Enjoyable

Making it Enjoyable - How Did I Do So Far?

Since elected, our neighborhood has gotten:


I've publicly advocated for Better Bus Service:


I've personally put in at least 70 requests to 311 (not even counting ones thru X/Twitter).


I've advocated for improvements to Bunker Hill Park:


I proudly voted FOR these Resolutions and Letters my colleagues on Commission 5B introduced:

How Does This Compare to What I Said in 2022?  How Can I Do Better in 2025?  Let Me Know!

Living in the city has benefits -- or should.  When people come together, to live, play, and work, we can build, operate, and maintain more robust services to improve the quality of everyone's life.  I strongly believe the city should provide services that improve the quality of everyone's life as well as bring joy.  Robust city services help everyone!  It helps seniors stay in their homes, older kids and teens to be independent, people with disabilities to be active, and everyone to save time and avoid frustration.

my experience

Our school is only 1.3 miles away from our home.  My work is located downtown.  We like to go out to parks, restaurants, and the many wonderful places to visit in Washington, DC and the greater metro area.  In most cases we have to drive.  Even when you don't, however, many services are poor or missing to accommodate people who want to spend time throughout the city, take a rest before seeing the doctor, or need to relieve themselves. 

Screenshot of Google Maps showing the amount of time it will take to get to Labyrinth Games & Puzzles from "Your location". It is 21 minutes via car, 1 hour 2 minutes via transit, and 1 hour 35 minutes walking.

how to get there?

When we want to go places as a family, especially into DC (where driving and parking just gets more difficult) I would rather take the bus.  However, a 21 minute drive compared with a 1+ hour multiple transfer bus route is not comparable!

An ebike in an automobile parking spot at the FedEx distribution center.

bike goes where?

If we don't take the bus, but instead take our bicycles, we often are faced with the question: "Where should the bicycle(s) go?"  Many places lack bike racks, and many bicycle racks are unusable for cargo bikes and other family friendly options!

Photo of a toilet from Lincoln's Cottage

where do i go?

When you are out and about, the call of nature can strike at any time.  Many public parks lack restrooms in DC.  Restrooms are generally hidden near metro stations.  If you have small children or a chronic issue, the location of your nearest bathroom can quickly become a major concern.

frequent and effective transit

Automobile dependency hurts your pocketbook, the environment, and causes traffic frustration.  Additionally, if you have challenges which prevent driving, or wish not to, it can also be isolating.  However, living in this part of Washington, DC is challenging when it comes to having transit options.  When you decide to go out by yourself, or with your family, living in the city should come with the benefit of options.

Metrobus

5B01 is directly served by 4 metrobus routes, but all need better frequency and improved reliability.  There is so much potential for better service, just by increasing bus frequency.

Check the bus schedules yourself on WMATA's DC Timetables site.

Capital Bikeshare

5B01 has zero Capital Bikeshare stations.  Additionally, the neighborhoods East of South Dakota Ave NE in totality do not have any either!  There is a bikeshare station at Woodridge Library, but without stations throughout the neighborhood, how should one get there?  ANC5B as a whole, which encompasses Brookland, has a total of 4: 10th and Monroe St NE, 12th and Newton St NE, 18th and Monroe St NE, and 12th and Irving St NE.  Take a look on the Capital Bikeshare Map.

maintenance

It isn't flashy, like opening a new facility, but maintenance is necessary and the heart and soul of a well run city.  We should not have to solely on 311 requests to ensure our parks and streets are in good working order.  Additionally, we need to ensure when an issue is addressed that the city addresses it comprehensively.  In every interaction, city workers and representatives should ask what the needs truly are, and if they are being fully addressed.

Screenshot of 311 request number 22-00265580.

311 Request for tree pruning, as plant overgrowth was blocking the sidewalk and visibility of street signs.  The corner was pruned, making the stop sign visible but...

Overgrown plants blocking the sidewalk from the vantage point of looking across the street.

The sidewalk is still completely inaccessible due to overgrowth on the North part of Bunker Hill Road between 20th and 21st.  Why did the city think it needed to be trimmed in the first place? (I put in a new 311 request.)

Broken swing at Dwight Mosley playground.

I've put in 311 requests for broken equipment, graffiti, and plant overgrowth at Dwight Mosley as well as the park between 18th, Michigan, and Bunker Hill NE.  These are regularly serviced by city personnel.  Do they comprehensively look at issues when on site?

Tweezers holding a shard of glass pulled from a bicycle tire.

Strewn glass bottles become glass shards, which eventually can hurt children, pedestrians, and damage bicycles.  While I am seeking solutions to manage trash, more frequent street sweeping of streets, bike/mobility lanes, and sidewalks should take place, especially in high traffic areas.

public bathrooms

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has to go sometimes.  Every city Recreation Center and Park (over a certain size or other considerations) should have accessible public restrooms anytime their facilities are available.  Additionally, we should do more to make bathrooms available for all.  When we do not provide bathrooms, people still go, and this results in public urination and worse.

Not all Recreation Centers are the same!

Turkey Thicket Recreation Center is great -- we go there often -- but if you go when the main recreation center is closed you are out of luck if you need to use a restroom!  No chance before noon (M-F) or on a Sunday!

Friendship Heights Recreation Center photo showing the outdoor accessible restrooms on the left.

The Friendship Heights Recreation Center (adjacent photo), on the other hand, has outdoor accessible restrooms which allow them to be accessible even if the main recreation center is closed!  This should be the standard across DC and the restrooms should be open 24/7.

The restrooms are the doors on the left.

places to sit and rest

The city should not be leveraging hostile architecture and removal of benches in a misguided attempt to address homelessness and vagrancy.  Additionally, bus stops -- especially if we are going to have long waits -- need benches and bus shelters.

what i plan to do

I want to to ensure new developments which make sense to incorporate public amenities do so, whether bikeshare stations, restrooms, benches, or parks.  I want to look into improving public amenities where we can in 5B01 and across 5B.  I also want to build off of the success other Wards and ANCs have had advocating to increase metrobus frequency.  I want to advocate for city agencies to be held to a high standard of service and the city provides public amenities which provide relief, make life a bit easier, and improve joy.