Treasury Dept. wants to make F Street one-way

The Treasury Department has asked DDOT to convert the 1400 block of F Street, NW to one-way, reports the Current (large PDF). The department is concerned that someone could load up a truck with explosives or something, then build up speed heading west on F Street to crash through the fences and damage the building. As a result, they’d like to restrict traffic on the block adjacent to their building to one-way eastbound.

According to the article, DDOT’s IPMA, the engineering arm formerly headed by Kathleen Penney, did a traffic analysis and determined that making the street one-way would not “adversely affect the flow of traffic.” However, members of ANC 2F and residents were skeptical, wondering if there’s really much of a threat, if speed bumps or a barrier would work just as well, and whether DDOT simply “rolled over” at the request of Treasury.

At least they’re not trying to close the road entirely. The Post confirms that organizers of the farmers’ market near the White House wanted to use already-closed Pennsylvania Avenue, but that the Secret Service rejected the idea. Security is important, but how overboard will we go? Buses used to traverse Pennsylvania Avenue and 1st Street past the House and Senate office buildings, but now have to detour around all of those.

IPMA also apparently didn’t bother to tell Ward 2 planner Chris Ziemann about Treasury’s plan. According to the Current, Ziemann hadn’t heard about the proposal until the ANC 2F meeting. As agencies like DCRA are doing such a great job with communication, DDOT still has a ways to go, to communicate both internally and externally.

For example, ANC 2B Commissioner Will Stephens and his neighbors found out on Monday that DDOT plans to resurface the 1700 block of T Street for one week starting today. This time, at least, neighbors found out with a few days’ notice. Last year, DDOT redid the sidewalks on that same block and only told residents and businesses one day before. I guess we’re moving in the right direction.

DDOT Director Gabe Klein has announced his desire to build a publicly-visible database of projects, where anyone can see planned projects and their status. We can only eagerly await these developments, to put DDOT on par with some of its sister agencies.

Edited to add: If F does become one-way, any ideas for better ways to use the space beyond just more eastbound traffic lanes, which the street doesn’t need? Would a two-way cycle track make sense along that block? Could it eventually connect to something along more of F farther to the east?