Events: How can the Anacostia not be a transportation barrier?

In a city known for its walkability, residents and workers in Ward 7 and 8 face a different reality. Long commutes, dangerous streets, and car dependence can make communities east of the Anacostia feel locked in. It’s not just geography, but disinvestment in infrastructure, lack of bike lanes, disproportionate pedestrian fatalities, and inequitable distribution of scooters - choices that have public and private solutions.

On Monday, June 3, from 6 to 8 pm at THEARC (1901 Mississippi Ave SE), join community leaders and innovative thinkers at a panel event to discuss ways to improve access and equity through transportation options, including buses, bikes, scooters, and more. By attending this event you’ll be participating in a growing movement to bring the changes needed at the local level to improve transportation equity for residents east of the Anacostia River. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. (Ward 8) will be providing opening remarks.

RSVP here. We hope to see you there!

Other events from around the region:

Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is working on an exciting project to connect the National Arboretum to the 28-mile-long Anacostia Riverfront Trail network. This new trail connection will be a fabulous public resource for the half million visitors the National Aboretum receives each year! The Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) calls this project “an important step in creating better connections across the Anacostia River for everyone… The bridge will connect the Anacostia River Trail on the east bank of the river to the National Arboretum. Eventually, a trail will connect the bridge terminus on the western bank to the neighborhoods just south of the Arboretum.”

Make your support and ideas heard at one of two public meetings where “DDOT will present design concepts and gather comments from the community”:

• Tuesday May 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the United States National Arboretum (3501 New York Avenue NE); or
• Wednesday May 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Department of Employment Services (4058 Minnesota Avenue NE)

Find more information here!

Thursday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 28

Spring cleaning’s not just for the great indoors: Take one of two opportunities to visit the Bertie Backus Urban Food Hub’s Native Plant Nursery (5171 South Dakota Ave NE) from 3 to 7 pm, where you can get your hands dirty by volunteering “to help water and weed plants, organize tools, and get the greenhouses ready for growing season.” Make sure to wear closed-toe shoes and bring a water bottle - and if you have gloves, bring them along too! Find more information here.

Check out more urbanist events at ggwash.org/calendar. Do you have an event you’d like to see featured in the weekly events post? Submit it here.