A Telling Deletion

About the political influence of
Catholic University of America and
Masonic Eastern Star
in Blocking PEPCO-B&O Washington, D.C. I-95
as property holders along the route


Deleted conversation from Imagine DC:

---

Douglas A. Willinger said...

[Dave Murphy- Imagine D.C. quote]

" Now, I'm not endorsing HOV and HOT lanes (and certainly not any new construction of such roads) as any sort of a cure for our traffic problems here in Washington. But this is a very poignant reminder of how entitled we believe are cars should be. "

[my reply]

In that area?

With that giant gap in the northern radial net and the center hub?!

I do not ever see the original 1955-59 system being built for good reason - aka footprint. Why clear cut trees and or houses when there is a 250 foot wide power line, a rr industrial corridor and a 147 foot wide street to go beneath?

I do see a modified version of the 1971 plan somewhat with a redesigned center section (see "Trip" Nov 2007) with the northern I-95 continuation via the PEPCO route.

But only after something major politically happens about what runs that area (aka that Masonic Eastern Star property [on New Hampshire Avenue near Eastern Avenue], which I am suspicious of given the lack of anything from them about that route or the logical to me option of it as a cut and cover tunnel to preserve the property's dignity.

Likewise with CUA's apparent lack of interest in a deck along the B&O corridor. Please note the 1966 plan proposed it to run north to Taylor Street, but that is deleted by the 1971 plan.

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2008/05/1966-1971-covered-north-central-freeway.html

And as well that attitudes I have witnessed, aka at the end of the following article; do recall the active participation of the Jesuit Georgetown Law Center in the anti highway crusades.

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/02/sampling-of-attitudes-towards-dc-i-95.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2008/01/physical-realities-undermining-north.html

Knowing my history beyond that of the planning of the D.C. area highways, I see no reason to go along with any sort of white is black and black is white placating (as I witnessed at say college frat parties).

February 28, 2009 5:16 PM

Dave Murphy said...

Douglas,
I fail to see the relevance of this...

March 1, 2009 3:43 AM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

You made a strict statement against any new highways in an area with huge gaps in the road network and in common sense.

I think a far better constitutional argument would be the lack of the freeways in the northern sector as placing a disproportionate amount of the traffic burden to the south east of the Anacostia River as classic environmental racism.

Of course Georgetown Law Center apparently would make the situation worse by truncating I-395 at Mass Ave, and with their unjustified influence get their way.

That our government continues with these completely unjustified strict anti freeway policies and boondoggles as street cars while pushing domestic surveillance (while ignoring civil defense) speaks volumes about its nature.

March 1, 2009 9:02 AM

Dave Murphy said...

I made a passing opposition to new construction of HOT lanes and HOV lanes. Are you saying lack of construction of HOT lanes and HOV lanes is unconstitutional?

I fail to see how any of what you said relates to this post.

March 1, 2009 2:03 PM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

No, rather the lack of freeways in the northern sector relative to placing the burden where it is, might be.

HOT/HOV lanes though are a good way IMHO to throttle usage, particularly with transfers to WMATA rail parking garages.

Also the tolls are good for funding the extra high dollar designs of cut and cover and drilled tunnels necessary for accommodating a high speed highway in an urban area.

If you search misc.transport.road, my late 1990s advocacy of the PEPCO-B&O route coupled it with a southbound variable rate toll at Fort Totten and rail transfer facility.

March 1, 2009 4:25 PM

Dave Murphy said...

In the future, I'd appreciate it if you kept the comments focused on the issues presented in the articles I post and save your crusade to have I-95 constructed through NE DC for your own website (unless, of course, it is pertinent to something written about here.) Any further such comments will be deleted.

March 1, 2009 4:35 PM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

The comment was relevant to this and your preceding post.

I did not see any reason to post it twice.

March 1, 2009 6:45 PM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

The link to my blog on your blog vanished, though I do not know why.

March 1, 2009 6:47 PM

---

Masonic Eastern Star Home
on New Hampshire Avenue
between railroad and Eastern Avenue

Proposed D.C. I-95
dashed lines indicating connecting segment of
PEPCO power line-B&O route
through Masonic Eastern Star property

1966 D.C. I-95 proposal
with red area of proposed air rights development
extending alongside CUA northwards to Taylor Street

1971 D.C. I-95 proposal
with proposed air rights development extending south from CUA
(leaving area alongside CUA uncovered-
hence preserving the local isolation from the east via the surface railroad)

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/05/1964-north-central-freeway-routing_08.html

http://cos-mobile.blogspot.com/2008/07/homeland-security-goal-would-be-better.html

http://cos-mobile.blogspot.com/2009/05/romish-masonic-religious-drive-against.html

--- added February 1, 2010

Note- contrast the above February 28 - March 1, 2009 conversation with that about 4 months earlier from the comments section reproduced below from my December 17, 2008 article at 'A Trip Within The Beltway' that republished and expanded upon an article by Richard Layman

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2008/12/under-selling-b-metropolitan-branch.html

6 comments:

Dave Murphy said...

I think burying the Metropolitan Branch is a fantastic idea, and making it multi-modal would be great. But I have my typica question: where would the freeway end? I don't see it getting to the Beltway through Silver Spring, considering all the high density development along the tracks. I can't imagine they'd approve the Fort Totten Park alignment because it would still tear out a good bit of Chillum before it hits the Beltway. I certainly hope you aren't recommending another dead end freeway!

2:53 AM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

The plan would have I-95 split from the rr as a cut and cover tunnel beneath the field of the Masonic Eastern Star Home alongside NH Avenue, displace about 27 brick houses just inside DC and then 13 strip retail properties (with a monumental traffic circle at the DC-MD line, and then some cut and cover in MD with new development atop); there is no reason to use the Fort Totten (Fort Drive) Park route with the existence of the NHA-PEPCO route.

It could and should include the Silver Spring segment, either by ripping out some of the misplaced development on the rr's eastern side, or even a segment as drilled tunnel.

It would not displace the historic Cady Lee Mansion in TP, nor the houses facing the rr along Takoma Avenue, though it would take some of the misplaced Montgomery Gardens apartment complex.

Grade requirements will require placing the heavy rr in a drilled tunnel to northwest of 16th Street, but the WMATA could stay upon the existing Georgia Avenue overpass, which could have a surface street placed on it where the heavy rr is to better connect the area locally.

Some of Cedar Crossing might have to go, along with the entire Elevation 314 building.

However a replica of the historic TP rr station could and should reappear in a new Takoma Station Town Square.

11:47 PM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

Please see:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmqBLaso6uklFbH8gB_MlvwZn31Un448Yia3Zolm7126DvcmJd70vRDGxn25SoY9HZpghUh6oKrBtxoFcuhyQrqO2iXRwGNTFfKmha9JQsiPnTbVtkjNXKM2Tig_4AAHbRkfT/s1600-h/Takoma_Station_Tunnel.JPG

11:49 PM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

The above url may not be readable; it is the illustration in this blog's post of July 2007:

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

try this blog's tag "Grand Arc Mall Tunnel"

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/search/label/Grand%20Arc%20Mall%20Tunnel

Also see the 2 redundant tags about the B&O rr corridor.

11:53 PM

Dave Murphy said...

the PEPCO route seems to be logical, reconnecting at College Park's interchange, I presume. I also imagine it would be two lanes in each direction, and above the railroad ROWs?

I'm a huge fan of burying the Metropolitan Branch, but I have never seen any sort of an estimate for how much it would cost to do so, and what kind of service interruptions the red line, MARC, and CSX would face during reconstruction.

2:39 AM

Douglas A. Willinger said...

The rail lines would first be replaced to avoid service interruptions, before the removal of the existing rail lines and the construction of the underground highway.

8:24 PM

Washington, D.C. Unanimous Cave In On Route Chock

D.C. City Council votes unanimously to subvert transport corridor chock in total violation of post 911 evacuation route concerns, approving 'Brookland Small Area Plan' that shoehorns development to even block adding a single northbound track.


From Greater, Greater, Washington:

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1747

The DC Council's Committee of the Whole approved the Brookland Small Area Plan this morning. Technically, they just placed a resolution on the calendar to approve the plan, with some comments; the full Council will vote on the plan later today. However, after this vote, final passage is overwhelmingly likely. Update: The plan passed unanimously.

David-

What was the vote? Was it unanimous or was their some diversity of opinion, debate??

by Douglas Willinger on Mar 3, 2009 11:34 am

Unanimous on a voice vote.

by David Alpert on Mar 3, 2009 11:41 am

That's some government.

That is utterly consistent with my experience when I was promoting the Alexandria Orb and the preservation of the proposed Washington Street Urban Deck.

It was proposed to cover 1,100 feet of the Beltway but which was cut back by some 80% to trade away the funds for things as prettier sidewalks along and around the Prince Street area, voted unanimously by the Alexandria City Council in Dec 2000 and by USNCPC in March 2001.

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-happened-at-alexandria-city-hall.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-could-have-been-said-backroom.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-this-was-outcome-of-highly.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/03/rubber-stamp-resolution-by-us-national.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-others-got-from-siphoning-urban.html

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-things-went-at-us-nati_117295465376800441.html

See more at my blog 'A Trip Within the Beltway' under the tag "Alexandria Orb"

by Douglas Willinger on Mar 3, 2009 12:00 pm

Washington DC Parochialism Emanating From All Levels Of Government

Federal:

US National Capital Planning Commision (NCPC) - supports further truncating I-395

Regional:

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - supports vast new road tolling with no new lanes within the I-495 Beltway; COG report gives 1st billing to private "environmentalist" advocate who opposes any new lanes even outside the Beltway.

Local:

DDOT- flirts with further truncating I-395

Whatever happened to the idea of additional evacuation routes?
A Beholden Doctrine

Parochialist Planning Sells Out Valuably Useful D.C. North Central Transport Corridor

- Chocks Washington, D.C.'s sole norther north-south transport corridor;
- Sells out public need for a bit more real estate development;
- Altogether disregards post 911 security/evacuation route in a general planning that has disregarded civil defense
- Promoted by the government and Catholic University of America

http://www.metbranchtrail.com/Documents/5DraftChapter5.pdf
(warning PDF!)

http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2008/05/cuabrookland-transport-corridor-chock.html

Note the placement of the North Central corridor about midway between the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway and the Potomac River. Is shown here with the I-95 Northeastern Freeway via the Northwest Branch Park route.

D.C. I-95 Routes 1960-1973

Transportation Corridor Chocking- Unbuilt I-95 Washington, D.C. Red Line
The Washington Post Lies About Un-Built Inside The Beltway I-95

Parochialist Threat To Truncate I-395 at Massachusetts Avenue

The consultants offered the following observations and recommendations to address the heavy through-traffic using New York Avenue:

The D.C. street network exists to serve District residents and neighborhoods, first, and those who work in the District, second. Give much less priority to accommodating regional (interstate) traffic. (Decker, Morrison, Peloquin, Slade, Stull)

That latter part has lead to the current disastrous results.

Provide multi-modal transportation in the New York Avenue corridor by accommodating pedestrians, bicycles, transit, railroad, and automobiles. (Morrison, Slade)

Better accomplished with a parallel tunnel-highway then pushing the traffic onto New Jersey Avenue.

Focus on moving people––not cars. Encourage a bias against the automobile. (Decker, Morrison, Slade)

This gets regurgitated again and again with no thought to the reality that automobiles accommodate people rather then drive themselves with artificial intelligence.

Removal of the current regional through-traffic volume on the corridor would create opportunities for mixed-use development in this District. (Decker, Morrison, Peloquin, Slade, Stull)

And without a new parallel tunnel-highway create more traffic congestion in complete disregard to post 911 concerns about evacuation routes.

To discourage use of New York Avenue/I-395 for regional through traffic:
(Decker, Slade)

IOW- make the many spend more time and fuel on stop and start surface streets or the longer route of around the city. Will their study even list this?

Consider tolls or congestion pricing. (Decker, Slade)

That could be reasonable to pay for the new highways

Consider truncating I-395 at Massachusetts Avenue. (Decker)

Attempt to push the burden away while greatly increasing traffic on New Jersey Avenue between Massachusetts and New York Avenue, and conflict with the elderly pedestrian inhabitants of the misplaced Bibleway Golden Rule apartment complex and their nearest grocery store.

Me thinks that the people behind this need to be fired, starting with these overpriced/overrated consultants.

DDOT suggests cutting 395 to Mass Ave- Greater Greater Washington

CUA/Brookland Transport Corridor Chock

New demolition specials pushed to chock Washington, D.C.'s sole north south transport corridor


Although lip service was given to the idea of addition evacuation road routes for major cities, our jesuitical government is pushing further chocking the B&O Metropolitan Branch RR/ WMATA Red Line corridor.

Observe that the proposed urban deck atop the railroad does not extend to the north alongside Catholic University of America, as consistent with my supposition that CUA prefers the surface railroad as is to serve as a wall between it and the neighborhoods to the east. This is consistent with a recent "briefings" page by an "environmentalist" group against not only a comprehensive subway system including my ideas for vehicular tunnels, but also against the idea promoted by myself and Richard Layman -- my article, his article -- to underground this Red Line corridor.

While properties taken under eminent domain for roads deserve 3X market value for the time savings for the many, such demolition specials that are put up in complete contempt of comprehensive transportation planning that include vast new parkland arguable deserve less, say 10 cents on the dollar.

This Ultramontanism needs to cease.

For more information please contact: Deborah Crain, Ward 5 Planner, DC Office of Planning, 801 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 4000
Phone: 202-442-7615 Fax: 202-442-7638
E-mail: Deborah.Crain@dc.gov
Or visit the DC Office of Planning online.

Please RSVP: 202-610-0005 or rsvp@jsallc.com

Jesuit Contempt for Highways/Pushing It Away- A Sampling of Attitudes Towards D.C. I-95