March ANC: Billion-Dollar Shortfall, Rush-Hour Parking
By • March 10, 2025 2 801
A flurry of official communications from the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission to Mayor Muriel Bowser and other city officials — highlighting two urgent, if not unexpected, matters facing Georgetown — preceded the March 3 meeting of ANC 2E.
First is the projected D.C. budget shortfall of some $1 billion. Second is the permanent ending of rush-hour parking limitations on key commercial curbsides and traffic lanes of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown.
In both cases, the commissioners are urging a pause and proposing more study of potential impacts, due to changes in the federal work environment mandated by the Trump administration and a generally cautious approach, “to make sure all concerns are being met.”
With new D.C. budget planning coming up, a major concern at the March meeting was the completion of long-planned and budgeted renovations at Jelleff Recreation Center, Volta Park and Ellington Field. Would they stay in the budget? The renovation of track facilities and the two field houses at Ellington Field are scheduled to begin soon, perhaps even at the end of the month, according to Commissioner Kishan Putta. But that start-date is not a written commitment, it seems.
In addition, the preconstruction preparations for DC Water’s water filter tunnel project will apparently begin soon on Water Street on the western end of Georgetown. But the impact on traffic and pedestrian circulation of this Phase I stage is supposed to be minimal, according to DC Water officials. Most of the preconstruction activity will take place around the ongoing construction area of the citizenM hotel on Water Street.
Courtesy Citizens Association of Georgetown.
The dominant topic by the end of the meeting was a lively to-and-fro between the commissioners and District Department of Transportation officials about eliminating rush-hour parking along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. According to DDOT, it was approved, and rush-hour parking has been eliminated for a good year already. What caught the ANC’s eye was an official Notice of Intent that the changes will be permanent.
That prompted letters from the ANC (online at georgetowner.com) that asked: “If you care about traffic in Georgetown, be aware that the DDOT plans to permanently remove all rush-hour lanes in the neighborhood, a key commuter route for Maryland and Virginia residents.”
A letter sent to DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum by Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces Co-Chairs Elizabeth Miller and Stefanie Scott (see The Village page in this issue) points out: “President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal workers to terminate remote work arrangements and return to work in-person on a full-time basis as soon as is practicable. Are you aware the National Park Service has issued a similar NOI to remove one-way rush hour on Rock Creek Parkway?
“If the major commercial arteries of Wisconsin and M are clogged, it’s a safe bet that overflow traffic will end up on the residential streets of Georgetown,” the letter argues. “The overflow traffic will further compromise already overused and gridlocked Georgetown thoroughfares and side streets. Further, have you considered the climate component of higher emissions and greenhouse gases and pollutants being released into the air with cars sitting in traffic?”
A second letter, this one to Mayor Muriel Bowser from DC Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton (see The Village page) was vigorously discussed at the ANC meeting. It brings up police concerns about the Georgetown BID’s Widened Sidewalk and Streatery Pilot, as follows: “M Street is the only way to get to Canal Road and Key Bridge – Wisconsin Avenue connects many NW neighborhoods. With the uptick in back-to-office policies moving to eliminate rush hour traffic rules and reduce lanes in Georgetown seems short-sighted.”
The letter concludes: “The city can’t afford extended sidewalks financially nor operationally.” Especially in light of the predicted $1-billion budget shortfall, “It’s time to pull them up and allow first responders access to the businesses and community that rely on them for safety and security.”
The ANC passed a resolution including these points.
Get Rid of the Stupid Bike Lanes and Dining in the streets all over Georgetown. This will help the traffic flow. Be happy that people are being forced to come back to work in this horribly mismanaged city and hopefully spend their money on the businesses in Georgetown that greatly need it.
I live on 29th Street between P and Q streets. 29th has definitely become a commuter street, especially in the evening, coming off M up to R with an easy right turn from R onto Wisconsin, all of which eliminates the slug up Wisconsin from M Street.