Norton to Survey Union Station for Traffic Congestion and Signage, Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, will follow up on her recent roundtable on traffic congestion at Union Station by visiting to survey the traffic lanes as well as signage in front of Union Station today, Thursday, October 30, at 5:00 p.m. Norton will speak to the residents and drivers while there, as well as with Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) Vice President Nzinga Baker. Today's site visit, during rush hour, will allow the Congresswoman to assess the situation first-hand and to speak with those affected by Union Station congestion, and to hear their thoughts on how to reduce traffic congestion. Earlier this month, Norton held a roundtable, entitled "Solving Traffic Congestion at Union Station and Preparing for a Makeover Inside," to discuss a plan to resolve traffic congestion, plans for development at Union Station and short-term and long-term goals for improvements.

"Today's fact-finding will offer insight into implementable recommendations from the roundtable and to see first-hand whether congestion has improved," Norton said.

In addition, following the roundtable, Norton sent a letter to Bob Vogel, National Park Service (NPS) Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, Beverly K. Swaim-Staley, President & CEO of Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), and Joe Press of Union Station Investco, asking them to consider a switch in the lanes passenger vehicles are permitted to use to put them closer to Union Station. Norton said it has proved difficult for District of Columbia residents and visitors arriving at Union Station by passenger vehicle to rush out of their vehicles and cross multiple lanes of traffic in time to catch buses or trains, given the current lane designations. In her letter, Norton asks that USRC, Union Station Investco, and NPS sit down together and consider an agreement that could achieve a switch in the vehicles permitted in each lane, so that cabs would continue to use the first lane, passenger vehicles the second lane, and tour buses and any additional passenger vehicles would use the third lane.