Fb 03 15 2017

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The Foggy BoTTom CurrenT

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Vol. XI, No. 14

Serving Foggy Bottom & the West End

Francis Field slated for upgraded turf

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

■ Recreation: West End site

will face months of closure

By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

Francis Field in the West End will close in June to accommodate efforts to restore its patchy athletics field, under a new agreement between Friends of Francis Field, a nonprofit community group, and

the Department of Parks and Recreation. Under the agreement, the friends group will pay for a landscaping company to address the site’s hard-packed dirt, and plant and fertilize new grass seed. The athletic field will be closed until spring 2018 to allow the grass to grow. The agreement also allows the community to partner with Casey Trees to plant 45 trees at the site on May 13, which will go

around the edges of the athletic field, dog park and playground. Francis Field — a mix of local and federal land that sits between 25th Street NW and Rock Creek — is used both by neighbors and by sports teams, including School Without Walls lacrosse players. But the athletic field has been in poor shape for years. “The field looks horrible, it’s not safe, it hasn’t been graded, it hasn’t been See Field/Page 7

Riders push for 14th Street express bus By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Susann Shin/The Current

The 46th annual St. Patrick’s Parade of Washington, D.C., along Constitution Avenue NW featured floats, marching bands, traditional pipe bands and Irish dancers on Sunday.

Back in 2012, a study from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the D.C. Department of Transportation recommended a new limitedstop Metrobus route along the crowded 14th Street NW corridor, connecting upper Ward 4 to downtown’s Franklin Square. Community members at the time cheered the report and called for swift implementation. More than four years later, though, that limitedstop route hasn’t materialized, as Metro hasn’t secured the necessary $1.25 million in annual District funding to operate it. Six D.C. Council members — Ward 4’s Brandon Todd, Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau, Ward 6’s Charles Allen and at-large members Robert White, Elissa Silverman and David Grosso — have spoken in favor See Buses/Page 5

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Supporters of the 14th Street corridor’s envisioned 59 Metrobus route say it would relieve crowding both there and along 16th Street NW.

City hires consultant to review flight paths

District officials show divide over digital advertising signs

By KATHERINE SALTZMAN

■ Business: Opponents fear

Current Correspondent

Amid concerns that changes to flight paths from Reagan National Airport have increased noise in areas of wards 2 and 3, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Energy & Environment recently announced funding for an airplane noise assessment. Recent changes to flight routes out of the airport are part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s NextGen initiative, a satellite-based navigation system that provides a more direct path from departure location to destination. The NextGen program also allows for more aircraft departures from airports, increases traffic flow while reducing aircraft congestion and fuel emissions, according to the aviation agency. But changes at Reagan National included directing more flights over D.C. neighborhoods

neighborhood degradation By MARK LIEBERMAN Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Various communities near the Potomac River have complained about noise resulting from new flight paths serving Reagan National Airport.

rather than the Potomac River. In light of various noise complaints, the District government designated $300,000 to fund an airplane noise assessment, according to Richard Jackson of the environment department. He discussed the plans at a March 8 public meeting. See Aircraft/Page 7

Current Staff Writer

The fate of more than 50 outdoor digital advertising signs from Digi Outdoor Media remains in doubt as litigation continues — but, to the consternation of many residents, some city officials appear amenable to digital signs. In August, Digi had begun erecting the signs in central locations including Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom, and as far north as

Van Ness and Friendship Heights. But city officials said the firm hadn’t secured the legally mandated permits from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs beforehand. Attorney General Karl Racine sued the company and secured an injunction in November against illuminating or further constructing the signs until a resolution is reached. Shortly after that, Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans proposed and quickly withdrew a bill that would allow Digi to illuminate its planned signs. Rumors swirled in recent weeks that Mayor See Signs/Page 3

SHOPPING & DINING

PASSAGES

EVENTS

INDEX

Appalachian autumn

Film festival

Playing politics

Calendar/20 Classifieds/29 District Digest/4 Foggy Bottom News/11 In Your Neighborhood/16 Northwest Passages/17

Longtime seller of Americanmade crafts prepares to leave Georgetown / Page 19

Annual environmentally themed event hits 25-year anniversary with varied lineup / Page 17

Interactive ‘Global Games’ exhibit at Goethe offers a virtual chance to change the world / Page 21

Opinion/8 Police Report/6 Real Estate/15 School Dispatches/10 Service Directory/27 Shopping & Dining/19

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