GREENBELTTT News R Aneview Independent Newspaper VOL. 69, No. 13 15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1887 FEBRUARY 16, 2006 Council and SHA Staff Explore New Post Office Building, Road Construction and Signals Triple In Size, to Open Soon by Elaine Skolnik by Carol Griffith Depending on weather and snail, starting about 1954 when The Greenbelt City Council tractors to install them, there was signed to prevent proceeding last minute construction and the Greenbelt Post Office was worksession with the State High- a nine- to 12-month turnaround onto the exit ramp of the Balti- equipment delays, the new U.S. then located in the space later way Administration (SHA) on time. more-Washington Parkway, seems Post Office in Greenbelt is now occupied by the pizza-sub shop Wednesday, February 8 began Davis pointed out that the to imply that a driver cannot expected to open its doors for and Twin Pines Savings and with desserts in honor of the re- need for this signal was higher make a right turn into Greenway business late this month or early Loan Association. At that time tirement of Charlie Watkins, the than ever as the opening of the Center and has caused some con- March. A grand opening cer- the postmaster estimated post of- District 3 engineer. Watkins has new post office will increase pe- fusion. emony is tentatively scheduled in fice needs at 1,500 square feet. held this position in District 3, destrian traffic in this intersec- Starkloff said the sign had the spring. (By 1964 the estimate had risen to which comprises Prince George’s tion. Starkloff said he would not been installed by SHA; it Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Ser- 3,500 square feet.) and Montgomery Counties, for 10 look into rushing the installa- may have been erected after a vice (USPS) Marketing Department As the decades rolled by the years. Mayor Judith Davis, not- tion, which would then take only wrong-way driving event. He is preparing a letter to announce a amount of required square feet ing Watkins’ “open mind,” four months. promised to have it removed in firm opening date, along with spe- increased. The city’s population thanked him for his “great work- The second request concerned four to five weeks. cific details about the new 20,364 was growing and the addition of ing relationship” with the city. a plan to patch or resurface the A sidewalk for the south side square foot, $7.2 million post office the Goddard Space Flight Center Watkins responded that the city’s areas of Greenbelt Road where of Greenbelt Road from South- which is reported to be triple the and other routes to the 20770 administration had been most asphalt has peeled, especially in way east to the bridge and a size of the existing Roosevelt Cen- zone impacted the existing facil- willing to work as partners with front of Greenway Center, which, crosswalk for that location was ter facility. This letter will be sent ity. A myriad of sites were ex- SHA. as Davis noted, made for danger- the next item of discussion. to Greenbelt residents and others in amined, such as the 1.39-acre Attended also by City Man- ous conditions in winter. Davis noted that several years the 20770 zone prior to its opening. tract owned by Greenbelt Homes, ager Michael McLaughlin, Assis- Starkloff answered that these ago this project was to have Located on a five-acre tract in Inc. at the corner of Parkway and tant City Manager David Moran, improvements are scheduled for been part of a neighborhood Greenbelt East at the intersection Crescent Road, the former Candy the entire city council and Assis- the Fiscal Year 2007 budget and conservation project that was of Hanover Parkway and Ora Glen Cane City playground site across tant District 3 Engineer Lee that he will have this area ad- later shelved. Two pedestrians Drive, this was considered the the parking lot from the current Starkloff, the yearly stakeholder dressed first; in the interim he have been killed walking be- preferred site for the large facility. post office and the area between meeting proceeded with an will check this area. He noted tween Southway and Greenway However, the hunt for a new the Professional Building and the agenda of seven items. the difficulty of making repairs Center, she said. post office in the city started de- First was the status of the pi- to this part of Greenbelt Road Starkloff discussed difficulties cades ago and inched along like a See POST OFFICE, page 6 lot pedestrian countdown signal because of its high volume of with locating such a sidewalk in scheduled for the intersection of traffic. an area with a steep drop-off. County Council Requests Greenbelt Road and Hanover Councilmember Rodney Rob- An easement would be required, Parkway. Such a signal makes erts noted an area near the he said, to erect a retaining wall More Study Time on ICC it clearer to pedestrians whether Golden Triangle where a similar first, but that he would have a to walk or wait before attempting peeling situation exists. consultant research the area. by Elaine Skolnik to cross the intersection. Starkloff agreed to look into it. Watkins added that under the Watkins confirmed that the Confusing Sign “unique circumstances” he would Thomas E. Dernoga, chair of which require the council to re- signal was scheduled but that A “No Right Turn” sign on check alternate methods. the Prince George’s County convene in staff worksessions to with nearly 100 such signals ap- Greenbelt Road just before the In response to the question of Council, requested that the pub- review the issue and responses.” proved statewide for high-den- entrance to Greenway Center lic comment period dealing with Dernoga invited the SHA staff sity areas and a shortage of con- from the west, obviously de- See ROADS, page 6 the Final Environmental Impact to participate in these sessions, Statement (FEIS) for the Inter- noting that final official com- county Connector (ICC) be ex- ments from the county council tended from 45 to 90 days in a will then be submitted at the Principals of Greenbelt Schools February 8 letter to Nelson conclusions of further briefings. Castellanos, administrator of the The Prince George’s County Discuss Their Concerns, Issues Federal Highway Administration Council has been concerned (FHWA) and Neil J. Pedersen, ad- with the ICC’s potential impact by Mary Moien ministrator of the Maryland State and has opposed the selection of Highway Administration (SHA). Corridor One as the preferred This extension would “ensure a route. At the January 26 briefing The Advisory Committee on Greenbelt Middle cessible to new technology.” It full and detailed review of the the county council requested fur- Education (ACE) held its annual Judy Austin, principal of was brought up that the middle FEIS,” he said. ther clarification “on issues rela- meeting with school principals Greenbelt Middle School (GMS), school seems to have disap- Dernoga’s appeal was based tive to the FEIS.” on January 30. All local described how her school is peared from the list of school on SHA’s briefing before the The FEIS is a key milestone in schools, except for St. Hugh’s, “bursting at the seams” now projects for next year. ACE mem- county council’s Transportation, the project-planning stage of the were represented by the principal that it is accommodating the bers are trying to get clarifica- Housing and Environment Com- ICC. A 2,700 page document, or vice principal. The ACE Springhill Lake Elementary School tion from School Board Member mittee on January 26, 2006. plus technical reports, was members welcomed the visitors sixth grade. GMS has 950 stu- Jose Morales. Dernoga explained, “Although signed by the FHWA, marking and described some of the objec- dents and is using all of its Springhill Lake the briefing was very detailed the start of a 45-day period for tives of the committee, including space. Austin said that she is Linda Sherwood, principal at and informative, several issues helping schools meet their goals expecting boundary changes to Springhill Lake Elementary were raised by my colleagues and trying to address issues and be announced for her students School (SHLES), commented that See ICC, page 6 concerns. who will be graduating but her school is full even though The committee described how doesn’t know when she will hear. the sixth grade has moved. And What Goes On they had helped solve some ERHS staff want to visit to meet enrollment is down to 650 stu- Sunday, February 19 school problems that had been their potential students but it is dents including 130 in special 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pet Adoption Day, Greenbelt Animal Shelter brought up in the past. Several uncertain which ones will go to education. The school has lost Monday, February 20 – City and GHI Offices Closed in Observance school crosswalks were added or ERHS next year. (Middle school 100 students since August. Her of Presidents’ Day improved. The turn lanes on students living within Greenbelt understanding is that Springhill Monday, February 20 and Tuesday, February 21 Greenbelt Road were widened city limits will go to ERHS.) Lake apartment management is 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Registration for Passholders and Residents for and light timings lengthened to Austin indicated that about not renting apartments as they Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center improve access to Eleanor 40 percent of her students live in are vacated. Roosevelt High School (ERHS). Greenbelt; there are, however, 15 SHLES has the largest Head Tuesday, February 21 Presently the committee is meet- feeder schools leading to Start program in the county but 1 to 8 p.m., Red Cross Blood Drive, Municipal Building ing with the owners of Spring-hill Greenbelt Middle including there is no room at the school Wednesday, February 22 (until filled) Lake and county staff to try to Springhill Lake, Greenbelt, Mag- so it is housed in a separate lo- 6 a.m.