November 14, 2002
c/o 340 W. Edmonston Drive
Rockville, MD 20852
Bo Ferguson, Project Implementation Coord.
Rockville City Hall
111 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
| Re: | CIP fy2004, Association Input: Cabin John Parkway Road Stub Improvements (new) |
| Timing of East Lynfield Drive Widening (#420-850-5B11) |
Dear. Mr. Ferguson,
In response to the City Manager´s letter of October 10, inviting our input in the CIP fy2004 budget cycle, our association does have a new project to propose and some timing to recommend. The new project is improvements to the dead-end road stub at the southern end of Cabin John Parkway, at the entrance to Stoneridge Pond. For timing, we recommend doing this as an adjunct to the Cabin John Sewer Line, Phase III (#220-850-3B45) work in the same roadway. Also, we recommend performing the East Lynfield Widening project (#420-850-5B11) at a similar time for the same reason. Both sites will necessarily be disrupted per our understanding of the planned sewer line configuration. With the relevant equipment on-site and needing to do something after laying the sewer line, we recommend performing these streetscape improvements at that time.
The Cabin John road stub proposal originated among residents along the adjacent Leverton Road, spearheaded by Greg Manougian (a name you may recognize due to his service as a commissioner on the Cultural Arts Commission). The intent of this project is twofold. First is providing better treatment to this dead-end road stub. Second is eliminating this paved area as a place for vehicular loitering and maintenance issues. Our association is considering three options, described and diagramed in the attached drawings. While we do not have a specific motion preferring one to another, option #3 seems most desirable from a neighborhood perspective. [Note: No finite motion is forthcoming now simply because we have not convened a general meeting since this proposal arose. We have been waiting for the City to forward a plan for the Fleet Street Extension Project, which was expected this fall and when we anticipated calling a general meeting]. I have mentioned this proposal casually to Burt and he introduced it to further City Hall contacts. We did get feedback from the Dept. of Public Works that they are concerned to retain adequate heavy vehicular access to the storm water pond site for very occasional maintenance. Neighborhood parties to this proposal think this can be accommodated, in some fashion, in any of the configuration options.
We suggest that a good time to execute this project is as a adjunct to the Cabin John Sewer Line, Phase III. This involves the same roadway that will be disrupted per current planning for that sewer line. A portion of this paving and curbing is likely to be temporarily removed to lay new sewer piping, and all the attendant equipment to do the construction will be on-site at that time. So we expect that reconfiguring the streetscape a little is ideal.
The circumstances of East Lynfield Drive relative to the sewer line project are comparable. The desirability of improving this streetscape already has been formalized as a lingering CIP project. The new sewer line path goes down this short street and we expect will cause moderate street disruption. So we recommend performing this work as well, as improving the streetscape when putting it back together after laying the sewer line.
A good compensatory infrastructure exchange argument can be made here. The residents of these streets will suffer a significant inconvenience during sewer line construction--which ostensibly supports someone else´s sewer service/capacity. To be able to improve, not just simply restore this streetscape, at the culmination of the sewer work seems a suitable gesture for the affected immediate residents.
In summary, ours is a three-part proposal. First, generate a new CIP project for addressing the Cabin John Parkway road stub. Second, perform this new project as a clean up to laying the Cabin John Sewer Line. And third, also perform East Lynfield widening, similarly affected, as a clean up to the sewer line project.
Sincerely,
David Hill,
President
cc
W. Mark Pentz, City Manager
Telly Whitfield, Neigh. Resource Coord.
Burt Hall, Dir. Rec. and Parks
B. Ferguson, Spec. Project Coord.
Hall Cranor, Dir. Public Words
Greg Manougian, Resident, Leverton Road
Name of Project: Cabin John Road Stub Improvements
Location of Project: At the southern, dead-end terminus of Cabin John Parkway. This also forms the northern entrance to the Stoneridge Pond Storm Water Management Site.
Description of Project: We propose three configuration options, as described and diagrammed on the attachment. Option #3 appears the most desirable.
Justification for Project: This dead-end road stub serves no vehicular transportation purpose. It could be improved as greenspace, essentially melding into the pond site or the adjacent park space to the northwest. Pedestrian and bicycle path entry to the pond site could be enhanced and the corner streetscape improved, closing the curbing and linking the sidewalks. Removing the road paving would eliminate this site as a place for vehicular loitering and perhaps reduce unsightly rubbish. The removal of impervious surface in favor of open ground and planting is also desirable.
Proposed Construction Date: We recommend performing this project as an adjunct to laying the Cabin John Sewer Line, Phase III (#220-850-3B45). This area will be disrupted by that project and necessary construction equipment to perform the work will be on-hand at that time. Instead, of restoring the streetscape afterward to its present appearance, we would prefer to see this improvement performed.
Copyright © 2002, Hungerford Civic Assoc.
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Last updated: Dec. 9, 2002.