Letter To DC Officials Requesting Space For Social Distancing - April 3
Letter To DC Officials Requesting Space For Social Distancing - April 3
Letter To DC Officials Requesting Space For Social Distancing - April 3
We recognize the grave and urgent threat to the people of DC the novel coronavirus COVID 19 poses.
We understand that social distancing is key to mitigating community spread.
However, social distancing is only effective if people have the space to do so. Our city's trails (some
managed by NPS) have been overwhelmed with activity and impossible to use while maintaining 6+ ft.
of space between users. Sidewalks in residential areas are too narrow: even 6-8 ft. sidewalks (and many
are only 4-5 ft.), do not allow enough space to pass safely. People who want to get enough space have
to step into an active roadway.
Other forms of transportation have adjusted to the new reality of social distancing and to keep people
safe. WMATA reduced service and is increasing cleaning, for example.
Our transportation network must include protections for people walking and biking. They are the most
democratically available and responsible ways to travel right now (especially for the nearly 40% of car-
free DC households), and it should be the city's priority to make them safe. We see this as not a new
demand, but something that should be integral to any public health strategy that encourages people to
walk or bike yet maintain distance from one another.
- Open select streets to people walking and biking between the hours of 8am-8pm or make them
"local traffic only." This will give people space to pass safely. We understand some streets must
remain clear for vehicle traffic but many neighborhood streets can be people-only with few
impacts, especially since vehicles volumes are significantly reduced.
- Open streets parallel to the trail network, e.g., following the National Parks Service's March 21
decision about streets near the Tidal Basin and Philadelphia's decision to open MLK Drive. Work
with NPS to open Rock Creek Parkway and Anacostia Drive.
- Add temporary protected bike lanes along key routes to give more space to people bicycling,
e.g., like New York City on Smith Street in Brooklyn. Try out new street configurations while
traffic is light and give more space to people walking and biking who need it in order to be
distant enough from one another.
- Keep local bike shops open. Again, biking has always been the way many residents get around
DC, but now when people are avoiding public transportation it becomes even more critical. Bike
shops are essential businesses and should be classified as such so that they can remain open.
Like many DC residents we are deeply concerned about the deadly impact of the coronavirus. The city
must take measures to prevent its spread. To say it another way: we cannot travel safely right now while
walking, and that needs to be addressed in the District's response to COVID-19. People cannot walk to
work, health facilities, to check on elderly neighbors, or purchase food without breaking social
distancing required by the city government, because our sidewalks are too narrow.
Walking is a lifeline for DC residents. It is well-past time to make these changes. It is a public health
imperative.
Sincerely,
Plus 15 anonymous signatures from DC residents and 46 signatures from neighboring jurisdictions:
Alan Cashell
Alex Holt
Andrew N. Dupuy
Anna Irwin Bethesda BIKE Now
Bradford Elder
Brian Fane
Bryan Barnett-Woods
Carmen Hundley
Carrie Moskal
Christian kamrath
Daniel Marcin
Emily Massey
Emily Maurer
Evan Jensen
Gretchen Goldman
Hanan Knauer-Nassau
Holley Waldron
Jared Cohen
Jenny Hwang
Jill Ortman-Fouse
Judd Isbell
Katherine McCaskey
Lee Dwyer
Linda Deshayes
Monica McClure
Natalie Mayanja
Neil Walther
Nikola Milenkovic
Peggy Flaxman
Rebecca Farmer
Rene Segestes Breadfortheworld
Robert Fox
Roland Stephen
Sara Brown
Sarah Eppley
Seamus Joyce-Johnson
Sophia Merow
Stephanie Albright
Steve Friedman
Stewart Schwartz Coalition for Smarter Growt
Sunil Freeman
Susan Dobbertin
Sydny Grossman
Toni Tileva
Yohannes Bennehoff
Zahra Khan Fehr & Peers DC