A reminder that the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force recommendations for changing the City's Master Transportation Plan are on the Planning Commission docket for tonight (Tuesday, February 5) at 7:30 PM.
There have been some interesting developments. The transit chapter of the draft report, which has now been "revised" to show a "Route 1" corridor that extends as an indeterminate blob encompassing anything from Payne Street on the west to Royal Street on the east. But don't be fooled; the map still shows Smart Stations along Patrick and Henry.
Also worth reading is the T&ES memo that accompanies the docket item, which devotes a long paragraph on p. 6 attempting to refuting the claim that the Task Force is determined on specific routes.
29 comments:
The more defensive thye get in terms of responding to criticism of their work, the more one can tell that their motives are ulterior.
And those "Smart" [sic] stations go down the length of Route One all the way to the Beltway and the Fairfax County line like we knew they would! They're not done trying to hoist this neighborhood -wrecking scheme on us. Count me in at tonight's hearing.
this whole process is like the train in the move "Runaway train". Its like our freedom (some normal neighbors) and our death (all the other "good" stuff density brings)
I'm so far past comments - just plain disgusted with their joke of a democracy in Alexandria.
Like the song says, "they smile in your face (the backstabbers)"
I had to move here to understand the Southern Cause: I'm fighting the government because they want to destroy my neighborhood.
Just like segregation, some things just don't change.
"I'm so far past comments - just plain disgusted with their joke of a democracy in Alexandria."
It's a company time and the Dems are in control. I agree we live the discrimination of a segregated past. Makes me wretch! Furthermore I doubt the seriousness of Wilson and Krupicka's Potomac Yard metro proposal as they said on the news yesterday that the funding would be private dollars. What's the price tag? $100-$200 million?
Right! Add the city's want to increase the value of the WMATA lot [density] at Braddock metro and all but the 'hood is making out nicely.
And did they say whether the proposed metro stop in PY replaces the BRT, or is the Metro in addition to it? That's the question to ask.
Link to the announcement for the February 12 Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force/City Council work session.
http://dockets.alexandriava.gov/fy08/021208rm/diws.pdf
"And did they say whether the proposed metro stop in PY replaces the BRT, or is the Metro in addition to it? That's the question to ask."
You have a better chance of seeing a Republican City Council than you do that Metro station.
Did anyone let the Delray Civic Association know about the mass density needed to fund the station?
Well, it looks like we got a summer preview of what to expect in a few months...
Last night narcs and police were out in force at Adkins to bust a drug ring. Maybe someone should have drove Ring and Miller over to see the spectacle.
"And did they say whether the proposed metro stop in PY replaces the BRT, or is the Metro in addition to it? That's the question to ask."
Some of us have asked the question and both will proceed simultaneously. It is expected that BRT will be funded with federal dollars and the PY metro stop with private dollars. Like you I question the sincerity of the latter.
I came home from Ash Wednesday church at 9:00 p.m., and there were 16 cop cars blocking Fayette and Madison Streets...
I couldn't get into my garage for 40 minutes.
I counted every one of them, as I couldn't believe the overwhelming response....
and the City doesn't understand why were are FED UP TO THE TEETH
with this Bullshit at Atkins.
Get them ALL outa my neighborhood!!!
This is no way for "residents" whose existence is being fully subsidized by my tax dollars to show their appreciation for that privilege.
And yet all they can do is scream racism, if you so much as question their F-ing crap.
Pretty much means that 16 cop-cars raiding Atkins leaves the rest of the city un-protected for hours.
WHAT A MESS !!!!
Citizens, Is this what you want???
"and the PY metro stop with private dollars. Like you I question the sincerity of the latter.
"
And what private dollars (over 100 million) do they hope to pull this from? To pull off that kind of money, there going to have to give developers major density bonuses. And like the others have said, there is something nefarious going on then. I thought density bonuses at the Braddock Road Metro were supposed to be used to fund Braddock Road Metro improvements, no a new metro station for Delrayites.
"I came home from Ash Wednesday church at 9:00 p.m., and there were 16 cop cars blocking Fayette and Madison Streets..."
I don't blame you, neighbor. We all want Adkins (and Bland, etc. gone). And more, what's interesting is that incident didn't make it into the weekly email the police sent out. Although this Adkins incident on Wed did:
"1200 block of Wythe Street. 02/06 at 12:40 P.M. The victims, an 18 year-old Alexandria man and a 38 year-old Alexandria woman, report that an unknown suspect attempted to force his way into their residence while displaying a handgun and demanding money. Nothing was taken. The suspect is described as a black male, 20 to 30 years-old, 5’06” to 5’08”, 150 to 170 lbs. He was wearing a black North Face jacket, an orange shirt and dark-colored trousers. The suspect also had a tattoo on the left side of his neck."
I've had good responses from Krupicka, Pepper, and the now unfortunately retired Andrew McDonald, about crime in our neighborhood. I know it's frustrating, but make sure you keep emailing the City council and the mayor to keep this crime problem on their radar. And keep calling the police to complain about kids running loose, abusing dogs, drug dealers, etc. If we get on the police's crime locating computer, we'll have much more ammunition in terms of hard data that crime around Adkins and other AHRA properties is greatly increased compared to non-ARHA properties. This will help us when the city starts the Braddock east process, deciding what to do with the projects.
"Last night narcs and police were out in force at Adkins to bust a drug ring. Maybe someone should have drove Ring and Miller over to see the spectacle."
Don't count on getting the story on any city crime report in the local media. After not filing reports for several weeks with the Post as they had done for years, the police department has been submitting only two crimes per crime report, which looks absolutely absurd next to Arlington's two dozen or so crimes in their comprehensive report usually printed alongside.
Is this the latest way the city intends to have flexibility to fluff crime numbers in future, by under-reporting them and making the data hard to find for citizens? How about a little open government rather than more image manipulation?
"Last night narcs and police were out in force at Adkins to bust a drug ring. Maybe someone should have drove Ring and Miller over to see the spectacle."
Isnt it amazing how as soon as the weather warms up, the BS starts up again? Its like clockwork; once the winter weather starts to let up, all the problems come out of hibernation.
One certainly cant argue that the police arent trying to interdict crime.
The 16 car response was for two gangsta thugs who were coming into Adkins to stir up trouble and deal crack.
Frankly, though, its not just residents, but ARHA who is directly to blame for this. I saw one of the clowns sitting on the curb and noticed that he was a regular visitor to the Adkins quad all last week. Apparently he is one of the "guests" they talk about all the time.
""Why is it that every time there is a change it seems that it is our residents that have to take the hit?" Commissioner Ruby Tucker asked rhetorically."
Hey Ruby, why is it that every time your land and your residents cause chaos and dysfunction throughout the neighborhood, everyone else has to take the hit?
I cant even imagine what its like waiting 40 minutes to get in your house because the cops have to come babysit your neighbors....
"Citizens, is this what you want?"
No, and that is why I am moving.
"Last night narcs and police were out in force at Adkins to bust a drug ring."
"The 16 car response was for two gangsta thugs who were coming into Adkins to stir up trouble and deal crack."
How do you know this was a drug ring bust and dealing crack? Please list your source, I can't find it.
Growler, has the hate for ARHA always been this think, throughout its history?
Were neighbors just as irate with them in the 70's and 80's as they are now?
And have they always had this much of a condescending attitude toward their neighbors complaints as they do now?
"How do you know this was a drug ring bust and dealing crack? Please list your source, I can't find it."
My source is that I had to walk right through it....when nearly 20 cops are on seen its easy to get a nugget of info.....
A question for those of you out there who are lawyers ... can ARHA be sued for maintaining a public nuisance? If so, perhaps this would get it, and the city's attention, about how serious this neighborhood is?
This Adkins mess is so bad. With all that goes on, I CANNOT believe the City actually wants to put a high rise project there. You've got to be kidding me.
"can ARHA be sued for maintaining a public nuisance?"
Legally, yes. Practically, no. The City would never bring a public nuisance action against ARHA. The City leaders are committed to public housing, to the point that they have bailed out ARHA to the tune of millions of dollars.
However, it would be interesting for the property owners adjoining Adkins (or the Lofts Homeowners Association, for example) to bring a nuisance action against ARHA and its tenants. Essentially, you must show that ARHA substantially interferes with the use and enjoyment of your property. The remedy is money damages or, more interestingly in this case, an injunction. Unfortunately, a defense is that adjoining property owners assumed the risk by "coming to the nuisance" (i.e. you willingly bought your house across from Adkins). And, everyone knows what a nuisance it is.
Could someone tell me about the ARHA Board? What is the procedure for acquiring a seat on it? Is it elected or appointed?
It seems to me it's long past time for a shake-up....
I'm annoyed at their attitude toward Faroll Hamer, and THEIR condescending attitude to neighbors in Braddock. There seems to be no accountability for their actions, because nothing ever changes at Atkins, or Bland.
And their words are highly inflammatory.
I don't know about you, but I was incensed about comments coming from ARHA-supporters/"activists" in the audience at the last charette meeting, accusing anyone who questions the viability of ARHA and Atkins of being racist.
Was anyone else disturbed by all the white people (and the few city leaders) in that room either not responding, or apologizing for appearing to be insensitive to their needs....???
What's worse?... defenders of ARHA making outrageous lies about the "benefits" of public housing, or the taxpayers letting themselves get screwed for not speaking out against ARHA?
I think I'm more turned off by "wimpy white people" who won't speak up, and are only interested in avoiding "conflict" rather than speaking the truth.
This Braddock plan ain't going nowhere until Atkins is fixed....appoint all the follow-up study committees you want.
Having been a public school teacher for 10 years, I can make the observation that dysfunctional problems and people won't get better by ignoring them....
Excuse my focus on the gang activity at Atkins, but the transportation and density questions, important as they are,
rate only secondary to fixing the public housing scandal.
Why can't the Council see this?
"Excuse my focus on the gang activity at Atkins, but the transportation and density questions, important as they are, rate only secondary to fixing the public housing scandal. Why can't the Council see this?"
Have you expressed your grievances before an open mike session of city council?
Tee hee.
Looks like the campaign is on for LOTS of developer density! “We want density to pay for Braddock improvements, not Del Ray’s metro stop” and much more “we want Adkins out now [at any cost] and if you object then you want to keep the crime” are the messages.
Back to the old “anything is better than what we have now” argument.
Be careful what you ask for from our Fair City.
Someone feels sorry for Hamer? There are no good guys in this story.
All these players are out to make a buck at our expense. Unless our taxes are paying them to make a buck for someone else, at our expense.
"Could someone tell me about the ARHA Board? What is the procedure for acquiring a seat on it?"
Call the city's Citizens Assistance Office. If a Lyles Crouch elementary school teacher can chair the city's 2006-2007 Small Business Task Force then I suspect most any citizen is qualified for a seat on the ARHA Board. Her Lyles Crouch December bio described her as a special education teacher who reads lots of texts books. Look for her around midnight at Starbuck's.
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