|
 |
Read and
Sign up
the petiton to the Department of Public Works
and the District of Columbia
|
|
 |
As everyone who walks Georgetown's main commercial
streets knows, its sidewalks are "pedestrian un-friendly" and the current
streetscape is an abomination - a problem which is unrelated to the
on-going construction referred to as "The Georgetown Project".
- Trees, for the most are missing, struggling, decaying
or dead.
- New streetlights are inconsistently spaced and
too tall in relation to pedestrians and surrounding 2-3 story historic
buildings.
- Sidewalks are too narrow to accommodate pedestrians,
tourists and street furniture.
With the deletion of one lane of parked cars and
the addition of 5' to the sidewalk width, there is room for all of the
following:
- A clear zone for a row of healthy street trees
consistently and evenly spaced along with the street lights, street
signs and street furniture. Such a zone also provides a safety buffer
from both passing traffic and opening doors of parked cars.
- A clear zone wide enough for pedestrians to walk
2 abreast in opposing directions without bumping into each other and
wide enough to maneuver wheelchairs and strollers safely.
- A clear zone along the building edges to allow
easy access to the fronts of the buildings in addition to room for
window shopping.
- A shorter distance from sidewalk to sidewalk,
providing safer crossing. In addition the shorter crosswalk times
would serve to aid in the flow of traffic.
Therefore, wider sidewalks are safer,
more attractive and more pleasant while spurring retail sales and increases
in surrounding property values.
[Read
More]
- Georgetown serves as one of the premiere gateways
into the District at the Key Bridge and M Street is one of Washington's
oldest main streets. Is this the impression Washington and Georgetown
want to be advertising to the world?
- For the last several years, the suburbs (like
Bethesda) have done everything possible to emulate and eclipse Georgetown.
We shouldn't let the District scrimp anymore when it comes to our
neighborhood. Georgetowners need to act to protect their own neighborhood
and, consequently, their own property values.
- Georgetown is the District's "name-brand" neighborhood
and when people visit Washington, Georgetown is on their short list
of places to shop and eat. If Georgetown is the best Washington has
to offer and it is so inhospitable to pedestrians, is it any wonder
Washington ranked the worst for retail and shopping in Travel and
Leisure's 25 Top Cities poll?
- In focusing more on the M Street roadway and less
on the sidewalks and streetscape environment, the District is ignoring
the residents and businesspeople of Georgetown in favor of non-tax-paying
commuters. M Street is not a highway and the main concern
should be the pedestrians and residents who live and shop in Georgetown!!!
[Read
More]
|
