Recently NoMa BID has released renderings for a park that they would like to build in the middle of L Street NE and they have also been circulating a petition asking for 18 million dollars from the city to help them add parks to NoMa. First let me say that I love the NoMa BID- their movie nights, concerts, flowers and keeping the area clean. However, I have a couple of concerns. The BID was created to accomplish all these things and you can tell how great the NoMa area is because of it. Ward 5 does not have any BIDs and could really use that money to do many of the same improvements to Rhode Island Ave NE. Also, when looking at the renderings for the park in the middle of L Street I do not see the new ramp that DDOT is working on that will go from the Met Branch Trail to L Street. That ramp is needed as the stairs that are currently there are not adequate for biking traffic and were only meant to be temporary until a ramp was built. With the new cycletracks coming to NoMa and the work on the Met Branch Trail connections up to Union Station it is very important that we ensure this ramp is built. I am in favor of NoMa parks I just want to ensure that they do not interfere with the Met Branch Trail infrastructure. Being able to enter and exit the Met Branch Trail on both M and L Street via ramp will greatly improve the riding experience from all directions, as well as, help relieve congestion as the trail grows in popularity.
Please check out the renderings of the proposed park here and let NoMa know they need to include the ramp to the Met Branch Trail!!
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/05/noma-greyhound-station-to-be-mixed-use.html
Please check out the renderings of the proposed park here and let NoMa know they need to include the ramp to the Met Branch Trail!!
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2012/05/noma-greyhound-station-to-be-mixed-use.html
