Summary of DC's Plans for Connecticut Ave
Elimination of Parking and Drop-Off Problem
NO VEHICLE WILL BE ABLE TO PULL UP TO A CURB! Curbside protected bike lanes will be on both sides of the street. Concept "C" will eliminate 469 parking spots which represents 79% of all parking. Because the bike lanes will have raised barriers, you will have to use one of the few designated pick up/drop off spots which will likely not be close to the location you are going to. You will not be able to drop-off your elderly or disabled relative at an appointment or restaurant, catch an Uber or receive a food delivery unless the vehicle stops and blocks one of the two lanes of traffic.
Removal of Two Lanes of Traffic
Traffic, which is already bad on the Avenue, will slow to a crawl. With only two lanes in each direction one will be slowed by right and left turns and the other by drop-offs, deliveries, mail trucks, right turns and other situations. Emergency response times will increase causing dangerous conditions that could result in deaths.
traffic diversion into residential streets
Local streets around Connecticut Ave have already been inundated with traffic due the removal of reversible lanes during rush hour on Conn Ave and the closing of upper Beach Drive to cars. Forest Hills, Crestwood and Chevy Chase residents can expect side street traffic to reach nightmare levels when this plan is enacted. Reno Road will take the brunt of this traffic. DDOT estimates that an additional 7,000 vehicles will use local streets per day yet did not factor this into its scoring of their plan. Pedestrian safety will decline as thousands of drivers use roads that were not intended to carry that capacity and are completely residential. Downtown trips will take double or triple the current amount of time- a conclusion reached by a simple calculation of vehicles and road capacity.