December 21, 2021

Ward 3 Update:

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday, Mayor Bowser provided a [1]Situational Update where she declared
a State of Emergency and announced several pandemic operations updates amid
a surge in local coronavirus cases. Here are two significant changes most
relevant to Ward 3:

First, the indoor mask mandate was reinstated and will be in place from
today through at least January 31st, 2022.

Second, DC Health is launching the Test Yourself Express program to provide
residents with free rapid antigen testing kits at eight libraries across
the District. Sites are launching tomorrow, December 22nd, and will have
1,000 kits to distribute daily (hours below). Rapid testing kits are
limited to two kits per person and will only be available to District
residents, so please remember to bring proof of residency such as an ID or
letter sent to your District address. These limitations will hopefully only
be in place until additional rapid testing kit shipments arrive.
* Ward 3's Test Yourself Express location will be at the Cleveland Park
Library
* Rapid antigen tests are also being distributed to public and charter
schools for use by students, teachers, and building staff upon return from
the now-extended winter break

With multiple schools responding to outbreaks, four confirmed local cases
of omicron, and even a Councilmember sharing [2]his positive diagnosis, the
District has once again entered into the 'highly transmissible' category
for COVID-19 spread. After weeks of experiencing around 100 new cases per
day, last Friday the District set a daily case record with 844 new cases.
Over the past weekend, the District saw 3,763 new cases. Today, an
additional 1,155 people tested positive. Hospitalizations have almost
doubled this month. We are not, however, defenseless against the latest
surge or omicron risks: early modeling of the omicron variant out of the
[3]United Kingdom is showing that boosters could provide around 80-85%
protection against severe illness.

Now is the time for residents to get vaccinated and boosted at any of the
District's numerous pop-up clinics or even at home. Please see [4]Get
Vaccinated for daily vaccination clinic updates or call 1-855-363-0333 to
schedule an at-home vaccination for your whole family.

Regards,

Mary

Re-engineering a Safer Connecticut Avenue

Concept "C" Selected for Connecticut Ave NW - For years, the reversible
rush hour lanes along Connecticut Ave have created exceptionally unsafe
conditions for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. In fact, there were
1,500 reported crashes along the corridor in the three years prior to the
pandemic –and that is just those crashes that were reported. We've
experienced flipped cars, speeding, severe injury, and multiple drivers
crashing into sidewalks and streetlamps. After no small amount of pressure,
the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) conducted the
[5]Connecticut Avenue Reversible Lane Study to identify potential lane
configurations to improve safety conditions for all users (drivers,
pedestrians, and cyclists) along the corridor.

The end result was a report that outlined four concepts for new road
redesign. Eventually, DDOT narrowed the options down to two options (as
I've noted in previous [6]newsletters) and selected Concept C last
Wednesday. Concept C eliminates the reversible lane configuration, provides
protected bike lanes on both sides of the avenue, and creates a limited
amount of commercial loading and parking options (including during the
AM/PM rush hour). There will be an aggregate loss of parking, but this
redesign is going to fundamentally change and improve road safety
conditions along Connecticut Ave.

Not only was Concept C a favorite among local road safety advocates, but it
was also endorsed by ANC 3C, 3F, 3/4G, and 3E. Furthermore, by the agency's
projections, the protected bike lanes could see daily rider traffic of up
to 4,400 cyclists in the next five years. The effect on local businesses
could also be quite positive: several studies demonstrate that bicycle
infrastructure provides [7]net gains for businesses. This is not to say
that everyone is going to jump on a bike for their commute downtown, many
people won't. But the selection of Concept C is [8]Vision Zero in action.
It is forward-thinking multi-modal transportation planning that will
provide separate spaces for cyclists, eliminate the reversible lane hazard,
and uses infrastructure to slow speeding drivers.

For more on the new lane configuration plan, please see the following
article from DCist:

"[9]Say Goodbye To Reversible Lanes On Connecticut Avenue, And Hello To A
Bike-Friendly Redesign"

Introducing Jackson-Reed High School

The Council cast the final vote today to change the name of Ward 3's high
school, the largest in the District, from Woodrow Wilson High School to
Jackson-Reed High School.

This new name honors both Edna Jackson and Vincent Reed, the school's first
African American teacher and principal. The renaming legislation is now
headed to the Mayor for final approval.

Councilmember Cheh Joins the Think Regionally Podcast

Metropolitan Washington is one of the wealthiest metropolitan areas in the
nation, but about one out of ten households isn’t sure where its next meal
is coming from. And that figure is higher for communities of color and
families with children.

This episode of [10]Think Regionally with Robert McCartney is all about
food insecurity—what it is, why it is happening, and some ways area
officials, organizations, and farmers are working to address it.

[11]Listen to Episode 3: Feeding our region

A Citywide Holiday Lights Scavenger Hunt

Explore the District's Main Streets and complete tasks in the DC Holiday
Lights Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win great prizes (like gift cards,
products, and free services) from local restaurants and businesses.

The more challenges you complete, the more entries you earn! Complete
challenges from now through January 6th, 2022.

[12]Click here to join the Scavenger Hunt

The Best in DC Holiday Lights 2021

Celebrating Our Main Streets - Councilmember Cheh joined [13]District
Bridges, small business owners, and Main Street organizations from across
the District for the 2021 Holiday Lights Awards Ceremony. You may have
noticed that decorations and holiday displays along the District's
commercial corridors have grown and expanded in recent years, this is in
large part due to the coordination efforts and small business support of
our neighborhood Main Street network.

The [14]Woodley Park Main Street took the top prize for the Best of D.C.
Holiday Lights last year, but this year's award went to the [15]Uptown Main
Street. Please continue to shop small this holiday season and support our
small and local business community!

Ward 3 Quick Read - The Rock Creek West Roadmap

From DCist - Bower Unveils Plans For More Affordable Housing West Of Rock
Creek Park

"D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday unveiled her plans to build almost
2,000 units of affordable housing in neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park,
the city’s wealthiest and whitest area — and the one with the smallest
current stock of housing that’s affordable to low- and moderate-income
residents.

Bowser’s new “[16]roadmap” for what’s known as “Rock Creek West” — largely
Ward 3 — is part of her broader goal released in 2019 to [17]build 36,000
units of housing by 2025, with at least one-third being defined as
affordable, as a means to tamp down on rising housing prices in the city."

[18]Read the Full Story

'Tis the Season to Recycle

Wrapping Paper Waste - There are many different types of gift wrapping
paper, and many are not recyclable. Please use this guide when buying,
reusing, and disposing of gift wrap and tissue paper.

Wherever possible, please avoid metallic & wax-coated paper!

Final Weeks to Claim the Electric Leaf Blower Rebate!

Electrify this Winter - In 2018, the Council passed Councilmember Cheh's
"[19]Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act" to phase-out the use and sale of
gas-powered leaf blowers by January 2022. Not only are gas-powered leaf
blowers noisy and disruptive, but they are also exceptionally [20]polluting
and harmful to the environment, public health, and local wildlife.

In anticipation of the upcoming deadline, the [21]DC Sustainable Energy
Utility has launched a rebate program to replace commercial and residential
gas-powered leaf blowers with electric or battery-powered alternatives:
* $50 rebate for residential equipment
* $75 rebate for commercial equipment

Rebates will be available through December 31st, 2021.

[22]Click Here for Rebate Information

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

In Case You Missed It - Tenleytown Ace Now 100% Employee-Owned

Celebrating Local Business - This past summer, something really special
happened at the Tenleytown Ace Hardware in Ward 3: they became a fully
employee-owned store. This unique co-op model means higher wages for
employees, new 401k benefits, and profit sharing. Pictured above center is
Councilmember Cheh with store leadership in the recently expanded garden
space.

For more information on this growing co-op movement, please see: [23]A Few
Cool Hardware Stores.

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to reach us via [24]email or phone through our main line
at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent
services requests.

[25]Facebook [26]Twitter [27]marycheh.com

FOLLOW MARY

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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