CHRS's 11Th Street Bridges Lawsuit
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* Capitol Hill Restoration Society * www.chrs.org April 2009 CHRS’s 11th Street Bridges Lawsuit: Questions and Answers by Dick Wolf QUESTION: Why did CHRS file this suit believes that the against District and Federal agencies have not transportation agencies? adequately complied with federal ANSWER: requirements which require them to take CHRS believes the plan to those effects into construct new 11th Street Bridges account. CHRS filed will have adverse impacts on the suit in hopes that Capitol Hill that have not been the DC Department sufficiently taken into of Transportation consideration by the transportation (DDOT) would be agencies. In addition, CHRS required to fully consider and address community concerns ALSO IN THIS ISSUE about how the ARTICLES bridge construction CHRS House Tour ........................... 3 project could affect 11th Street Bridges Environmental Impact Area Preservation Cafes ...................... 5, 8 nearby neighborhoods. COLUMNS such as 4th, 6th and 8th Streets, President’s Column ........................ 2 QUESTION: Zoning Briefs ................................ 10 What are the adverse effects SE, but to no avail. With almost Looking Back ............................... 11 CHRS is concerned about? 50,000 more vehicles per day Did You Know? .............................. 9 using the expanded 11th Street CHRS Supporters .......................... 10 ANSWER: Bridges, it is likely that much more traffic will exit onto the LOOKING AHEAD 1) Increased traffic on Hill Streets. Hill. DDOT analysis shows Mark Your Calendar ..................... 12 “Rosedale” Walking Tour ............. 11 CHRS has asked DDOT nearly 5,000 more vehicles per CHRS House Tour Volunteers .......... 4 repeatedly to analyze traffic day on 11th Street, SE, alone, the CHRS Board Nominations .............. 3 increases from the expansion only local arterial DDOT Fragers Spring Convention ........... 10 project on a wider range of analyzed west of Hill East. Continued on page 6 commuter streets in Ward 6, President’s Column: CHRS and Transportation Issues by Dick Wolf lmost since the beginning of to build-up the Metro station that road. It failed before the ACHRS as a civic association, accessing the Verizon Center. Council because of possible transportation problems, For his long battle against this adverse effects on Congressional specifically commuter traffic and highway, Peter was awarded the Cemetery and the argument that it highway building, have been some Evening Star Citizen of the Year would induce more traffic. The of the biggest barriers in our efforts award in 1963. latter argument should sound to build a viable walkable In the late 1970s during the familiar as one of the issues that is community. early years of Home Rule, CHRS part of our suit. The Hill is laced with organized the Parkin Coalition of Finally, despite our best efforts commuter routes on local streets: C citizen organizations to support the to induce planning into the 11th Street, NE; Maryland Avenue, NE; effort to bring residential permit Street bridges project – CHRS Constitution Avenue, NE; North parking to DC; another means of procured its own traffic Carolina Avenue, SE; 11th Street, limiting the Hill as a parking lot for engineering studies, appeared in SE; 8th Street, SE and NE; 6th commuters. Working with the late numerous hearings before the Street, SE and NE; 4th Street, SE Doug Schneider, Director of DDOT Council, and gave our best efforts and NE. In addition, we have two (one of the staunchest opponents to introduce rational discussion major routes – Pennsylvania ever of the domination of cars in into the deliberations of this project Avenue, SE, and the notorious 395 DC), and pro bono counsel, we – we have been reduced to filing which splits the Hill into two parts. achieved an enormous victory in the law suit. Read more about that There is virtually no this undertaking when a US subject on the first page of the neighborhood in the city so Supreme Court decision upheld News. cluttered with commuter routes residential permit parking as No one who knows the history and no neighborhood which has so constitutional and within the of CHRS efforts over the years to assiduously sought solutions to “police powers” of local protect the Hill from unwanted this community destroying-effect. jurisdictions. and potentially destructive CHRS’ current suit challenging This did not happen without highway “solutions” to our traffic various aspects of the 11th Street considerable organizational work, problems should be surprised. We Bridges Proposal is a continuation hearings before the Council, mean what we say and we are of our 50-year fight to gain some overturning a negative willing to make all efforts short of control and rationalization of our Corporation Counsel legal opinion, lawsuits to get heard. But when traffic problems. two local court hearings and finally that fails this is what we have to In the late 1950s and early the briefs for the Supreme Court. do. 1960s, Peter Glickert and Ruth CHRS was there every step of the Our efforts in community Lyons – two of my late neighbors way. building have not gone on Philadelphia Row (the 100 block Later, we were unsuccessful in unrecognized. We can cite of 11th Street, SE) – were joined by our attempt to drain commuter acknowledgement from the CHRS and fought off a proposal to traffic off Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, National Trust for Historic build the East Leg of the Inner through the Barney Circle project. Preservation and, recently, by the Loop freeway system between 11th That would have involved moving American Planning Association. and 10th Streets SE and NE. traffic off 395 and Pennsylvania Too bad our local government After the successful fight Avenue onto a bridge which would has been tone deaf on what we are against this alignment, the freeway have paralleled the railroad bridge. saying about the bridges. We are was moved and mapped to run up It would have provided access to still hoping for reasoned*discussion. the east side of the Anacostia River. 295 (the Anacostia Freeway) in a Let’s continue to hope. Finally, it was totally dropped as a manner which would have allowed highway project and its funds used both north/south movement onto 2 • CHRS News April 2009 Save the Date Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President .......................... Dick Wolf 52nd Annual House and Garden 1st Vice President ........... Beth Purcell 2nd Vice President ......... Monte Edwards Treasurer .......................... Mike Canning Tour Set for May 9 and 10 Secretary .......................... Catherine Davis by Roberta Gutman At Large ........................... Tom Grahame At Large ........................... Donna Hanousek At Large ........................... Elizabeth Nelson ow that spring is here – finally! – thoughts of many Capitol Hill At Large ........................... Shauna Holmes Nresidents turn to the House and Garden Tour. This annual event draws At Large ........................... Richard Luna Past President ................. Rob Nevitt local residents and visitors from all over the region to stroll our charming streets, tour several of our wonderful homes, and partake in the generosity COMMITTEE CHAIRS: of merchants and others who have been instrumental in promoting the Paul Cromwell, Budget & Administration vitality of our unique neighborhood. It is an event not to be missed. Dick Wolf, City Planning The theme of this year’s tour is “Historic Homes: Contemporary Aileen Moffatt, Communications Lives” and focuses on the many ways Hill families have melded modern Barbara Eck, Community Development living with their vintage homes. Most of this year’s homes are in the Beth Purcell, Environment Larry Pearl, Grants revitalized Barracks Row neighborhood on 8th Street, SE. Nancy Metzger, Historic Preservation The weekend kicks off with a twilight tour on Saturday, May 9, from 4 Aileen Moffatt & Paul Cromwell, to 8 pm, and continues on Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Along with more House and Garden Tour than a dozen beautifully restored homes, other highlights include the Catherine Smith, Membership Marine Commandant’s home at 8th and G Streets, SE, (open only on Elizabeth Nelson, Special Events Saturday) and the old City Bank building across G Street, now the office of Tom Grahame, Transportation Gary Peterson, Zoning NEWS: Larry Janezich, David Holmes, Jane Ruyle, Editors 202design, design & layout OFFICE MANAGER: Gloria Junge To contact any of the above, please contact the Society offices by calling 202-543-0425 or sending email to [email protected]. www.chrs.org Celebrating more than 50 years helping to preserve and protect Capitol Hill’s residential character, the Society is now the largest civic association on Capitol Hill, and one of the largest in the entire District of Columbia. From the beginning, the Society has played a key role in maintaining the diverse, residential character of our neighborhood. With your participation we will continue to do so for many years to come. 528 4th Street, SE photo: Robert McKeon *Start or Renew a CHRS Membership * On the web at www.CHRS.org NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2009 CHRS BOARD * Call 202-543-0425 and choose option 2 The Nominating Committee will post the names of the nominees Pick up a form at one of our meetings for the 2009 CHRS Board on the website (chrs.org) in late April with ballots Starting at just $25 per year for a single placed in the mail in early May. membership, it’s a great deal. CHRS News April