Illustration by Brian Hefele/SSP.
EDITORIAL — There’s been a debate regarding access to Silver Spring’s new library planned for Wayne Avenue and Fenton Street. Some want a pedestrian bridge to cross Wayne Avenue and connect the library with a nearby garage. Others argue that a sky bridge goes against contemporary urban design.
Silver Spring’s citizens advisory board reaffirmed their opposition to the bridge at its monthly meeting Monday night. Likewise, the county council voted in July not to change Silver Spring’s urban-renewal plan to permit the bridge’s construction.
Bridges are impractical in my opinion, and cross walks are scary and dangerous. But my proposed pedestrian tunnel under the treacherous intersection of Wayne and Fenton will allow safe passage for all! And it’s dirt cheap. Beat that, bridge!
The views expressed here are those of its author and not necessarily those of The Penguin publication. The Penguin takes no official stand on anything. That’s just how we roll, son.
Illustration by Brian Hefele/SSP.
Read 
What the hell are they building now? Learn more from 
Boxed wines and rosés are back in vogue. Just ask The Penguin's sommeliers.
The Dupont-Circle-Undergrounding of Silver Spring? Dead on arrival. Dead.
Silver Spring people are penguins on the surface and when they go underground they turn into… hamsters?
Editor’s note: Squirming through a tunnel will do that to ya. — JD (Nov 10, 2009)
Do you really know that it is “dirt cheap”? Seems really expensive to me. You’re going to have to build elevators to make it ADA. That means 4 elevators and that ain’t cheap.
Further, I think most people tend to risk the dangerous intersections rather than go down a tunnel and then back up.
So, I’m not just a complainer, I’ll offer my solution. Make the lights all red at the same time so all crosswalks offer an opportunity for pedestrians to cross without any traffic. Then, give all the lights a left turn signal to make this intersection a bit smoother.
Why can’t a tunnel be created directly from the basement level of the Wayne Avenue Parking Garage over to a below street level floor of the new library?
That way library patrons who drive can park on any level in the garage, take the elevator down to the basement, proceed through the tunnel over to the library, and take another elevator directly to the third floor where the library will be located.
First of all, great drawing, very funny. Part of me likes the idea, however if I were a mugger I would absolutely love the prospect of a dark tunnel to rob people in. Given that people in Silver Spring can now be shot (granted the victims weren’t exactly innocent, since this was apparently a drug deal gone bad) at 6pm on a weekday in front of rush hour traffic and get away, this may not be the best idea right now.
i’m with JG, the pedestrian tunnel under the metro on georgia ave by the firehouse gets very scary at night…
Oooh, a tunnel. It’s be a great place for folks to take a pee. As another commenter said, it’d be a great place for a robbers, too. Fab idea all around.
The story says “Silver Spring’s citizens advisory board reaffirmed their opposition to the bridge at its monthly meeting Monday night.”
What was their reasoning? The bridge seems like an great solution to meeting ADA accessibility requirements for the library at the lowest cost.
I checked the link to the board’s web site, but they haven’t posted minutes since July! That in itself doesn’t give me much confidence in the value of their recommendations.
Guaranteed to reek of urine in 6.5 minutes.
WP Bob, have I told you how grateful I am to read your comment? I am, you know.
Anyway, you can read about the citizens advisory board’s position on the bridge here.
Just like to remind folks of the 06 election. Several candidates who pushed the Purple Line handed out literature with the Metrorail map. A line in purple was added. This made it look like part of the Metrorail system. Sections of the Red Line that do not follow the decades-old rail bed already used for other trains are — underground. Think Woodley Park, deep tunnel. The main advantage of an electric train is the ability to put the thing underground. The Bonifant intersection is just awful for drivers and peds alike. Brian, thanks for trying to make us laugh, but if the Purple Line even looks like it might really happen, expect more tears than mirth.
Laura – Not if you replace the bedding regularly (use aspen chips – cedar is bad for the citizens!)
LuvMyHood – If you ask me, the main advantage of any train is that it isn’t a car. I agree that a lot of the literature has been confusing, for quite some time I assumed it was part of the Metro system… I don’t know if it’s intentional, or just sloppy design, but confusing people doesn’t seem like a good way to win them over. I also agree that Bonifant is a mess, though I wouldn’t call it ‘awful.’ Definitely worse than Fenton/Wayne though, and as I believe Jennifer has mentioned, any narrowing of the sidewalks on Bonifant would be pretty horrific… Personally, I’ll be in tears if the Purple Line -doesn’t- happen, but there still seem to be a great number of gaps in the plan…
Hmm. I cannot connect to http://www.silverspringhamster.com.
By the way, what is that tube connected to the left hand stairwell, and what are the pink things in that tube. Is this the future pink line?
Stuart – I think when the image got sharpened/reduced in size on Flickr, that detail got a little bit mushed… The pink thing is an earthworm tunneling around. :)
The underground tunnel that used to let you cross under Georgia Ave. just behind the new Veridian Building didn’t make it. I suspect this tunnel would have the same fate. Pee, muggings, rats, etc. Probably not the best solution.
I spent a month in Moscow last year, and the city is full of underground tunnels to allow you to cross beneath busy roads. I personally think they’re great. Plus, the tunnels in Moscow are lined with kiosks that let you buy just about anything — food, movies, phones, pantyhose, etc. Maybe such an extensive network isn’t quite necessary here, but I’d take an underground tunnel under the cluster-insanity that are downtown Silver Spring’s streets anyday.
Jessica, were you every in Crystal City in Arlington, Va. during its heyday? There was an indie coffee shop that sold beautiful mugs. Crystal City’s tunnels were great in many ways, but never had enough air circulation. I couldn’t imagine working in one of the shops; I would turn blue.
The best place for ped tunnels in the DC area would be dowtown, between some of the Metrorail stops. Imagine walking from Gallery Place to Farragut North, skipping Metro Center. This idea has been batted about, but would be awfully expensive. If Metrorail overcrowding continues to increase, it might be worth it.
The biggest problem with this: tunnels are excellent places for vampires or photophobic zombies to hang out in the daylight hours. I say ‘no’ to this proposal.
Good point, Laura. It’s probably the best argument against the tunnel so far.
Laura – that is quite frightening… (but the proof is in the pudding – http://brhefele.brainaxle.com/images/zombiehamster.png )
Seriously folks, there is a tunnel under Rockville Pike at the White Flint Metro stop. I have used it during the day. I wish they would build one at Twinbrook; crossing Rockville Pike to get to REI is a drag.
However, dragging my purchases down into the tunnel and up again would also be annoying. Wayne & Fenton is near a grocery, as well as the Sat. Farmers Market. So the down and up thing would be a hassle. I say improve the intersection for peds, rebuild the library on its current spot, and give us more buses. Make the Purple Line into a computer game.
“I say improve the intersection for peds, rebuild the library on its current spot, and give us more buses. Make the Purple Line into a computer game.”
I definitely agree with your improvement of the intersection, though we should rebuild the library in City Place along with offices, get rid of the mall aspect of it because it just attracts thugs and thug wannabees. I love the idea of more buses – in theory. In reality how will that make anything better when you consider our traffic issues? Unfortunately, that is moving in the wrong direction unless you have dedicated bus lanes, which would probably require massive construction to make them them,which would cost a lot of money and headaches for commuters.