DDOT Advisory: Traffic Pattern Change on Blair Road NW from Kansas Avenue NW to Aspen Street NW Beginning May 6, 2024

From DDOT

Traffic Pattern Change on Blair Road NW from Kansas Avenue NW to Aspen Street NW Beginning May 6, 2024

(WASHINGTON, DC) — The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is advising all stakeholders to continue to expect intermittent lane closures and traffic pattern changes on Blair Road NW from Kansas Avenue NW to Aspen Street NW in the Northbound Direction. Please see the following information for updated lane closures and traffic pattern changes:

Utility Upgrade Construction

As part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) Fort Totten to Takoma Project, this area’s utility upgrades will begin on Monday, May 6, 2024. These utility upgrades will improve drainage and pedestrian safety along the new MBT trail section. Vehicle traffic flow of two travel lanes, one in each direction, will be maintained during peak hours (before 9:30 AM and after 3:30 PM). A two-way traffic pattern on Blair Road NW will be maintained during off-peak hours (between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM). Coordination with the impacted individual locations will be performed by the project public outreach team to accommodate access to these facilities.

These lane closures and traffic pattern changes are necessary to complete utility upgrade work efficiently as part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project.

Sidewalk and Trail Construction

As part of the planned Metropolitan Branch Trail work in the abovementioned area, intermittent temporary sidewalk closures will be taking place to replace curb/gutter sections at driveway entrances, replace ADA access ramps, upgrade utilities, and place additional traffic signal poles for various locations at the intersections. Due to safety concerns and spacing limitations, pedestrian detours will be put in place, where possible, to move pedestrians to the opposite side of the roadway at the closest accessible crosswalk. Each impacted location will be contacted directly to coordinate a location-specific pedestrian egress plan through that specific section of the sidewalk.

Traffic controls, including signage, will be in place to guide motorists and pedestrians safely through the work zone. All roadway users are advised to stay alert and be observant of signage and work zones while traveling in this area.

Once complete, the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project will include improvements such as a new multi-use trail section, sidewalks, streetlights, green area revitalization, and other streetscape elements.

For more information about this project and to stay up to date on traffic-related impacts and construction progress, please visit mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov.

Met Branch Trail Update: Future Environmental Impact Analysis for South Manor Off-Street Alignment

Late post

On November 15, 2023, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a public meeting on the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) Blair Road to Piney Branch Road NW segment. View the meeting recording, slide presentation, and 65% design plan. These materials are available at https://metbranchtrail.com/blair-rd-to-piney-branch.

As DDOT typically does with these meetings, they started with an overview of recently completed segments of the MBT & those under construction. The Fort Totten to Takoma extension is under construction now. One can see the construction taking place along 1st Place NE by Fort Totten Metro and along Riggs Road NE. The current plan is for an off-street, multi-use path along Riggs from 1st Place to 1st Street NE. From there the trail will move to an on-street alignment along 1st Street NE through the South Manor neighborhood to McDonald Place NE and then to an off-street, multi-use path along Blair Road. DDOT chose this route because the National Park Service (NPS) was originally reluctant to have the trail aligned closer to the red line tracks through NPS parkland north of Riggs.

1st Place NE Met Branch Trail off-street shared use path construction, November 23, 2023.

Riggs Road NE Met Branch Trail off-street shared use path construction, 1st Place to 1st Street NE, November 23, 2023.

South Manor Off-street Alignment

DDOT mentioned at a few public meetings that they have continued to engage with NPS about revisiting an option for an off-street alignment north of Riggs Road. At the meeting a couple of weeks ago, DDOT shared that they have received permission to conduct environmental impact analysis for an off-street alignment through NPS parkland closer to the red line tracks between Riggs Road and Oglethorpe Street NE. DDOT plans to begin working on that analysis in 2024.

Blair Road to Piney Branch Segment

As for the subject of the meeting–the Blair Road to Piney Branch segment–I have not been following this segment design that closely. A few things stood out to me at the meeting. One-way southbound travel on 4th Street NW would be extended from Butternut to Aspen. DDOT mentioned needing to acquire Metro property for the part of the segment near Piney Branch & Eastern. There was some grumbling about how winding this segment is as well as discussion about impact to trees.

The slides have details about key intersections. Send questions to metbranchtrail@dc.gov.

Traffic Pattern Change at Intersection of New Hampshire Ave NE, South Dakota Ave NE, & McDonald Place NE

From DDOT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2023

Media Contacts:
German Vigil –  (202) 306-1668, german.vigil@dc.gov

Traffic Pattern Change at the Intersection of New Hampshire Ave NE, South Dakota Ave NE, and McDonald Place NE, November 15, 2023, to January 17, 2024

(WASHINGTON, DC) —The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is advising all stakeholders to continue to expect intermittent lane closures and traffic pattern changes at the Intersection of New Hampshire Ave NE – South Dakota Ave NE and McDonald Place NE. Please see the following information for updated lane closures and traffic pattern changes:

Utility Upgrade Construction

As part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project, the utility upgrades at this intersection will begin on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. These utility upgrades are intended to improve drainage and pedestrian safety at the intersection. Two-way vehicle traffic flow will be maintained during peak and off-peak hours on South Dakota Ave NE, and two travel lanes in each direction on New Hampshire Ave NE during peak hours only. Impacted locations will be contacted to accommodate access to these facilities.

These lane closures and traffic pattern changes are necessary to complete utility upgrades work in the most efficient manner as a part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project.

Sidewalk and Trail Construction

As part of the planned Metropolitan Branch Trail work in the abovementioned area, intermittent temporary sidewalk closures will be taking place to relocate curb/gutter sections, upgrade utilities, and place additional traffic control poles at the intersection corners. To improve pedestrian safety and provide enough space, pedestrian detours will be in place, where possible, to move pedestrians to the opposite side of the roadway at the closest accessible crosswalk. Each impacted location will be contacted directly to coordinate a location specific pedestrian egress plan through that specific section of sidewalk.

Traffic controls, including signage, will be in place to guide motorists and pedestrians safely through the work zone. All users of the roadway are advised to stay alert and be observant of signage and work zones while traveling in this area.

Once complete, the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project will include improvements such as a new multi-use trail section, sidewalks, streetlights, green area revitalization, and other streetscape elements.

For more information about this project and to stay up to date on traffic related impacts and construction progress, please visit https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov.

November 15: MBT (Blair Road to Piney Branch) Public Meeting

From DDOT

Public Meeting Notice: Metropolitan Branch Tail (Blair Road to Piney Branch Road NW), November 15, 2023

(WASHINGTON, DC) —The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, to discuss the Metropolitan Branch Trail (Blair Rd to Piney Branch Rd NW). DDOT will present an overview of the project, updated designs, next steps, and get feedback from the community.

When completed, the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) will be an 8-mile trail that runs from Union Station in the District of Columbia to Silver Spring in Maryland. DDOT’s Metropolitan Branch Trail (Blair Rd to Piney Branch Rd NW) Project will connect existing and proposed segments of the MBT near Takoma station using a variety of facility types such as Protected Bike Lanes, Bike Boulevard, Neighborhood Bikeways, Bike Lanes, Multi-use Paths, Shared Streets.

DATE: November 15, 2023

TIME: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

WHERE: Virtual on WebEx

To view the virtual presentation via WebEx:

Event Link: https://tinyurl.com/MBT-PineyBranch-to-BlairRoad

Event Password: JoinUs!

Dial-in option (audio only):  +1-202-860-2110

Access code: 231 471 16413

The Webex system will prompt you for a Numeric Webinar Password: 5646870

For questions about the meeting, please email: samer.alhawamdeh@dc.gov

MBT Fort Totten to Takoma Newsletter 9/18/2023 – Upcoming changes on 1st Place NE

The latest Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) Fort Totten to Takoma newsletter (9/18/2023) has some useful information about preparation for traffic pattern changes near Fort Totten Metro station. DDOT previously issued an advisory that there will be one travel lane in each direction on 1st Place NE.

As a reminder, you can sign up for the newsletter at https://forms.office.com/r/p4heFT9diL. Weekly construction progress reports are on the project website at https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov/pages/construction-updates. Information in the latest newsletter is available in the Week 3 progress report.

DDOT is coordinating with Impact DMV Church and DC Bilingual Public Charter School regarding access and traffic management. DDOT will be canvassing the residential neighborhood on 1st Street NE.

The project website is https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov. Phase 1 of the project includes work from the parking lot at Fort Totten station to South Dakota Avenue (near McDonald Place NE).

September 17: DC Family Bike Fest

DC Family Bike Fest 2023 is happening this Sunday, September 17, 10:00 am-2:00 pm at Alethia Tanner Park.

Ward 5 Biking will be celebrating completion of the 8th Street NE cycletrack at 10:00 am at Brookland Arts Walk before heading down the Met Branch Trail to the park. The cycletrack is quite lovely (hats off to the Ward 5 ANC commissioners who worked with DDOT to close this gap along the MBT).

Met Branch Trail Fort Totten-Takoma August 2023 Newsletter

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) published a newsletter on the Met Branch Trail (MBT) Fort Totten to Takoma extension. You can sign up to receive the newsletter and email updates at https://forms.office.com/r/p4heFT9diL. This issue covers the general timeline and provides links to a few project resources, such as the pre-construction meeting recording and FAQs. It also provides information about Phase 1 construction staging (previously described in this post). The project website is https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov.

Project Timeline

Phase 1: Summer 2023 to Fall 2025
Construction Begins Fort Totten Metro Station Parking Area to South Dakota Avenue NE

Phase 2: Winter 2023 to Winter 2024
Construction on South Dakota Avenue NE to McDonald Place NE to Blair Road NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 3: Winter 2024 to Spring 2025
Construction on Blair Road – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 4: Spring 2025 to Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on West side of roadway and Sandy Spring Road NW

Phase 5: Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW and Sandy Spring Road NW
Construction on roadway medians

MBT Fort Totten to Takoma Extension – Q & A

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has added a question & answer document to the website for the Fort Totten to Takoma extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT). In addition, DDOT emailed me separately about the questions I submitted. My questions and DDOT’s responses below.

1. Where will construction staging for Phase 1 be located?

DDOT Response:

The construction crew will initially be staging materials, within the DDOT ROW, on the East side of South Dakota Ave NE at the intersection of Madison St NE/First St NE/South Dakota Ave NE.  Additional potential staging areas will be looked at on an as needed basis.

2. Can DDOT send construction notices about closures impacting pedestrians/bus riders/drivers by email without requiring people to open an ArcGIS account?

DDOT Response:

You are able to sign up for email updates through the website at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/p4heFT9diL. There will be a newsletter sent out about the project on a regular basis. 

3. As part of Phase 1, can DDOT install the missing curb cut on 1st Place NE that will make it easier for those of us east of Fort Totten Metro station south of Riggs Road NE to get onto the MBT at Fort Totten station? I appreciate that DDOT will look into this. I raised issues about connections from the east when the Brookland-Fort Totten extension was being constructed & I raised the issue again after that section was completed. 

DDOT Response:

The team is continuing to investigate the issue regarding installing the missing curb cut on 1^st Place NE, which is the property of WMATA. In order to add the curb cut, the incorporation of additional bicycle facilities may be required and/or a crosswalk that will direct bicyclists to and from the MBT. 1^st Place NE doesn’t currently have bicycle facilities and features high volumes of buses coming to and from the Metro Station.  Further evaluation and coordination with WMATA is necessary to evaluate the design of 1st Pl NE and the potential impacts of the addition of a bike ramp. DDOT is currently discussing this with WMATA and in the context of future development at the Fort Totten Metro Station. The current plans for the MBT directs bikers to the existing curb cut further north on 1^st Place which will be tied in with the next section of the MBT with proper crossings and signages visible to motorists and buses.

Construction Met Branch Trail Fort Totten-Takoma Extension

On July 18, 2023, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a pre-construction meeting on the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) from Fort Totten to Takoma. The dedicated project website is https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov. There you can find construction updates and project resources such as design plans and meeting presentations. Construction will take place in phases. Completion is expected in 2025. Send questions/concerns to project email at metbranchtrail@dc.gov.

See Link to MBT Fort Totten-Takoma extension pre-construction meeting

General work hours will be 7:00 am-7:00 pm Monday through Friday. Exact work hours will vary. All available lanes will be open during morning and evening rush hour. Saturday and night work will be reserved for special circumstances and requires advanced notice and DDOT approval. No work will be done on Sundays. DDOT will work with Metro on advance public notice for any necessary temporary bus stop closures.

DDOT answered a number of questions. A few of my questions were (1) where construction staging for Phase 1 will take place; (2) whether DDOT can add the missing curb ramp on 1st Place NE during Phase 1 for people approaching the MBT at Fort Totten from the east and south of Riggs Road; and (3) whether DDOT can easily email weekly or regular construction updates especially those regarding closures impacting pedestrians/bus riders/drivers without making people sign up for a special account. DDOT said they are aware of the missing curb cut issue and will look into it. They will answer the other questions once they have firm responses.

There were also questions about safe accommodations, suggested routes for regular MBT riders north of Fort Totten during construction, whether a bridge across Riggs Road is an option (that could be longer term goal), removal of trees during future phases (DDOT said no tree removal is planned for construction of the Fort Totten-Takoma section), activation of a traffic signal at New Hampshire before completion of the project, something about a blind corner at Maple, alignments in the Piney Branch to Blair Road segment (a future phase), and other stuff I cannot remember right now. Again, DDOT will try to address these questions on the project website when they have firm answers.

General information about the MBT is available at metbranchtrail.com.

Information about Fort Totten-Takoma construction phases, other MBT sections, and a traffic advisory for the Fort Tottten station area below.

Phase 1: Summer 2023 to Winter 2023
Construction Begins Fort Totten Metro Station Parking Area to South Dakota Avenue NE

Phase 2: Winter 2023 to 2024
Construction on South Dakota Avenue NE to McDonald Place NE to Blair Road NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 3: Winter 2024 to Spring 2025
Construction on Blair Road – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 4: Spring 2025 to Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on West side of roadway and Sandy Spring Road NW

Phase 5: Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW and Sandy Spring Road NW
Construction on roadway medians

Other MBT sections

• 8th Street Protected bike lane
  • Protected bike lane & one-way conversion Summer 2023
• Brookland to Fort Totten extension
  • Completed in 2022
• Blair Rd to Piney Branch Rd – Takoma Area
  • Design began in 2021
  • Approaching 65% design, public update in Fall 2023
• Eastern Avenue
  • Completed in 2021

(Aside: For awareness, I was informed that the cycletrack planned for Riggs Road between 1st Place and South Dakota Avenue NE (NOI-23-75-PSD) has been put on hold (maybe indefinitely) due to staffing capacity. DDOT stated they will not proceed before returning to ANC 5A and 4B and other stakeholders. That could happen as soon as fall 2023 but also could be later, depending on when DDOT has capacity to resume the project and address the comments in the NOI).

Traffic Advisory

DDOT has also posted a traffic advisory impacting the Fort Totten Metro station area.

July 18: Met Branch Trail Public Meeting – Fort Totten to Takoma Extension

Public Meeting Notice: The Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to a virtual project meeting on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 6:00 PM to discuss the status of the Metropolitan Branch Train Project. DDOT will present an overview of the project and discuss project features and milestones. ABOUT THE EVENT DATE: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 TIME: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM VIRTUAL MEETING: WebEx Click here to view the virtual meeting and presentation: tinyurl.com/MBTFortTottenToTakomaProject Event Number: 2308 603 0092 Event Password: Join250! (56462500 from phones and video systems) Dial-in option (audio only): 1-202-860-2110 Access code: 230 860 30092 The WebEx system will prompt you for a Numeric Webinar Password: 82659282. Press the # key to join the meeting. For more information, please contact Kelsey Bridges, DDOT Transportation Planner at 202-438-8972 or e-mail near.northwestiii@dc.gov.

May 27: WABA MBT Trail Party & Helmet Giveaway

Posted by ANC Commissioner Zachary Ammerman (5A09)

WABA DC Trail Rangers Trail Party & Helmet Giveaway
May 27, 2023
11:00 am-1:00 pm

Metropolitan Branch Trail between Gallatin Street NE & Fort Totten Metro

More info: www.waba.org/trailranger

Metropolitan Branch Railroad 150th Anniversary

By Gavin Baker (Guest Contributor)

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which has shaped and connected our community since its construction.

Built from Washington Union Station to Point of Rocks, MD, today the Metropolitan Branch is owned by CSX. For passenger service, today it’s used by MARC’s Brunswick Line to Frederick, MD, and Martinsburg, WV, as well as Amtrak’s Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago.

The Metropolitan Branch is also the backbone for two other important routes near our neighborhood. Metrorail’s Red Line follows the Metropolitan Branch between Union Station and Silver Spring. In addition, the Metropolitan Branch Trail follows its namesake from NoMa from Fort Totten, then continues on-street (for the time being) until Takoma Park, where its route again follows the railroad to the north.

The Metropolitan Branch doesn’t just go through the neighborhood – its trains also used to stop here. There were stations at Terra Cotta, near today’s Fort Totten Metro station; Lamond, apparently near Whittier Street; and Chillum, somewhere in between Terra Cotta and Lamond, possibly near Riggs Road. For instance, here’s a timetable from 1919, when the train stopped at all three stations. However, the area was probably less well known for the stations than for the train wreck near Terra Cotta in 1906 that killed 53 people.

With regard to the 150^th anniversary: Service on the line actually began in 1869, but it only went as far north as Silver Spring at that time. It took another four years to complete construction to Point of Rocks.

On April 30, 1873, an inspection tour of the new line left from Washington. The opening was evidently a major event; notable guests on the train included General William Tecumseh Sherman, Alexander “Boss” Shepherd (the last Governor of D.C. and namesake of the Shepherd Park neighborhood), two U.S. Senators, and the Postmaster General.

Regular passenger service on the full line started on May 25, 1873.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary, our neighbors in Montgomery County are hosting a variety of activities this month.

MBT Fort Totten to Takoma Extension Update

Late post

Slide from DDOT presentation to ANC 4B regarding the Fort Totten to Takoma extension of the MBT, November 28, 2022.

Thanks to resident Gavin Baker for passing along information from ANC 4B’s meeting on November 28, 2022. At the meeting, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) presented on plans for the Blair Road to Piney Branch Road segment of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT).

Included in the presentation is a slide regarding the Fort Totten to Takoma extension of the MBT. Following a bid process, DDOT anticipates a pre-construction meeting in February 2023 and a notice to proceed in March 2023. DDOT previously anticipated that construction on this segment would start in summer/fall 2022.

Information regarding the MBT is available at https://metbranchtrail.com.

October 29: Walk for Literacy

Please consider supporting a great cause this weekend. In honor of the legacy of Silas Grant, Sr. (father of Silas Grant, senior advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie), there will be a 5k walk along the Metropolitan Branch Trail to support Reading Partners. Reading Partners is a really terrific organization in DC that supports children’s literacy.

Register at bit.ly/rpliteracywalk.

Sonny Boy’s 5k Walk for Literacy
October 29, 2022
10:00 am
Metropolitan Branch Trail (8th & Edgewood Street NE)

Met Branch Trail Brookland-Fort Totten Extension Opening Celebration

Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrating opening of Met Branch Trail Brookland to Fort Totten Extension

On June 18, 2022, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser officially celebrated the opening of the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) from Brookland to Fort Totten Metro station. Residents have been enjoying the extension for several weeks now (I wrote about the extension in this post).

The celebration turned into an informal event after the mayor decided to jettison formal remarks. The National Park Service (NPS) and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) project team and contractors were on hand to celebrate what is really quite an accomplishment. The northern part of the formal trail curves around the green line tunnel. The project required coordination with National Park Service (NPS), Metro, and private property owners.

Next up for DDOT is completing the extension of the MBT from Fort Totten to Takoma (construction anticipated to begin in winter 2023) and then from Blair Road to Piney Branch Road (design underway). People in attendance also pointed out to the mayor the need to close the 8th Street gap between Franklin and Monroe Street NE.

DDOT also noted that east-west connections of interest to residents, like the Avondale segment that will connect the MBT to the Anacostia River Trail, have been put on the backburner so that DDOT can finish up the main north-south trail. They hope to get to these east-west connections within the next 3 years and they fortunately have more trail/bike staff now to work on more projects.

One other tidbit DDOT noted is that they believe construction of a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street NE between South Dakota Avenue and 4th Street should start next year. (Note, this project on which DDOT is working with NPS, is a different project from the Gallatin Street-Galloway Street pedestrian path through Fort Totten Park). Design of the 10-foot wide multi-use segment is finishing up soon. This small stretch of missing sidewalk has taken literally decades to come to fruition, as is usually the case with projects requiring federal government coordination. But it sounds like this construction promise is a good one.

It really is nice to see this network being built out in and near Riggs Park to provide options for residents to move around the city.

June 18: Met Branch Trail Brookland-Fort Totten Extension Ribbon Cutting

From the District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Join the Executive Office of the Mayor, NPS, and DDOT this Saturday to celebrate the opening of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Brookland to Fort Totten. Event information can be found here:

Metropolitan Branch Trail Ribbon Cutting Tickets, Sat, Jun 18, 2022 at 10:30 AM | Eventbrite

Celebrate the opening of the District’s newest trail and enjoy a bike ride from Fort Totten to Brookland

About this event

Join Mayor Bowser to celebrate the completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) between Brookland and Fort Totten. The newest section extends the popular MBT, closing a gap in DC’s pedestrian and bicycle network. Following remarks from officials, participants are invited to walk or ride along the new section of trail.

Saturday, June 18, 2022
10:30 am
Fort Totten Park
5200 Block of First Place NE (Next to Fort Totten Metro Station)
Washington, DC 20011

June 7: Virtual Meeting – Met Branch Trail – Blair Road to Piney Branch Road Project NW

From DDOT

Friday, May 20, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts

Public Meeting Notice: Virtual Meeting – Met Branch Trail – Blair Road to Piney Branch Road Project NW 

(Washington, DC) — The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host a virtual public meeting to discuss the Metropolitan Branch Trail – Blair Road to Piney Branch Road NW. DDOT will present design concept updates and receive community feedback. This is the second public meeting for this project, and DDOT will share updates to the proposed design and project schedule. For more information on this project please visit metbranchtrail.com, or contact the project manager Michael Alvino at michael.alvino@dc.gov or 202-497-7153.

WHAT: Metropolitan Branch Trail (Blair Road to Piney Branch Road NW) Public Meeting

WHEN: June 7, 2022

TIME: 6:30 PM

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING:

Attendee Link: rebrand.ly/MBTBlair2PineyBranch

Webinar Number: 2300 263 1832

Webinar Password: June7!

Dial-in Option (audio only): 1-202-860-2110. Access Code: 2300 263 1832. The Webex system will prompt you for an Attendee ID, this is not required. Press the # key to join the meeting.

Can’t Make a Meeting?

Materials from this meeting will be made available at www.metbranchtrail.com within 48 hours of the conclusion of the meeting. 

Met Branch Trail Brookland-Fort Totten Extension is Open

You might have already seen the celebratory posts on twitter last week indicating that the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) extension from Brookland to Fort Totten is open. It is indeed something to celebrate. It is a short but very well done piece connecting those of us on the northern end of the trail near Fort Totten Metro station to points further south. It really does make the trip from Fort Totten to Catholic University, Brookland, & Edgewood feel a lot shorter. It is certainly more pleasant than some of the other routes I’ve cooked up over the years to get to the MBT further south.

I walked the trail earlier this week after work one evening. There are a few police cameras at regular intervals along this short extension, including one near the pedestrian staircase by Fort Totten Metro station. It seems like if there is an emergency on this portion of the trail, emergency vehicles should be able to easily pinpoint where the emergency is. I like the gooseneck lights and the treatment of the retaining wall near the northern part of the extension. I also like the fence treatment by the concrete plant which serves a dual purpose in screening the plant from the trail but also reducing the glare from the sun. Also, once the native plants get established, it should all be quite lovely.

Here are a few photos

Those of us approaching the trail from east of Fort Totten Metro station, south of Riggs Road NE have a few options to get to the trail. Galloway Street NE, Ingraham Street NE, and Kennedy Street NE all have pretty steep inclines, so you can just pick whichever hill you like best to get a little workout in and roll with it. Work is being done on the 3rd Street NE extension. That will be open in a couple months off Kennedy Street. From either one of those streets, one can get to the south side of Galloway, take the sidewalk around to 1st Place NE, and make a U-turn onto the trail. Alternatively, one can take the street on Galloway, follow the curve around to 1st Place, dismount to lift the bike over the curb, and then continue onto the trail.

3rd Street NE construction off Kennedy Street NE with temporary pedestrian path, May 2, 2022.

Also worth noting that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) continues to work on other parts of the trail. The agency presented some initial ideas for the 8th Street NE connector from Monroe Street NE to the southern off-street portion of the trail. The initial thought is to have a two-way protected bike lane on the west side of 8th Street, a one-way northbound travel lane on 8th Street from Edgewood to Monroe, and parking that would switch sides along different portions of 8th Street. This is just an initial concept plan taking into consideration a bunch of factors, like all of the charter schools in that area, loading for the businesses along 8th Street, and impacts to parking for residents in the area. DDOT hopes to have the gap filled in time for the start of the 2022-2023 school year. Below are screenshots of just a few slides from the presentation. Comments can be sent to michael.alvino@dc.gov.

Work also continues on the Fort Totten to Takoma extension and the Blair Road to Piney Branch Road portion of the trail. Good news is that it looks like there is federal funding available to have part of the Fort Totten to Takoma extension that is currently planned to be on street moved off street to align more closely to the red line tracks.

I know the MBT was conceived long before I moved to Riggs Park, and the southern part of the trail has been open for a while. It is nice to now have the trail connected to this neighborhood and I am very grateful for the work of everyone getting this done, during a multi-year pandemic no less. Kudos to DDOT.

Take the Met Branch Trail (Blair Road to Piney Branch Road) Survey by tomorrow January 7

The design survey for the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) from Blair Road to Piney Branch Road will close tomorrow January 7, 2022. Take the survey here. The project website for this part of the trail is https://metbranchtrail.com/blair-rd-to-piney-branch.

You can read comments from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association on this part of the trail at https://waba.org/blog/2022/01/metropolitan-branch-trail-blair-road-to-piney-branch-road-design-survey.

Met Branch Trail – Blair Road to Piney Branch Road Meeting Documents/Survey

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) now has a webpage for the part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail that will run from Blair Road to Piney Branch Road, available at https://metbranchtrail.com/blair-rd-to-piney-branch. This is the final section of the trail. DDOT states they expect construction to be complete by 2024/2025. The presentation on initial design/concepts from the December 7, 2021, meeting is available on the site.

For those interested, there is also a survey on design and alternatives for this part of the trail.