Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

but Connecticut Avenue is somehow different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

People have lives. Also, the D.C. government tries to sneak things like this by the public because they know people will hate it and kill it. You're dreaming if you think this project is actually going to happen.

"People have lives." You are completely off your rocker. Many ANC reps hold down busy jobs and have families and yet still find time to not only participate in the meetings but organize and lead them. The "D.C. government" held multiple virtual public meetings to present their plans and receive feedback from the community. The plans have been revised on account of that feedback. The local community not only likes this plan, but has endorsed it. Please get over it and stop insulting the rest of us by posting such bovine excreta.

The local community clearly does not like this plan. The amount of messages on the listserv and posts on this thread are quite telling.

I live on Connecticut Avenue. I am the local community. I like this plan. Just because you don't., please don't speak for the rest of us.

The ANC Commissioners up and down the Avenue LISTENED to their constituents and voted for a plan the majority of their constituents support. Why is this so hard to believe? Get out of your single family home bubble.

Please stop with the “single family home” nonsense. You’re sowing divisiveness for no reason. There is nothing wrong with living in a single family home and there’s nothing wrong with living in a multi-unit dwelling. There are people in both who support Concept C and people in both who oppose it or have serious concerns that they want to make sure are addressed. Stop stereotyping.

The claim that “the majority” of constituents support Concept C is not valid as it has never been placed on a ballot. It may be true that it’s supported by the majority of people who went to the meetings, but that’s not evidence of a majority of constituents.

[Anonymous]

"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

People have lives. Also, the D.C. government tries to sneak things like this by the public because they know people will hate it and kill it. You're dreaming if you think this project is actually going to happen.

"People have lives." You are completely off your rocker. Many ANC reps hold down busy jobs and have families and yet still find time to not only participate in the meetings but organize and lead them. The "D.C. government" held multiple virtual public meetings to present their plans and receive feedback from the community. The plans have been revised on account of that feedback. The local community not only likes this plan, but has endorsed it. Please get over it and stop insulting the rest of us by posting such bovine excreta.

The local community clearly does not like this plan. The amount of messages on the listserv and posts on this thread are quite telling.

I live on Connecticut Avenue. I am the local community. I like this plan. Just because you don't., please don't speak for the rest of us.

The ANC Commissioners up and down the Avenue LISTENED to their constituents and voted for a plan the majority of their constituents support. Why is this so hard to believe? Get out of your single family home bubble.

Please stop with the “single family home” nonsense. You’re sowing divisiveness for no reason. There is nothing wrong with living in a single family home and there’s nothing wrong with living in a multi-unit dwelling. There are people in both who support Concept C and people in both who oppose it or have serious concerns that they want to make sure are addressed. Stop stereotyping.

The claim that “the majority” of constituents support Concept C is not valid as it has never been placed on a ballot. It may be true that it’s supported by the majority of people who went to the meetings, but that’s not evidence of a majority of constituents.

Everyone had an opportunity to attend meetings. Everyone had an opportunity to communicate their preferences to the Mayor, Cheh and their ANCs. The public officials took those inputs and made a decision. That is called leadership. They were voted in to make these decisions with public input. How catered do the residents who feel left out need to be? Somehow, hundreds or thousands of people had a chance to review the materials and weigh in. Why should the city be catering to those who chose not to engage, now months after the decision was made? That is some hubris and entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

So now you resort to name-calling? Is it impossible for you to talk about this without denigrating those who aren’t 100% aligned with your view? FWIW, I, too, am on Connecticut and while the plan has some positives for me, it also has significant negatives with the loss of parking. There is a waiting list for parking in my building and I don’t have a spot so I park on Connecticut overnight frequently. I also have contractors and visitors who park on Connecticut or in the neighborhood and the loss of that parking is a problem. It’s not a slam dunk for me. I also have friends who live on a likely cut through street and even though they live in a single family home and I guess I’m supposed to cancel them for that, I think they have some legitimate concerns about the potential for a traffic bottleneck on their street each day. This is the last I’m going to post because I’m not sure you aren’t just trolling at this point to keep stirring the pot, but if you are for real, I hope you can find your way to more civil discourse.

[Anonymous]

You re not entitled to free parking on public space. Rent a spot somewhere, like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

So now you resort to name-calling? Is it impossible for you to talk about this without denigrating those who aren’t 100% aligned with your view? FWIW, I, too, am on Connecticut and while the plan has some positives for me, it also has significant negatives with the loss of parking. There is a waiting list for parking in my building and I don’t have a spot so I park on Connecticut overnight frequently. I also have contractors and visitors who park on Connecticut or in the neighborhood and the loss of that parking is a problem. It’s not a slam dunk for me. I also have friends who live on a likely cut through street and even though they live in a single family home and I guess I’m supposed to cancel them for that, I think they have some legitimate concerns about the potential for a traffic bottleneck on their street each day. This is the last I’m going to post because I’m not sure you aren’t just trolling at this point to keep stirring the pot, but if you are for real, I hope you can find your way to more civil discourse.

Streets are streets. Unless it is a private driveway, there is no such thing as "cut through" - anyone can, and does, use whatever public streets serve their ability to get from point A to point B. As it is, Connecticut Avenue gets backed up in several spots, every day. Many driver use side streets to avoid or bypass those back-ups. It happens now, it will happen in the future, with, or without bike lanes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

So now you resort to name-calling? Is it impossible for you to talk about this without denigrating those who aren’t 100% aligned with your view? FWIW, I, too, am on Connecticut and while the plan has some positives for me, it also has significant negatives with the loss of parking. There is a waiting list for parking in my building and I don’t have a spot so I park on Connecticut overnight frequently. I also have contractors and visitors who park on Connecticut or in the neighborhood and the loss of that parking is a problem. It’s not a slam dunk for me. I also have friends who live on a likely cut through street and even though they live in a single family home and I guess I’m supposed to cancel them for that, I think they have some legitimate concerns about the potential for a traffic bottleneck on their street each day. This is the last I’m going to post because I’m not sure you aren’t just trolling at this point to keep stirring the pot, but if you are for real, I hope you can find your way to more civil discourse.

Ah, the truth comes out. It is about the ability for you to store your car on Connecticut Avenue for free. Glad you are finally honest about it. Park around the corner on one of the side streets. Those are free too. Or move to a building with a bigger garage - there are lots of them,.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

Maybe you could wake up and realize that many people living in SFHs just off of CT Ave chose those houses so they could walk/run/bike or take public transit to work and school. Maybe you could realize that there are people opposed to/in favor of this plan who live in apts/condos/THs/SFHs. Maybe you should realize you are talking against people who actually went to these mtgs and support the plan and live in - SFHs! You don’t really know your neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

People have lives. Also, the D.C. government tries to sneak things like this by the public because they know people will hate it and kill it. You're dreaming if you think this project is actually going to happen.

"People have lives." You are completely off your rocker. Many ANC reps hold down busy jobs and have families and yet still find time to not only participate in the meetings but organize and lead them. The "D.C. government" held multiple virtual public meetings to present their plans and receive feedback from the community. The plans have been revised on account of that feedback. The local community not only likes this plan, but has endorsed it. Please get over it and stop insulting the rest of us by posting such bovine excreta.

The local community clearly does not like this plan. The amount of messages on the listserv and posts on this thread are quite telling.

I live on Connecticut Avenue. I am the local community. I like this plan. Just because you don't., please don't speak for the rest of us.

The ANC Commissioners up and down the Avenue LISTENED to their constituents and voted for a plan the majority of their constituents support. Why is this so hard to believe? Get out of your single family home bubble.

Please stop with the “single family home” nonsense. You’re sowing divisiveness for no reason. There is nothing wrong with living in a single family home and there’s nothing wrong with living in a multi-unit dwelling. There are people in both who support Concept C and people in both who oppose it or have serious concerns that they want to make sure are addressed. Stop stereotyping.

The claim that “the majority” of constituents support Concept C is not valid as it has never been placed on a ballot. It may be true that it’s supported by the majority of people who went to the meetings, but that’s not evidence of a majority of constituents.

In our political system, each action by the government doesn't get put to a popular vote. The way the majority can register their approval or disapproval is by voting. And all the ANC members and mayor were duly elected. SO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"placing it on a ballot" isn't how our city works. Otherwise, we would have every stop sign and speed hump on ballots too.

And I make the point about SFH versus apartment dwellers because, according to OP, 20% of the people live on 80% of the land in SFH areas and 80% of the people live on 20% of the land right on the Avenue.

As such, when the pearl clutchers on the listservs and here complain they didn't know, and "everyone" is opposed, it isn't reality. It is their reality, but that is the tell.

Maybe the Single Family homeowners should stop being divisive about insisting that their way of life is the ideal and we should all have a degraded experience on Connecticut Avenue to maintain their auto-centric lifestyle.

Maybe you could wake up and realize that many people living in SFHs just off of CT Ave chose those houses so they could walk/run/bike or take public transit to work and school. Maybe you could realize that there are people opposed to/in favor of this plan who live in apts/condos/THs/SFHs. Maybe you should realize you are talking against people who actually went to these mtgs and support the plan and live in - SFHs! You don’t really know your neighborhood.

Proportionally, the people opposed to this live in SFH. That was the point I was trying ti make. Yes, I have many friends and neighbors who live in SFH who support the bike lanes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

People have lives. Also, the D.C. government tries to sneak things like this by the public because they know people will hate it and kill it. You're dreaming if you think this project is actually going to happen.

"People have lives." You are completely off your rocker. Many ANC reps hold down busy jobs and have families and yet still find time to not only participate in the meetings but organize and lead them. The "D.C. government" held multiple virtual public meetings to present their plans and receive feedback from the community. The plans have been revised on account of that feedback. The local community not only likes this plan, but has endorsed it. Please get over it and stop insulting the rest of us by posting such bovine excreta.

The local community clearly does not like this plan. The amount of messages on the listserv and posts on this thread are quite telling.

I live on Connecticut Avenue. I am the local community. I like this plan. Just because you don't., please don't speak for the rest of us.

The ANC Commissioners up and down the Avenue LISTENED to their constituents and voted for a plan the majority of their constituents support. Why is this so hard to believe? Get out of your single family home bubble.

Please stop with the “single family home” nonsense. You’re sowing divisiveness for no reason. There is nothing wrong with living in a single family home and there’s nothing wrong with living in a multi-unit dwelling. There are people in both who support Concept C and people in both who oppose it or have serious concerns that they want to make sure are addressed. Stop stereotyping.

The claim that “the majority” of constituents support Concept C is not valid as it has never been placed on a ballot. It may be true that it’s supported by the majority of people who went to the meetings, but that’s not evidence of a majority of constituents.

In our political system, each action by the government doesn't get put to a popular vote. The way the majority can register their approval or disapproval is by voting. And all the ANC members and mayor were duly elected. SO.

Stiop pretending that ANCs are more than they are. ANC commissioners are not legislators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

Nope. That is not how responsibility works. The buck stops with those individuals that agreed to the plan. Those individuals that chose to ignore the criticisms. Thise individuals that chose to do this. ANC commissioners are not politicians. They are not and have never been policy makers. Yet on this they decided to be that.

Nope. It’s a democracy. You have a voice equal to every other person at an ANC mtg. Did you show up? No? Your responsibility as a citizen to show up. Do you even vote?

And “no, we have lives so we let other people make decisions for us because they must not have lives?” But then we will blame the people who didn’t read our minds for making decisions without us. We were too busy.

Sorry. Guess you’ll pay more attention next time.

Nobody we know went to the “Connecticut Avenue NW Reversible Lane Safety and Operations Study” meetings. Why would they, everyone agreed they were bad and glad they were gone. I think more people would have showed up to the “Create a Traffic Nightmare on Connecticut Ave Meetings.” My ANC had its first meeting on the “Reversible Lane Study” on February 24, 2021 when my kids had been out of school for nearly one year and weeks after 1/6. Like many families with young kids we were barely keeping it together and dealing with multiple mental health issues. This was no time to be making major regional transportation decisions. Many of us are angry and feel as if this plan was rammed through by the young, childless, and abled. There may have been 50 meetings total, but each ANC only had a few, so it was easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention.

I'm not young or childless and found that the pandemic made it much easier to attend and participate in ANC and other public meetings.

Also, has it occurred to you that maybe if you have participated, you would understand the plan better and that if you did understand the plan, you might realize that it's not the bogeyman you seem to think it is? Ward 3 NIMBYs have perfected the art of trying to foment opposition to projects based on half-truths, fabrications, and outright lies. Sometimes this happens deliberately, but often it's because they just never bothered to educate themselves before opening their mouths in the first place and are then to damn conceited to acknowledge their misrepresentations once they learn more.

Dozens of pages before, someone who clearly does understand the plan explained very patiently why the combined changes will improve vehicle flow along CT Ave. and not result in significant spillovers of traffic to side streets. Please go back and read that. With an open mind.

After working all day and while simultaneously homeschooling your kids you found time to hop on an ANC Zoom call? This is completely not plausible.

DP, but I'm in a similar boat and I've been able to make it to many more meetings like ANC meetings or presentations. I'm usually double tasking, getting dinner going or kids through homework while listening and participating when I can. Why is that so hard to believe?

It's a lot easier than justifying stepping out of the house for an in-person meeting.

It’s hard to believe because I’ve attended multiple in person and Zoom ANC meetings and have never seen more than 15 members of the community attend. And most are only on to get their deck permits approved.

There were hundreds of participants at the ANC meeting in my area dealing with bike lanes. Also this is a totally ridiculous argument. You can't complain that nobody goes to ANC meetings, and you don't go to ANC meetings, and therefore the ANC should not address any important issues.

Why are you breathlessly denying reality. Every ANC meeting I've ever attended was exacty as described by the person you responded to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

Nope. That is not how responsibility works. The buck stops with those individuals that agreed to the plan. Those individuals that chose to ignore the criticisms. Thise individuals that chose to do this. ANC commissioners are not politicians. They are not and have never been policy makers. Yet on this they decided to be that.

Nope. It’s a democracy. You have a voice equal to every other person at an ANC mtg. Did you show up? No? Your responsibility as a citizen to show up. Do you even vote?

And “no, we have lives so we let other people make decisions for us because they must not have lives?” But then we will blame the people who didn’t read our minds for making decisions without us. We were too busy.

Sorry. Guess you’ll pay more attention next time.

Nobody we know went to the “Connecticut Avenue NW Reversible Lane Safety and Operations Study” meetings. Why would they, everyone agreed they were bad and glad they were gone. I think more people would have showed up to the “Create a Traffic Nightmare on Connecticut Ave Meetings.” My ANC had its first meeting on the “Reversible Lane Study” on February 24, 2021 when my kids had been out of school for nearly one year and weeks after 1/6. Like many families with young kids we were barely keeping it together and dealing with multiple mental health issues. This was no time to be making major regional transportation decisions. Many of us are angry and feel as if this plan was rammed through by the young, childless, and abled. There may have been 50 meetings total, but each ANC only had a few, so it was easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention.

I'm not young or childless and found that the pandemic made it much easier to attend and participate in ANC and other public meetings.

Also, has it occurred to you that maybe if you have participated, you would understand the plan better and that if you did understand the plan, you might realize that it's not the bogeyman you seem to think it is? Ward 3 NIMBYs have perfected the art of trying to foment opposition to projects based on half-truths, fabrications, and outright lies. Sometimes this happens deliberately, but often it's because they just never bothered to educate themselves before opening their mouths in the first place and are then to damn conceited to acknowledge their misrepresentations once they learn more.

Dozens of pages before, someone who clearly does understand the plan explained very patiently why the combined changes will improve vehicle flow along CT Ave. and not result in significant spillovers of traffic to side streets. Please go back and read that. With an open mind.

After working all day and while simultaneously homeschooling your kids you found time to hop on an ANC Zoom call? This is completely not plausible.

DP, but I'm in a similar boat and I've been able to make it to many more meetings like ANC meetings or presentations. I'm usually double tasking, getting dinner going or kids through homework while listening and participating when I can. Why is that so hard to believe?

It's a lot easier than justifying stepping out of the house for an in-person meeting.

It’s hard to believe because I’ve attended multiple in person and Zoom ANC meetings and have never seen more than 15 members of the community attend. And most are only on to get their deck permits approved.

There were hundreds of participants at the ANC meeting in my area dealing with bike lanes. Also this is a totally ridiculous argument. You can't complain that nobody goes to ANC meetings, and you don't go to ANC meetings, and therefore the ANC should not address any important issues.

Why are you breathlessly denying reality. Every ANC meeting I've ever attended was exacty as described by the person you responded to.

Did you attend any meetings about the proposals for CT Ave?

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Anonymous wrote:At the ANC 3/4G candidate forum, the commissioners describe the bike lanes as a done deal. There wasn't a lot of room for the candidates to distinguish themselves on this issue, and in fact, none of them came out abjectly against them.

Two of the candidates were painfully non-committal, retreating to the 'we need to improve engagement' argument.

So they were embarrassed that this was caught out before they broke ground and think it's just a pr problem.

Let us all remember the names of the people responsible for our impending traffic nightmare. DDOT came up with the plan but those ANC commissioners are the ones that own it.

You are missing the point. The decision has been made. The bike lanes are going in. There are no options for reversing the decision.

If you want to hold anyone accountable, it is the Mayor. So if you want to vote against her, she will only get 80% of the vote instead of 81%.

Nope. I blame the ANC commissioners in our neighborhood. It is they who deserve our ire. It is they who should have known better. It is they who need to accept that their own responsibility will last and that people will not forget.

Actually, you are responsible. You and anyone else who failed to keep up with local community development initiatives. Failed to attend meetings and voice your concerns. Failed to answer surveys. If all these folks on these 120 pages had gotten off their couches and participated in democracy, this may have turned out differently. Go ahead and complain but don’t say you never had your chance. You blew it. It’s on you.

People have lives. Also, the D.C. government tries to sneak things like this by the public because they know people will hate it and kill it. You're dreaming if you think this project is actually going to happen.

"People have lives." You are completely off your rocker. Many ANC reps hold down busy jobs and have families and yet still find time to not only participate in the meetings but organize and lead them. The "D.C. government" held multiple virtual public meetings to present their plans and receive feedback from the community. The plans have been revised on account of that feedback. The local community not only likes this plan, but has endorsed it. Please get over it and stop insulting the rest of us by posting such bovine excreta.

The local community clearly does not like this plan. The amount of messages on the listserv and posts on this thread are quite telling.

I live on Connecticut Avenue. I am the local community. I like this plan. Just because you don't., please don't speak for the rest of us.

The ANC Commissioners up and down the Avenue LISTENED to their constituents and voted for a plan the majority of their constituents support. Why is this so hard to believe? Get out of your single family home bubble.

Please stop with the “single family home” nonsense. You’re sowing divisiveness for no reason. There is nothing wrong with living in a single family home and there’s nothing wrong with living in a multi-unit dwelling. There are people in both who support Concept C and people in both who oppose it or have serious concerns that they want to make sure are addressed. Stop stereotyping.

The claim that “the majority” of constituents support Concept C is not valid as it has never been placed on a ballot. It may be true that it’s supported by the majority of people who went to the meetings, but that’s not evidence of a majority of constituents.

In our political system, each action by the government doesn't get put to a popular vote. The way the majority can register their approval or disapproval is by voting. And all the ANC members and mayor were duly elected. SO.

Stiop pretending that ANCs are more than they are. ANC commissioners are not legislators.

It’s like thinking getting appointed school crossing guard is the same as being a cop.

They want to make them seem important because they now “control” them. But their job is only to serve as interlocutors between the community and the city government. Helping to let people in their district know about what’s going on and to help connect them to the appropriate city resources.