4120771 Increase in speed limits on New York Avenue, Bladensburg Road, North Capitol Street, and Canal Road.

DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

NOTICE OF EMERGENCY AND PROPOSED RULEMAKING

 

 

The Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), pursuant to the authority set forth in sections 5(3)(A) (providing for a safe transportation system),  6(b) (transferring to the Department the traffic management function previously delegated to the Department of Public Works (DPW) under section III (H) of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1983), and 7 (making Director of DDOT the successor to transportation related authority delegated to the Director of DPW) of the Department of Transportation Establishment Act of 2002, effective May 21, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-137; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-921.04(3)(D), 50-921.05(b), and 50-921.06 (2009 Repl. & 2012 Supp.)), Mayor’s Order 77-127, dated August 3, 1977, and 18 DCMR 2200.2, hereby gives notice of the intent to amend Chapter 40 of the Vehicle and Traffic Regulations (18 DCMR).   The emergency and proposed rulemaking would increase the speed limit on the eastbound side of New York Avenue, NE, between Bladensburg Rd., NE and the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line from 40 mph to 45 mph and on the westbound side of New York Avenue, NE between the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line and Bladensburg Road, NE from 35 mph to 40 mph.  The emergency and proposed rulemaking would also increase the speed limit in both directions on Bladensburg Road, NE between Mt. Olivet Road, NE and New York Avenue, NE from 25 mph to 30 mph, on North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue, NE and Harewood Road, NE from 35 mph to 40 mph and on Canal Road, NW, between Chain Bridge Road, NW and Foxhall Road, NW from 35 mph to 40 mph.

 

The emergency and proposed rulemaking will specifically remove the eastbound side of New York Avenue, NE, between Bladensburg Rd., NE and the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line from the subsection that lists those streets with a speed limit of 40 mph and add that road to the subsection that lists the streets with a speed limit of 45 mph.  It will also specifically remove: (a) the westbound side of New York Avenue, NE between the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line and Bladensburg Road, NE, (b) North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue, NE and Harewood Road, NE, and (c) Canal Road, NW, between Chain Bridge Road, NW and Foxhall Road, NW from the subsection that lists those streets with a speed limit of 35 mph and add that road to the subsection that lists the streets with a speed limit of 40 mph.  Finally, the rulemaking will add Bladensburg Road, NE between Mt. Olivet Road, NE and New York Avenue to the list of streets with a speed limit of 30 mph.

 

This emergency rulemaking is necessitated by the immediate need to address the threat to the public welfare posed by vehicles travelling at unequal and subsequently unsafe speeds on these specific streets in the District and causing accidents.  DDOT officials have surveyed these streets and determined a safer speed limit.  The emergency rulemaking will allow DDOT and the Metropolitan Police Department to better maintain – through education and enforcement of the new speed limits – safe travel on these roads in the District.

 

This emergency rule was adopted on December 17, 2012, and will become effective December 18, 2012. This emergency rule will remain in effect until April 17, 2013, one hundred twenty (120) days from the date it became effective, unless earlier superseded by a notice of final rulemaking.

 

Final rulemaking action shall not be taken in less than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register. 

 

The following rulemaking action is proposed:

 

Title 18 DCMR, Section 4011, SPEED LIMITS, is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 4011.2 is amended by adding Bladensburg Road, NE between Mt. Olivet Road, NE and New York Avenue, NE  to the list.

 

Subsection 4011.3 is amended by striking the following streets from the list:

 

(a)        The westbound side of New York Avenue, NE between the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line and Bladensburg Road, NE,

(b)        North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue, NE and Harewood Road, NE, and

(c)        Canal Road, NW, between Chain Bridge Road, NW and Foxhall Road, NW from the list.

 

Subsection 4011.4 is amended as follows:

 

(a)                The eastbound side of New York Avenue, NE, between Bladensburg Rd., NE and the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line is stricken from the list.

 

(b)               The following streets are added to the list:

 

(1)        The westbound side of New York Avenue, NE between the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line and Bladensburg Road, NE,

(2)        North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue, NE and Harewood Road, NE, and

(3)        Canal Road, NW, between Chain Bridge Road, NW and Foxhall Road, NW from the list.

 

Subsection 4011.5 is amended by adding the eastbound side of New York Avenue, NE, between Bladensburg Rd., NE and the State of Maryland-District of Columbia Boundary Line to the list.

 

Any person interested in commenting on the subject matter in this proposed rulemaking action

may file comments in writing, not later than thirty (30) days after publication of this notice in the

D.C. Register, with Sam Zimbabwe, Associate Director, PPSA, District Department of

Transportation, 55 M Street, SE, 5^th Floor, Washington, DC 20003.  Comments may also be sent

electronically to [e-mail].  Additional copies of this proposal are available, at cost,

by writing to the above address, and are available electronically, at no cost, on the Department’s

website at www.ddot.dc.gov.