June 2021 Newsletter

Good evening, neighbors!

Tennessee Ave Advisory Bike Lanes 

The new Tennessee Ave advisory bike lanes are in place. This is a six-month pilot project to convert the street to one driving lane (shared by both directions) and two bike lanes (one for each direction), modeled after roads in the Netherlands. The idea is to give drivers strong encouragement to slow down and make the street safer for everyone. 

If you use Tennessee Ave in any way (driving, walking, biking, scooting, etc), I would love to hear your thoughts on the pilot design. I expect our ANC to make a recommendation toward the end of the six-month pilot on whether we should keep this design or revert to the old Tennessee Ave. Here is a FAQ on the project prepared by Commissioners Gove and Gentile and myself.

(The new Tennessee Ave NE, with dashed lines for “advisory” bicycle lanes on either side of a central lane)

Mutual Aid 

Earlier this month, I volunteered at Ward 6 Mutual Aid’s Community Table at Miner Elementary School. Thank you to all of the neighbors who make this amazing network possible! We were able to distribute everything from canned food to diapers and groceries. I was touched when I saw how excited some kids were to pick up new children’s books — it reminded me of my own childhood.

In the June 10 ANC meeting, we also voted unanimously to provide a $1,500 grant to Ward 6 Mutual Aid. The mutual aid network’s leaders had presented at our May 24 Community Outreach Committee about how they were able to reach many households and families in ANC 6A in the past year. 

(“Community Table” of several tables offering clothes, toys, canned food, groceries, and other essentials to neighbors in front of Miner Elementary School) 

Outdoor Entertainment

As described in May’s newsletter, I’m still collecting comments from neighbors on what you deem reasonable hours for outdoor entertainment, especially on H Street NE. Our vote on the Pie Shop’s request to use their back patio for outdoor entertainment was postponed to July’s meeting. Thank you to everyone who has weighed in so far! If you would like to comment at July’s ANC meeting in particular, we will soon post the agenda on https://anc6a.org/agendas/. 

DC Police Reform Commission

Also in July’s ANC meeting, we plan to vote on the recommendations of the DC Police Reform Commission, including plans to replace some officers with social workers, transition to police-free schools, and expand violence interrupter programs. You can see all 90 of the recommendations here or read this summary from DCist.