BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2006

Washington, DC's widely admired urban planning tradition began on July 16, 1790, when a dinner between James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson led to the agreement of the location of the United States' new capital. Since its initial design by Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the city has undergone a great deal of change. The site is now the location of numerous national landmarks, museums and entertainment venues, which served to attract over 15 million tourists to the city in 2005. Although the current District plans have not been systematically updated since the early 1980s, the city recently decided to update its environmental, infrastructure and transportation components in a Comprehensive Plan Revision.

Berger is assisting the DC Office of Planning to prepare revisions to the city's Comprehensive Plan. The assignment involves coordinating and working with multiple district and regional government agencies, non-profit organizations, citizens' groups and other stakeholders to identify strategies and recommend initiatives, policies, actions and investments to guide the District's long-term growth. Berger's wide range of experience working in the District and understanding local, regional and federal needs in such critical issues as land use, infrastructure and the environment was invaluable in defining the needs and concerns of residents, businesses and other key stakeholders and in preparing the baseline report, land-use analyses and environmental assessments.

As part of the Comprehensive Plan Update, Berger is working on a long-range transportation plan that will address the critical nexus of transportation, land use, environmental quality and economic development. The field efforts included a review of current land use and citywide traffic movements. The latter relied on the collection, analysis and synthesis of baseline traffic data and demand surveys and interviews with stakeholders, including the Metropolitan Council of Governments, Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, and other District agencies and civic groups. The survey involved identifying the average vehicle ridership within the 17 major District corridors and analyzing and recommending specific transportation systems and strategies to ensure that District residents, commuters and visitors continue to enjoy a broad range of transit services. The land-use analysis was based on current use, projected population growth and employment.

In addition, Berger is working with District agencies and utilities to identify appropriate implementation measures, regulatory issues and funding mechanisms for required water, sewer, electric and telecommunication improvements based on an evaluation of existing conditions and constraints, potential service improvements and long-term growth.

Finally, the Team is developing a comprehensive set of policies addressing environmental health and quality and assessing the environmental impacts of the Comprehensive Plan Revision, with the goal of restoring the vision of a green city and an environmentally sensitive infrastructure network for the nation's Capital.

The Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) is a proposed eight-mile multi-use trail that runs from the Silver Spring Metro Station in suburban Maryland to Union Station in the heart of the District, generally following the path of the Metro's Red Line. The MBT is intended to link people to jobs, schools, commercial and recreation areas and various Metro stations. It will include shared roads, striped bicycle lanes, pedestrian sidewalks and off-street shared-use paths.

Assisting the District Department of Transportation, Berger developed a Design Concept Plan for the MBT. As part of the plan, the Team developed alignments and concepts for trails, intersections, waysides, signage, landscaping, lighting and two pedestrian bridges. The Team also designed a public art plan for display along the trail and prepared the required environmental documentation, recommended phasing and cost estimates. Public meetings were then held in multiple neighborhoods along the Metro's Red Line. The meetings included formal presentations, public charrettes and the organization and management of a citizen database. Finally, Berger created and maintained an MBT website with all relevant information pertaining to the project and as a means to gather public opinion regarding the trail.

Berger is also involved in the revitalization of Anacostia, a historic district in Washington. Located in the southeast quadrant of the city, it was designed to provide financially affordable housing for the area's working class, most of who were employed across the Anacostia River at the Navy Yard. In an effort to unify the diverse waterfront areas into a cohesive and attractive mixture of commercial, residential, recreational and open-space areas, the District launched the ambitious Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI).

The AWI draws on the historic master plans for Washington to revitalize waterfront neighborhoods, enhance and protect park areas, improve quality of water and the environment and encourage increased access to the waterfront.

Berger provided environmental, civil infrastructure and historical/cultural assistance to the DC Office of Planning in establishing environmental goals and ensuring proposed redevelopment plans will be sensitive to the needs of this urban river ecosystem. The Team identified key historical preservation issues; examined existing environmental and land-use management data to inventory and assess natural resources; identified constraints and opportunities regarding stormwater runoff, pollutant loadings, existing contamination and quality of natural resources; and assessed utility (water, sewer, electric, gas and stormwater systems) conditions and the historic seawall. The Team also analyzed constraints that existing infrastructure might pose to development; assessed the costs for proposed improvements; recommended implementation "next steps" for priority environmental issues and infrastructure needs; and identified appropriate environmentally sensitive design options to preserve, restore or enhance the historic district.

With the General Services Administration and Forest City Washington, the Berger Group is working to develop the Southeast Federal Center property in the District. The 44-acre site occupies the historic Washington Navy Yard along the Anacostia waterfront, within a mile of the U.S. Capitol Building. Berger is developing programmatic agreements to ensure compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act.

Berger is also developing strategies for executing the mandated archaeological studies given the complexity of the development process and the range of historic resources likely to be impacted. Creative approaches are being established to deal with National Register-eligible properties, unevaluated resources, areas of archaeological sensitivity and unanticipated discoveries, while ensuring the work is carried out efficiently and without delays to the overall development schedule.

In an exceptionally short time frame - four weeks from notice to proceed until delivery of full draft document - Berger developed the comprehensive Evacuation Transportation Coordination Plan for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. The process included developing scenarios and appropriate strategies for evacuation in close collaboration with the Capital District Transportation Committee, a regional organization responsible for coordinating mass transit, bus routes and road planning; federal, state and local stakeholders; local emergency management, security and transit personnel; representatives of the Department of Defense; the Office of Personnel Management; the General Services Administration; and FEMA.

The final plan included maps for proposed evacuation routes, model scenarios, a framework for recognizing incidents and a comprehensive set of highway and transit strategies to deal with major incidents. In addition to strategies for maximizing the flow out of the area in response to an emergency (signals, lanes, transit, etc.), the document identified situations where shelter in place was most appropriate for certain populations ensuring transportation would be available for those truly in need. The study also identified procedures for continual testing and refining the recommended strategies. The final draft was delivered six days ahead of schedule. advisor; David McMillion, emergency management specialist.