Ampersand says: (12/15/17 1:19 PM)
As much as I like the idea of a Circulator that goes all the way to Union Station, I more often find myself wishing there was a non-Metro connection between here and the western part of SW, especially now that the Wharf is a thing. Would be nice if there was still a route from Barracks Row/Eastern Market to Union Station though.

JD says: (12/15/17 1:20 PM)
"Circulator service between Union Station, Barracks Row, and the Washington Navy Yard (the actual, living, breathing, functioning "Navy Yard") would be available on a reconfigured version of the Potomac Avenue-Skyland route (see page 52 of the report for a map)."

JD says: (12/15/17 1:20 PM)
(That includes Eastern Market.)

Ampersand says: (12/15/17 1:22 PM)
aaaaaaand now that I've posted that I see exactly such a route would also be created. OK, I'm good!

RMP says: (12/16/17 11:15 AM)
I support this change. I like the current Ciculator route in theory, but it takes so long to actually get to Union Station that I almost never use it for that purpose.

There's actually a broader question about bus routes that I've been asking for a while. We don't have any cross-town bus route that connect downtown. The P6 only goes as far west as 11th. The V1 doesn't go north of the Mall, plus it only runs during rush hour. Even if they make this Ciculator change it still won't get you north of the Mall.

I'd love to see a bus that connects the Navy Yard Metro to the Foggy Bottom Metro, possibly via the Wharf area. I understand that in the past there wasn't enough population to justify it, but with all the population growth in the neighborhood lately, plus Southwest, it seems like it's time to re-think it.

walt says: (12/17/17 6:54 PM)
This is excellent news! Can't wait to get on that circulator.

Westnorth says: (12/18/17 1:06 PM)
I really love this "Downtown Ward 6" bus route!

@RMP: A longer-term proposal in the 2014 Circulator Transit Development Plan (same links above, in post) was a NW-SE route much like you describe. It seems to have been dropped in the 2017 update, probably for cost reasons.

In the meantime, the OR/BL/SV lines are pretty convenient for that.

RMP says: (12/18/17 1:27 PM)
The OR/BL/SV lines are fine, but transferring to/from GR isn't ideal especially now that we're down to even further reduced headways.

The 30s buses are basically an above ground OR/BL/SV from Potomac Ave to Foggy Bottom. I'd propose re-routing one of the numbers to continue southbound on 7th, east on M, then across the Sousa bridge to continue their current route from there.

JD says: (12/18/17 8:39 PM)
OT, but in case you don't follow me on Twitter, here's an article from Tuesday's Post about my brother, now becoming known as The Radio Reporter Who Has Lost His Voice. In the midst of an already terrible time with Bill's illness, my family was also dealing with my brother's incredibly rare condition that has resulted in a near-total loss of his ability to speak.

link

202_cyclist says: (12/20/17 1:30 PM)
The US Census released the 2017 population estimates. DC was the 8th fastest growing state/territory and now has nearly 694,000 residents-- up from 601,000 residents in 2010.

link

A vote would be nice.

202_cyclist says: (12/20/17 5:40 PM)
H/t to Payton Chung-- I didn't realize CSX was looking to sell its land in the neighborhood.

link

202_cyclist says: (12/20/17 5:45 PM)
Excellent GGW article about the growth in JD Land/Capitol Riverfront and the need for additional investments in the metro system.

link

stacycloyd says: (12/20/17 6:03 PM)
Fun fact--unlike wards (where there will always be 8), the number of ANC single member districts increases with population (since there is one for every roughly 2000 residents). link

Right now there are 296 single-member districts but at the rate DC is growing, it looks like there will be more than 350 after the 2020 Census results come in. I also foresee some significant movement in the ward boundaries since they have to keep things roughly equal in population.

202_cyclist says: (12/20/17 6:05 PM)
JD-- I will sign your ballot petition if you run for ANC.

RMP says: (12/21/17 8:50 AM)
Given the crazy relative growth of Ward 6 this decade it's going to be very interesting to see the battle in the 2022 redistricting about who gets to stay in 6 and who has to go to 7/8 (presumably).

walt says: (12/21/17 9:46 AM)
>>>>H/t to Payton Chung-- I didn't realize CSX was looking to sell its land in the neighborhood.

Don't I recall that there was some controversy over DC ceding land to CSX a few years ago? Maybe the price was very low? or maybe DC just *gave* some portion of public land to CSX?

Does anyone know where to find out how much CSX paid for that land that they are now selling at market rate?

JD says: (12/21/17 9:58 AM)
Walt, that's not the same land. The land ceded was a sliver along Virginia Ave on the footprint of the tunnel. This is the big swath of land west of New Jersey.

JD says: (12/21/17 9:58 AM)
And RMP, I am already popping popcorn for 2022. I am guessing Ward 8 is going to cross the river.

dcgent says: (12/21/17 2:25 PM)
Beware of river-crossing wards. Reservation 13, where the big homeless shelter is, ended up in 7 when it jumped the river but all the neighbors who care deeply about what happens there are in ward 6 so you get some ANC confusion and frustration. In short, that locale doesn't seem the highest priority for the ward 7 rep.

Ampersand says: (12/22/17 12:15 AM)
I live in Kingman Park, exactly one block east of the 6/7 border, and it's weird. All of the Ward 7 community events (including my ANC meetings) are on the east side of the river where 90% of Ward residents live, while I do all of my shopping, dining, etc. in Ward 6 next to where I live. (I also work in JDLand in Ward 6, but I walk or bike to H Street and Eastern Market/Barracks Row even when I'm venturing out from home.) Overall, I kinda get the vibe that my living situation is radically different than the rest of the Ward, which is much more suburban in feel and car-travel-oriented. Relatedly, I'm not sure how much my council member is really interested in our particular neighborhood's concerns since we're literally an outlier. TLDR: the river is a significant barrier and lessens my ability to have input in my local governance without a sizable increase in effort.

All this is to say, I wonder how and whether things might change if the Navy Yard neighborhood is reassigned to Ward 8...

CJBabyDaddy says: (12/22/17 7:54 PM)
@Ampersand: If the general population of Ward 8 read this blog, they probably uttered a collective “Welcome to our world!” when they read: “the river is a significant barrier and lessens my ability to have input in my local governance without a sizable increase in effort.”

Ampersand says: (12/23/17 12:39 AM)
@CJBabyDaddy - I definitely agree. I recognize that EOTR citizens have much more serious disadvantages than I'm facing by having to cross the river if I want to attend monthly ANC meetings - a drop in the bucket compared to having to cross it every day to go about one's life.

Anyway, we'll probably be hashing this out at great length around four years from now, so I'll sit on any further expounding until then. In the meantime, I hope that transit connections like this continue to be implemented to further reduce the burden of crossing. :)

conngs0 says: (12/24/17 8:24 AM)
JD, I just wanted to drop a quick note to wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2018. If I can be permitted to speak for others for just a second, your decision to share your talents and passion by many maintaining this blog really has made life more enjoyable for many for yet another year. Thank you! Moreover, I admire the grace with which you’ve handled the most challenging of tribulations over the last year. And I appreciate the manner with which you deftly handle (tolerate?) some of the more comically raucous squabbles that ensue amongst your intensely loyal commentariat. So again, wishing you all these best through the holiday and this coming year. Merry Christmas!

CJBabyDaddy says: (12/24/17 6:43 PM)
conngs0 definitely speaks for many here.

JD says: (12/24/17 8:49 PM)
Sniff...

JD says: (12/26/17 11:05 AM)
(I hope my GIF was received in the spirit it was intended, which is that I am Dr. Evil, incapable of communicating deep emotion other than through hand gestures. But thank you, conngs0 and CJ. Was not the best few days ever [and Bill's birthday was five days before Christmas], but I gritted my teeth and slogged through.)

RMP says: (12/26/17 12:36 PM)
I can't speak for everyone JD, but certainly appreciate what you do around here! Here's to 2018 - the year of pizza, coffee and dentists.

202_cyclist says: (12/26/17 12:50 PM)
No dentists!

So, let’s hear your 2018 predictions. Which month will the Whole Foods open? How will the Nats do?

conngs0 says: (12/26/17 1:19 PM)
The GIF was perfect, JD!

202, oh man... 2018 predictions. I'm in!

Interestingly, Whole Foods has a "stores in development" section on their website. link No mention of the Navy Yard store whatsoever. I think maybe MLB Opening Day happens before the Whole Foods' opening day?

The NL East is marginally improved this year but still pretty much garbage overall, so the Nats will win 95 games and even win a playoff series this year.

I think Harper puts on a show in the 2018 Home Run derby, but pulls an oblique in so doing (Strasburg is smart to sit out the exhibition, and maybe Roark will think about that the next time he signs up for the World Baseball Classic!). As a consequence, Harper has a subpar second half but still lands a $420 million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason. Murphy gets a five year deal to DH for the Yankees. It'll be ok: a team with Robles, Taylor, Eaton, Difo, Turner, and Rendon is super athletic (assuming Severino remains after the Nats can Wieters, the Nats don't land Realmuto, the only slow position player would be Zimmerman) and will be very fun to watch.

malatesta says: (12/26/17 2:55 PM)
2018 Predictions:

- Whole Foods opens in June 2017

- Nats win the Stanley Cup (that's how sportball works, right?)

- DC Census tract 72 (roughly JDland) has a population of 5,204 when the 2013-2017 ACS data is released in December 2018

- It still smells like demon sulfur on the corner of NJ and I

- malatesta gains 10 pounds due to the increased availability of pizza in JDland

202_cyclist says: (12/27/17 10:33 AM)
49 L St SE sold for $31M last week in the GSA auction.

link

RMP says: (12/27/17 10:49 AM)
My prediction for Whole Foods is that whatever date is initially announced, it will actually open 3+ months later.

With Dacha opening up in 2018 I predict some pretty nasty twitter meltdowns by a certain other beer garden owner.

dude says: (12/28/17 4:36 PM)
This bus route does seem a little more attractive. If I'm going to union station it's because I have to be there quickly, so no to Circulator. But if I just needed to head to the wharf and it's so direct? Could be good.

As for the Nats, I only hope they have enough competition in the NL East so that they play some meaningful games in August and September so that they are ready for October.

I hope Harper gets $400M from someone, because why not?

202_cyclist says: (1/1/18 1:54 PM)
First comment of the year! I hope it is an excellent t year for the neighborhood and the JD Land community.