At its July meeting, the TPB approved more than $1.3 million in funding for seven projects through the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program: three in the District of Columbia and four in Maryland.
The TA Set-Aside program provides federal funding to smaller scale transportation projects which typically benefit bicycling, pedestrians, trails, and Safe Routes to School projects.
The program offers the region the ability to fund projects that support regional priorities and goals. Applicants are asked to show how their projects will serve regional criteria and advance TPB policies and programs. These priorities include: focus on expanding transportation options; support for Regional Activity Centers; access to high-capacity transit; access in Equity Emphasis Areas; support for the National Capital Trail; and increased access for people with disabilities.
The TPB is responsible for selecting projects using sub-allocated funding for Suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
MORE: Learn about the Transportation Alternatives Program
The three projects for DC are:
Prather’s Alley Safety Improvements
At the heart of the Mount Vernon Triangle, Prather’s Alley is increasingly becoming one of the area’s most active passageways for multiple forms of transportation. The high traffic volume of this area is creating concerns about safety as walkers, cyclists, cars and trucks compete for use of the alley. This project will design and construct a series of traffic calming measures in the designated alleyway. This project will also include forthcoming artistic placemaking initiatives in and around the alley. As the region seeks to create more pathways for walking and biking, this unusual project can become a useful model for both the city and the region.
Protected Mobility Lanes on M Street, SE
Although the Capitol Riverfront has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, the streets are still auto-oriented. With six lanes of vehicular traffic, there is excess capacity and frequent speeding which makes the street hostile to bicyclists and pedestrians. This project will fund design for protected mobility lanes on M Street, SE, giving bicyclists and scooters much-needed access from the 11th Street Bridge to Half Street, SE, the heart of the Capitol Riverfront. The project will be approximately one mile in length and would remove a vehicular travel lane, narrowing the M Street crossing for pedestrians. This will create safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians, which is essential for accomplishing the Vision Zero goal of eliminating pedestrian deaths in the District.
Union Station Masonry Restoration Project
This project will mark the completion of Union Station’s Main Hall Restoration by wrapping up a series of tasks that began with repairs to the station’s ceiling following the earthquake of 2011. Building on restoration efforts funded with previous TAP grants, this project would restore the masonry walls in the historic structure, as well as the metal portions of door frames and windows. Union Station is both a national treasure and is the region's premier multimodal transportation facility, serving over 37 million people annually or approximately 100,000 per day.
The four projects for MD are:
Chamber Avenue Green Street/Complete Street Project
A pedestrian unfriendly road will be transformed by this project into a safe and inviting pathway to the Capitol Heights Metro Station. The project, which is a key step in fulfilling the town’s Green Street/Complete Street Master Plan, will construct new features for pedestrians and bicyclists along the Chambers Avenue-Capitol Heights Boulevard-Davey Street corridor. The scope includes a reduction of the width of vehicle travel lanes, new sidewalks (with appropriate signage), new street lighting, bike lane installation, improved pedestrian crossings, and new pedestrian lighting.
University Park Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan
Responding to growing concerns about pedestrian safety and findings from a recent traffic analysis, the town of University Park is moving forward with plans to ensure its children can walk to school safely. This project entails the design of infrastructure work to improve sidewalks, traffic calming, speed reduction and pedestrian and bicycle crossings to provide safe access to the University Park Elementary School. The project also includes funding for educational materials and programming.
Takoma Park Safe Routes to School Improvements
With this grant, Takoma Park will continue its widely known educational programming which introduces best safety practices for walking and biking to primary school students. The curriculum includes a Crosswalk Simulation Activity and Bike Rodeo. A new feature of the Takoma Park programming is the iCan Shine Camp, which will teach biking skills for students with disabilities. The iCan Shine camp will be open to Maryland residents with disabilities.
North Stonestreet Avenue: Street and Sidewalk Improvements
Focusing on improving pedestrian and bicycle connections to the Rockville Metro Station, this project will design street and sidewalk improvements along Park Road (between North Stonestreet Avenue and South Stonestreet Avenue) and N. Stonestreet Ave (between Park Road and Lincoln Avenue). Improvements will include wider sidewalks, a new intersection alignment, and bike lanes. The project is based upon recommendation in the recently completed Stonestreet Corridor Study, which featured extensive public outreach.
Now that the TPB has approved these projects, staff will forward information regarding the approval to DDOT and MDOT, and the agencies will begin to implement these projects.
Sarah Bond is the TPB's Transportation Planning intern. She is planning graduate student at the University of Maryland.