For Release: Monday, Oct. 18, 2021
Contact: Nick DelleDonne,
703 929 6656
Rogue Dupont ANC Passes Secret DDOT Traffic Plan
On Wednesday, Oct. 13, Dupont ANC 2B unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) implement a major street reconfiguration affecting all East Dupont in a Plan written by a Ross Elementary School committee led by Dan Adler, himself a Ross parent, and the Ward 2 representative of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). Ross parents said DDOT examined and approved the Plan secretly a year ago.
The resolution is invalid because it was not properly noticed to the community, and because it was not made available to, or ever discussed by, Dupont Circle voters. At the meeting, ANC Chair Matthew Holden disclosed that neither the resolution nor the Ross Plan were ever presented at the ANC Mobility Committee.
The defect in notice lies in that fact that the published agenda for the meeting does not mention the Ross Plan. It reads simply, “Consideration of a resolution regarding pedestrian and cyclist safety at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and S Street NW.”
At the meeting, Ross parents expressed 100% agreement with the Plan, but the Plan itself was never presented. They said it had been prepared by experts and that DDOT approved it a year ago. Chair Holden said he could not remember details of the Plan but nonetheless led the ANC in a unanimous vote for it.
After the meeting, Ross parent Neha Mis posted on the Facebook page of the Coalition on DDOT Bike Plans, the Ross Plan “was developed by a consultant firm with expertise in urban planning & traffic safety hired by DDOT. It was reviewed & approved by DDOT.” Mis denied the Ross PTA had a role in the Plan. She wrote, “A committee of parents who are constituents, residents and taxpayers provided information to the consultant firm about safety issues.”
It turns out that the Ross Plan is a many-paged document that resident Lance Salonia says “goes broad and deep and will affect almost all aspects of our lives.” It apparently includes building major infrastructure such as bulb outs, speed humps, numerous street signage changes, and possibly even additional protected bike lanes on R St., Q St., and New Hampshire Ave.
“Who here has even read the plan?” Solonia asked on the same FaceBook page. “I encourage all neighbors who believe in the democratic process to contact both the ANC and their neighborhood associations and other elected or appointed officials including the Attorney General to ask that action be taken on this,” Solonia said. “This is dangerous stuff when the local elected body thinks it can short-circuit public comment.”
“We have in Dupont Circle a rogue ANC that will only bring great harm upon the community,” said Nick DelleDonne, president of the Dupont East Civic Action Association (DECAA), which has the issue on its agenda, Monday, Oct. 18.
“It adds yet another dimension of concern about DDOT operations under Acting DDOT Director Everett,” whose confirmation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26, before the DC Council. Anyone wishing to testify should contact A. Benjamin at abenjamin@dccouncil.us. DECAA has asked Councilmember Brooke Pinto for comment.