[RP TownTalk] After new condos are built- what about traffic?

[Dwight Holmes]

There are, indeed, going to be HUGE changes in terms of the amount and
the flow of traffic in our town.  Assuming that the Dumm's Corner
development comes to fruition, and that the old NOAA site (where
Lafayette turns and flows through the parking lot over to Rivertech
Court) also converts from an abandoned site into a high-density
residential complex... and add to that the humongous plans starting to
unfold for the entire campus area along Paint Branch and River
Roads...

If the Dumm's Corner development goes through as currently proposed,
it will be especially incumbent on the Town to marshall whatever
resources and leverage are necessary to improve the flow of both
pedestrian and vehicular traffic in this entire area starting *now* --
if not, the risk is that potential buyers of these condos will take
one look at the morning snarl of traffic and the unsafe conditions and
say "No thanks."

A few obvious changes in store for us:

1. Lafayette (north of Queensbury) will become a real, through street
connecting via Rivertech Ct. to River Rd.  Many of us enjoy using this
little secret passageway we have that gives us a very handy bypass to
avoid the downtown College Park portion of Rt. 1.  It is as wonderful
as it is partly because it is hidden from the world -- it doesn't show
up on yahoo maps, google local, mapquest or any published map for that
matter.  Despite its top secret classification, at rush hour there is
quite a line of cars coming down Lafayette to Queensbury.  Once the
development goes in at the NOAA site and the street is opened up, that
will quickly become a major conduit feeding traffic into our Town
Center.

2. The proposed plan for Dumm's Corner has the entry/exit to the
underground parking area on Queensbury Rd approximately opposite of
Natoli Place -- the street that runs along the east side of Mabel
Munch "Park".  If Lafayette right at Queensbury in front of the MARC
station is closed as has been suggested (which may well make sense),
then this new intersection of a rerouted Lafayette-onto-Natoli Place +
the parking entrance for the Dumm's Corner garage @ Queensbury will
suddenly become a busy intersection. With current rules, all traffic
coming out of the garage onto Queensbury during the morning rush hour
would be forced to make a left turn onto Queensbury, and feed into the
already-confused and dangerous
Lafayette/Queensbury/Rhode Island/RxR track Medusa-of-an-intersection.

3. With EYA East (over 300 units), a new Dumm's Corner complex (120
units) and the NOAA complex (??? units), it's a safe (and desireable)
assumption that use of the MARC station will increase dramatically.  I
use the MARC daily, and my walk from home on Riverdale Rd. to the
station can certainly be an adventure even now -- especially if I'm
running late and can already hear the train whistle blowing!  The only
available painted crosswalk to get from Lafayette to the station is
way over in front of S&J's -- hardly convenient. And as others have
written already, few of the drivers are paying any attention to the
pedestrians at this Medusa-of-an-intersection.

The town plan for Town Center envisions a pedestrian-friendly,
high-density complex of residential, commercial, and public space.
Right now, without a major intervention and redesign (as others in
this thread have called for), it will be anything but pedestrian
friendly.

One hopeful suggestion: The new high tech crosswalk on River Rd (that
connects the College Park Metro to the federal buildings across the
street) is wonderful.  Some kind of a sensor trips flashing lights
that outline the crosswalk area when a pedestrian enters the zone. It
seems to be a pretty effective means of actually getting the cars to
stop for pedestrians (which is quite an accomplishment in these
parts!).  Use of this technology along with carefully considered
placement of pedestrian crosswalks could greatly enhance the safety of
the area.

On 1/31/07, Leslie Plant <soapmkr at erols.com> wrote:
> Sarah wrote:
>
> >>There was a plan, concocted nearly 15 years ago by MNCPPC, citizens,
> and businesses in Riverdale, that advised closing off the section of
> Lafayette that goes between the parking lot for the train station and
> Mabel Munch Park. Lafayette would connect with Natoli Place (in front
> of the large Victorian houses/apartments) and end on Queensbury,
> forcing drivers to turn left or right on Queensbury. I still think this
> proposal has merit.<<
>
> That is a good, creative idea.
>
> I also wonder sometimes if the corner by Dumms could be one-way going
> towards the mansion, at least during rush hour.  That way the traffic going
> over the tracks wouldn't be at risk from those cars running the stop-sign at
> the corner.