Rhode Island Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Progress Update

Construction progress is moving along with the Rhode Island Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge!

For those unfamiliar with the project, here is a brief review:

The Rhode Island Avenue Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge will link the Metropolitan Branch Trail and its connecting neighborhoods to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station and adjacent communities. It will create a safe passageway for community members who currently use the Rhode Island Avenue underpass, which is narrow and dark, or who cross the active railroad tracks increasing access to transit and recreation for thousands of residents.

The truss bridge is designed in the style of an old railroad bridge. Ramps on both sides will provide wheelchair and bicycle access while a stairway on the west side will provide a more direct route. The open design will allow for visibility as well as beautiful city views and 24-hour lighting will enhance safety. The bridge will connect into the open section of the Metro station, providing connectivity even when the station is closed. The design is the result of unprecedented cooperation among numerous stakeholders including DDOT, WMATA, CSX, utility companies and the community.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES UPDATE FOR MAY 2014

Crews are finishing up construction of caissons and column supports on the southeast side of the CSX railroad tracks adjacent to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station.  The majority of activity related to this involves drilling, fabricating forms and pouring concrete. After this is completed the spans will be attached to connect the columns. 

 

Recent completed activities include the main stairway on the Metropolitan Branch Trail as well as all of the support columns and connecting spans on this side. 

 

A shield has been installed to protect any potential impact to WMATA right of way areas. None of this work is expected to impact the travelling public.  Please use caution when travelling along the Metropolitan Branch Trail in this area.  The project is projected to be completed on time by January 2015.  

Please visit the project website at http://rhodeislandavepedbridge.com for more info and progress photographs.

-- 

Thomas Pipkin

Public Relations Liaison

CKI & Associates Inc.

Yoga and Fitness Classes on the Metropolitan Branch Trail

Hi Neighbors!

Starting next week and continuing all June and July you can get fit with your neighbors!

Free yoga and fitness classes are coming to the Metropolitan Branch Trail this summer.  Brought to you by the MBT5K, classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 PM, weather permitting.

TUESDAYS:  Yoga with Crystal Moore in the mini park at 4th & S Streets NE (and the trail intersection).  Bring towel or mat.

THURSDAYS:  Fitness classes at 8th & Edgewood Streets (at trail entrance near Chocolate City Beer) with Project Fitness, http://www.p-fit.com/,  

Join us and bring a friend!  Visit www.facebook.com/mbt5k for news and announcements.  Email metbranch5k@gmail.com for more information.

Ward 5 Scholarship

http://www.eya.com/blog/eya-to-award-scholarships-to-ward-5-high-school-seniors

EYA announces its 2014 college scholarship contest for District of Columbia public & charter high school seniors living in Ward 5. This June the company will award a $2,000 annual scholarship to up to two students based on an evaluation of short essays and recommendations.

Interested students are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. To qualify, a student must:

·        Be a senior at a DC Public or Public Charter High School

·        Reside in Ward 5

·        Have accepted admission to either a 2-year or 4-year college (by the June 6, 2014 application deadline)

·        Have a GPA that ranks in the top 30% of their class

While homebuilding is the primary thing we do, building sustainable neighborhoods is what we love.  And that means more than welcoming new homeowners – it means giving back in the communities where we build. This scholarship will make a direct and positive impact on two young people and their families living in Ward 5, the site of EYA’s Chancellor’s Row townhouse neighborhood now selling in Northeast DC.

BiWeekly Update on Shaed School Project

The schools and construction team are posting biweekly updates on the project. It is great to see contact information and pictures. 

https://d3ghdtgvse7ejc.cloudfront.net/82/94/0e/82940e074a5dcdac33fc12c3d9269a90/Shaed_Community_Report_01_2014_05_13.pdf?Expires=1400004960&Signature=HbHWv0N1xGf1KyiURZhWp7JmzX36Mxya8wsU1x-G9Q5l5Ta9Brh4zR2LmMoU0BCAgwOj1yOOa~DK6eA2sHUxNPqxtqTGvoxP18aSsbrWZF5RHaKqfWP1Fj6KeI7y1LomIF2uF7fHd~OWYCWtMA1ws2EotcfheEgjKuF2wEtCNsU_&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIXBZNN3ZZBIBSIDQ

Important Meeting

Hi Neighbors!  This Wednesday is a busy one as there is a scheduled meeting at the Edgewood Recreation Center to discuss how to use the money allocated this year for the field (I vote multipurpose field!!!) and what programming the neighborhood wants from DPR (exercise classes!!!).  Please plan to stop by this meeting so your voice can be heard!

Then join your neighbors at Rustik afterwards for happy hour!

Hope to see everyone on Wednesday!

Neighborhood Happy Hour!

Friends of Edgewood Fundraiser

at

RUSTIK TAVERN

84 T Street NW

Wednesday, May 14th

6 – 9 PM

15% of sales will be donated to Friends of Edgewood for Edgewood’s Summer Movie Series

Urban Institute: How DC’s continued growth is affecting its schools

Some pretty cool data and analysis released by Urban Institute today. See message below that was sent to me this morning. 

This morning the Urban Institute released an analysis of changes that have taken place in Washington, DC’s public schools over the past decade and a half. It’s the second installment in Our Changing City, an online, interactive series on DC’s rapid growth.

 

You’ll find it here:http://blog.metrotrends.org/2014/05/dcs-continued-growth-affecting-schools/.

 

A few highlights:

 

1.      Public school enrollment is up for the first time since the 1960s. This bubble map shows changes in enrollment at every school, traditional public and charter, between 2001 and 2013:http://datatools.urban.org/features/ChangingCitiesChapter2/index.html#charters. Each bubble shrinks, expands, moves, or disappears as that school loses students, grows, relocates, or closes. As you’ll see, charter schools, the red bubbles, are on a tear.

 

2.      Kids are voting with their feet, often going to school outside of their ward. This map shows those inter-ward travel patterns:http://datatools.urban.org/features/ChangingCitiesChapter2/index.html#moving

 

3.      Part of the story of changing demand for K-12 education within the city is theincreasing number of births to parents with college degrees. We have a map for that too:http://datatools.urban.org/features/ChangingCitiesChapter2/index.html#demand

 

4.      Then there’s the changing racial composition of the student population:http://datatools.urban.org/features/ChangingCitiesChapter2/index.html#diversity

 

Our Changing City is part of the Urban Institute’s effort to make research on important public policy issues accessible and engaging. Thanks for giving it a look. I hope you enjoy it and will share it with anyone who might have an interest.