LOOK AT THIS MAJESTY! (All photos by María Helena Carey)
I tweeted about it on October 14 when the light wasn’t even fully functional: That’s how excited I was.
The most beautiful thing today: traffic lights at 10th and Maryland NE!!!!
— María Helena Carey (@TheMadameMeow) October 14, 2015
Here’s another photo –a panoramic– so you can really take it all in. Both were taken from the northeastern corner of the intersection, so you can get a better idea of what it looks like:
It IS majestic, is it not? I want to hold a party here: a party where we hand out whistles and use them on people who insist on speeding while they go through our neighborhood.
The dream of a safer and calmer and less Gran Truismo-ey Maryland Avenue– has finally come to fruition this week. Phil Toomajian, chairman of ANC 6A, posted the following on his Facebook page last night:
1,964 days ago I put in a 311 service request for DDOT to install a traffic light or stop sign at 10th & Maryland to allow for safe crossings there. In the five years since, many neighbors, school parents, other ANC Commissioners, our Councilmember and I have followed up more times than anyone can count, but I’m so relieved to say we now have a safe place to cross this still too dangerous road. Yesterday, a traffic signal with timed crossings went live at the location. There’s more work to be done to realize the vision of a pedestrian safe Maryland Avenue, but tonight I close the 311 service request and thank all of you who pitched in to make this possible and the Department of Transportation who made it happen for this important safety improvement in our community.
Part of the amazing Maryland Avenue plan at this intersection can already be seen: the 800 block of E Street NE has been turned into one-way traffic. (See photo below.)
(L to R) E Street NE, 9th Street NE and Maryland Avenue, viewed from the southwest. The 800 block of E Street is now one-way, westbound. This should greatly diminish the number of jerks who abuse this intersection to bypass traffic regardless of pedestrian or bike traffic.
According to Toomajian, there will most likely be a new Capital Bikeshare station in the closed area of E Street, which is the southwestern segment of the street at the 10th street intersection. (See photo below.)
The 900 block of E Street NE. From left to right, 10th Street NE facing south, the southwestern E street segment, and the northeast-bound lanes of Maryland Avenue NE. This could be the future home to a Capital Bikeshare docking station.
The Maryland Avenue project has been ongoing for several years and has counted with the input and support of the community. So far, we have seen the dramatic change at the intersection of 7th and D Streets (across from the Northeast Neighborhood Library) in the past year, as well as the signaling changes for the bike lanes on both 4th and 6th Streets NE. The traffic light at 10th NE was one of the most needed traffic calming measures for this part of the neighborhood, due in no small part to the growth of School Within School at Goding, 920 F Street NE and to the renovation of the Sherwood Community Recreation outdoor areas and new playground.
This traffic light can be seen as a major triumph for a community that wants to be good neighbors to our daily commuters while being faithful stewards of the community’s needs. We need more good stories like this one.
Update: The likelihood of the CaBi station at 10th and E is not at 100%. The post’s wording now reflects that.