Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

14th Street Bridge DC/Virginia planning project: meetings this week

14th Street Bridge - Washington DC
Flickr photo of the 14th Street Bridge by Jonathan Gagle.

This week there are public hearings on the 14th Street Bridge Corridor Environmental Impact Statement.


Tuesday February 28th
Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 I St. SW
DC
6:30pm - Open House
7:00 pm - Presentation and Hearing

Thursday March 1st
Walter Reed Community Center
2909 16th Street South
Arlington, VA
7:30pm - Open House
8:00 pm - Presentation and Hearing

One nice element of the bridge is the bike/walking path across it, which is a rare amenity considering the bulk of federally-funded highway projects across the country.

This piece of bike- and walking-enabling infrastructure on this bridge, part of I-395 and the Federal Interstate Highway System is a perfect example of why biking, walking, and transit infrastructure planning and inclusion requirements need to be included in federal highway projects.

Highway infrastructure is primarily for cars, so it's very easy for vehicular traffic to be prioritized, even though with some changes and minimal increases in costs on a comparative or percentage basis, it's possible to incorporate the right accommodations when they will be used.

The 14th bridge pedestrian/bicycle crossing provides a key pathway into and out of DC by bicycle especially, and enables bicycle commuting as a practical and efficient and safe choice for tens of thousands of people.
14th Street Bridge Bike Path Over Potomac
Flickr photo of the 14th Street Bridge Bike Path Over the Potomac River by Mr. T in DC

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