WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Many will recall DC Water came to our January CJCA Meeting and discussed the sewer rehab project. Not to be outdone—and because we can’t seem to get enough information on sewer systems—we invited the WSSC to the April CJCA meeting!
WSSC is directly responsible for the sewer lines traveling parallel to the Cabin John Creek that connect to the Potomac Interceptor right where the Cabin John Creek travels under the canal. Walkers who use the trail down to the canal from the Union Arch bridge will undoubtedly have noticed the work underway. The Potomac Interceptor sewer essentially parallels the canal from just beyond the Beltway to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Construction started in June 2022 and will be completed in July 2023, weather permitting.
So what is going on?
Due to sewer line breaks and overflows in this area, a rehabilitation program was required. Additionally, a metering system—which measures the WSSC inflow to DC Water’s Potomac Interceptor—was abandoned and replaced with other metering schemes elsewhere in the system. Metering is required, as WSSC must reimburse DC Water for its share of inflow.
If you’re interested in the technical details: metering “vaults” are being abandoned and replaced with straight pipes. Approximately 200 linear feet of 30” Prestressed Concrete Pressure Pipe (PCCP) is being replaced with 36” C900 Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe (PVC) using the open trench method. A temporary access road was installed from the roadway to the project site (railroad ties, etc.) to support this work. According to WSSC, the completed project will extend the life of sewer pipes by at least 50 years.
Many will ask, can we discuss sewers some more at an upcoming meeting(?)
Maybe at this point, we’ll let it rest. However, the CJCA will stay abreast of DC Water’s project to evaluate and rehabilitate (as necessary) the Potomac Interceptor pipe in Cabin John and beyond. Please see the February 2023 Village News for more information on that separate—and larger—project.
WMATA PROPOSED UNDERTAKING TO DEMOLISH OLD TROLLEY TRESTLES
As discussed during the April CJCA meeting, the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) seeks to demolish the deteriorating trolley trestles that once carried trolley passengers from Georgetown to Glen Echo Park and the Cabin John Bridge Hotel. CJCA is a consulting party for the National Park Service’s (NPS) evaluation of the proposed undertaking—the trestles near MacArthur Blvd.’s intersections at Walhonding Road and Wilson Road are on NPS property, and NPS and WMATA will need a special use permit from NPS to do the demolition. NPS has already determined the demolition of the bridges constitutes an adverse effect on historic properties, but that does not mean the special permit will not be issued—it means NPS will work to develop and evaluate alternatives or modifications to the undertaking that could minimize or mitigate adverse effects.
CJCA solicited feedback from Cabin Johners and summarized those concerns and ideas in comments submitted to NPS. CJCA will continue to engage with the town of Glen Echo, the Bannockburn Civic Association, and other consulting parties as this process unfolds.
COFFEE WITH A COP
The town of Glen Echo hosted a “Coffee with a Cop” session in early April, and your CJCA was an active participant. District 2 Community Police Officer Desmond Johnson, a county police department community outreach officer from the Montgomery County Police Department, met with residents (Cabin John is in MCPD District 2). Of primary concern was the increase in crime, particularly car break-ins, across our part of Bethesda. While we’ve seen fewer break-ins in the past several months, car break-in crime is on the rise. Some communities have hired off- duty/retired police officers to patrol their neighborhoods, noting neither Glen Echo nor Cabin John is considering such an action. Also, like all other police departments, the Montgomery County Police Department is having difficulties recruiting new officers.
The following three crime prevention measures are oft repeated, but according to Officer Johnson, they make a significant difference:
- Lock your car doors AND remove your valuables (or hide them out-of-site).
- Install motion-detecting exterior lighting.
- Add exterior-facing cameras (such as Ring, Arlo, Nest, Blink {no endorsement of these devices}) strategically around your house.
Please note 301-279-8000 is the police non-emergency phone number. Examples of non-emergency calls include noise complaints, parking violations, traffic collisions (where there are no personal injuries), and loose or barking dogs.
NEXT CJCA MTG: MAY 24, 7:30 PM – PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND
Our Maryland State Delegate Mark Korman will join us on Wednesday, May 24, at 7:30 pm, for the CJCA meeting at Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center (CBNRC). We will also vote on officers for the 2023-2024 CJCA. Lastly, the new Community Outreach Coordinators, Courtney Krutoy and Kathleen Leverenz, are scheduled to appear.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
May 24 – CJCA Meeting: 7:30 pm, CBNRC
May 25 – Deadline to submit photos of CJ graduates to The Village News
July 4 – July Fourth Parade (from the MacArthur Plaza Shopping Center to CBNRC.) We are seeking a volunteer to help us organize this event!