 3 Criteria:

• Nationally symbolic meaning • Nationally or locally symbolic • Nationally or locally important • Critical to image and identity meaning • Symbolic meaning or visually • Visually prominent structures • Important to image and identity prominent structures • On a major axis or entry point • Visually prominent structures • Civic uses • Identified in policies or historic plans

18 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Lighting Policy & Framework Addresses: • Structures: monuments, memorials, civic buildings, and bridges • Landscapes: parks and open spaces • Streetscapes: avenues and streets

19 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Structures: monuments, memorials, civic buildings, and bridges

20 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Structures Current Federal Policy: UD.B.1.5: Utilize building, street, and exterior lighting that respects the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument as the most prominent features in the nighttime skyline.

Illuminated Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol dome

Legend Structures Tier 1 (7 buildings. Ex: White House, Lincoln Memorial) Disclaimer: Represents symbolic Tier 2 (17 buildings. Ex: Portrait Gallery, Union Station) importance and visual prominence. Does National Capital Planning Commission 21 Tier 3 (49 buildings. Ex: Smithsonian Castle, Federal Triangle) not represent brightness. File: 7886 Structures

National Cathedral The Basilica

Frederick Douglass House

Legend Structures Tier 1 (7 buildings. Ex: White House, Lincoln Memorial) Disclaimer: Represents symbolic Tier 2 (17 buildings. Ex: National Cathedral, The Basilica) importance and visual prominence. Does National Capital Planning Commission 22Tier 3 (49 buildings. Ex: St. Elizabeths, House) not represent brightness. St. Elizabeths File: 7886 Structures Architectural Lighting

Building: U.S. Capitol Dome Building: National Portrait Gallery Building: U.S. Institute of Peace Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

23 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Structures

New York City

Washington DC

Credit: BigBus Tours

Pittsburgh

Credit: Shutterstock 24 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Structures

Building: Building: Building: Hirshhorn Kennedy White Center House

Event: Event: Event: Art Honors Marriage Installation Ceremony Equality Duration: Duration: Duration: apx 8 apx 1 week 1-2 nights weeks

25 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Landscapes: parks and open spaces

26 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Landscapes Current Federal Policy: POS.A.14: Maintain the dark, minimally lit setting of the National Mall, , Columbia Island, and adjacent parkland.

POS.B.14: Minimize light pollution in and adjacent to parks and open spaces, with special consideration for natural parks and environmentally sensitive areas. View to the Washington Monument from

Legend Landscapes Tier 1 (17 landscapes. Ex: National Mall, Arlington Cemetery) Disclaimer: Represents symbolic Tier 2 (11 landscapes. Ex: East Potomac Park, ) importance and visual prominence. Does National Capital Planning Commission 27Tier 3 (5 landscapes. Ex: , Marion Park) not represent brightness. File: 7886 Settings Nationally Significant Open Space Urban

Constitution Gardens Natural/Waterfront Residential

West Potomac Park Logan Circle

28 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Landscape Settings

Potomac River

Legend Landscape Settings National Open Space (Ex: National Mall, Capitol Square) Urban (Ex: , Franklin Park, Columbus Circle) Natural/Waterfront (Ex: Parkway, Park) Residential (Ex: Logan Circle, Meridian Hill Park, Eastern Market Park) 29 National Capital Planning Commission AnacostiaFile: 7886 River Landscapes Existing Conditions Up-lighting the Night Sky:

• National Mall and Parks: dimmer than surrounding urban areas.

• District: unshielded light shines brighter into the night sky.

• VA & MD: shielded light does not shine upward into the night sky.

Credit: Scott Kelly, NASA. Washington, DC seen from space in 2016. The demarcation between the unshielded lighting within District boundaries and shielded lighting in Virginia and is clear.

30 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Landscapes Environmental Considerations Existing Light Specifications

BUG ratings

glare NOTE: The intention of the light is for 85% of the light to be cast downward and 15% cast upward. Should an alternative (LED) lamp be used, it must correspond to these percentages.

31 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscapes: avenues and streets

32 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscapes Current Local Policy: UD.3.1.3: Highlight and clarify the function of different streets so that they are easier to navigate and understand for residents and visitors.

View to the US Capitol building from NW

Legend Streetscapes Disclaimer: Represents symbolic Radiating & Edging (Ex: Independence Ave, ) importance and visual prominence. Connecting and Traversing (Ex: , Massachusetts Avenue) 33 National Capital Planning Commission Does not represent brightness. File: 7886 Streetscapes Color Temperature LED Color Temperatures 2,700K Warm White

High-Pressure Sodium Lights DDOT proposal (ranges 2,000K to 2,200K) 3,000K

DDOT proposal Light-Emitting Diode Lights (ranges 4,000K to 3,000K) 4,000K

5,000K Nighttime Aerial view of Los Angeles street showing old high-pressure sodium lights and new LED. Cool White (date: 2013)

Credit: Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting

34 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscapes Color Temperature Diagram:

CFA 1992 Proposal

• Criteria: • L’Enfant & McMillan Plans

• Yellow Light: • Grid streets

• White Light (3,000K): • Radial and Axial streets

Legend 1992 Streetscape Manual Boundary Yellow Light Disclaimer: Illustrates color White Light temperature, not brightness.

35 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscape Settings Brightness Nationally Significant Open Space Urban

Working Working Group Group proposes dim proposes bright DDOT proposes DDOT 215W proposes 215W to 110W

Independence Avenue SW Pennsylvania Avenue NW Natural/Waterfront Residential Working Working Group Group proposes dim proposes dim DDOT DDOT proposes proposes 215W to 110W 120W to 80W

Rock Creek Parkway Pennsylvania Avenue SE

36 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscape Settings

Legend Streetscape Settings National Open Space (Ex: Constitution and Independence Avenues) Urban (Ex: 16th Street, F Street, Pennsylvania and Virginia Avenues NW) Natural/Waterfront (Ex: Ohio Drive, Rock Creek Parkway) Disclaimer: Does not Residential (Ex: , Pennsylvania Avenue SE) represent color temperature. 37 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscapes Brightness Focal point: U.S. Capitol Building Focal point: National Portrait Gallery

Street Lighting Plan Building Lighting Plan 1987 Pennsylvania Avenue 1977 Pennsylvania Avenue Monumental Core

38 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Streetscapes Brightness

Legend Reciprocal Vista Radiating Vista Disclaimer: Does not represent Edging Vista National Capital Planning Commission color temperature or brightness. 39 Future vistas shown dashed File: 7886 Next Steps

1) Urban Design May 2019: Streetscape Framework Information Presentation Streetscape May 2019: Lighting Policy & Framework Information Presentation Framework including Lighting July/September 2019: Concept Review

Example topics: 2) Streetscape • Street sections Design • Stormwater management Guidelines • Transportation/walkability

3) Streetscape Construction Construction details and specifications Manual

4) MOU Interagency collaboration Streetscape Guide Streetscape Update

40 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 Lighting Policy and Framework Topics:

1. Symbolic and visual hierarchies for and among structures, landscapes, and streetscapes;

2. Temporarily lighting buildings with color;

3. Night sky protection; and

4. Streetlight color temperature and brightness principles (considering vistas and settings).

Credit: Architect of the Capitol

41 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886 The End

42 National Capital Planning Commission File: 7886