Comment: Takoma Park’s Maple Avenue Connectivity Project

On September 29, 2023, WABA sent these recommendations for the Takoma Park Maple Connectivity Avenue Project.

You can view this document in PDF form here.

Mr. Alex Freedman

Planner

City of Takoma Park

September 29, 2023

Re: Takoma Park’s Maple Avenue Connectivity Project

Dear Mr. Freedman:

Given that Takoma Park is "revisiting previous designs for the Maple Avenue corridor from the DC border to Sligo Creek Park,” the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) provides comments as follows.

General:

1) We recommend a 20 MPH (or lower) speed limit for the full extent of this project, from the Washington DC border to Sligo Creek Parkway. Reduction is permitted by Maryland Transportation Code § 21–803(a)(4), which states "A local authority may decrease the maximum speed limit to not less than 15 miles per hour on a highway only after performing an engineering and traffic investigation.’ This Maple Avenue Complete Streets Design effort satisfies the state's engineering and traffic investigation requirement.

We note that the Maple Avenue Complete Streets Design - 30% Design document states, on page 3, "Promoting low vehicle speeds is one of the most important aspects of bicycle safety. Ideally, people biking and people driving would be moving at the same speed down a street, around 15 MPH."

2) Montgomery County’s Bicycle Master Plan, enacted in 2018, indicates separated bike lanes on Maple Avenue between Philadelphia Avenue/MD 410 and Sligo Creek Parkway, one lane in each direction. The existing roadway is wide enough for bike lanes in each direction. We ask that the Connectivity Project’s design be revised to include these separated bike lanes, in accordance with the master plan and the city’s commitment to road safety.

3) Certain crosswalks shown -- a minority -- are marked ADA RAMP AND HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALK. All crosswalks should have ADA ramps. See, for instance, PS-05: The ends of the two crosswalks at Valley View Avenue, and three of four ends of the crosswalks at Old Philadelphia Ave, do not indicate ADA ramps. This is just one example.

Comments on particular drawings:

4) PS-01: Correct spelling, TACOMA PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT and PLAYFULL CITY (sign), and confirm the location of the SOUTHERN PROJECT LIMIT, which appears to be some distance into the District of Columbia.

5) PS-06: We support the elimination of the current right-turn lane for motor vehicles from Maple Avenue onto Philadelphia Avenue, and its replacement with a protected bike lane, should the city not revise the Maple Avenue design to conform to the Bicycle Master Plan, by creating separated bike lanes between Philadelphia Avenue/MD 410 and Sligo Creek Parkway. Particularly given the narrowing of the eastern lane of Maple Avenue to 10', south of Grant Ave, we recommend continuing that narrowed width to Philadelphia Avenue accompanied by widening of the bike lane and installation of a protection barrier (curb work) between the bike lane and the motor-vehicle lane.

6) PS-09: We recommend narrowing the extraordinarily wide driveway and curb cut for the Franklin Apartment building, opposite Lincoln Avenue, which creates unnecessary and avoidable exposure for sidewalk users, and squaring the crosswalk across Maple Ave to create an easier crossing.

7) PS-12: An indicated sign reads PAKRWAY [sic] CLOSED SUNDAY and another reads ATTENTION PARKWAY CLOSED EVERY SUNDAY. For several years, the Sligo Creek Parkway has been closed Friday to Sunday late afternoon with additional closure on Monday holidays. We suggest finding a better signage solution.

Thank you for considering our advocacy.

Sincerely,

Seth Grimes, Maryland organizer

cc: Rosalind Grigsby

Mayor Talisha Searcy and City Council Members

More about Complete Streets

Complete Streets are streets designed to accommodate all users, and that prioritize historically underinvested modes of transportation like transit, walking, and biking. An incomplete street might lack adequate sidewalks, low-stress bike infrastructure, or safe and comfortable access to transit.

Effective Complete Streets policies change the way a jurisdiction plans and builds transportation infrastructure—sidewalks, low stress bike infrastructure, and transit should be included in any new or rebuilt street by default, rather than as an add-on when there's space or demand.

While most regional jurisdictions have a Complete Streets policy of some sort, they lack teeth and permit transportation departments to continue to build streets that put cars first and squeeze other modes into the margins.

More about Advocacy

WABA fights for a region where biking, walking and transit are the best ways to get around.

We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.