Commissioner Travis R. Swanson

🚧 Update: Pennsylvania Ave SE & Minnesota Ave SE Intersection Project 🚧

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is moving forward with a proposed redesign of the Pennsylvania Avenue SE & Minnesota Avenue SE intersection, and the Notice of Intent (NOI) comment period is currently open through March 20, 2026.

Over the past several weeks, I have heard from a number of residents—particularly those living on 25th Street SE and Palmer Place SE—who are concerned about the current design. As proposed, the project would eliminate eastbound access from Pennsylvania Avenue to 25th Street, which many residents feel would create a confusing “maze” of indirect routes simply to reach their own homes.

Several neighbors have shared with me that they are worried this change would make everyday trips more difficult and could also impact emergency vehicle access and neighborhood traffic patterns. I raised these concerns directly with DDOT in a letter last month and will continue advocating for solutions that work for the residents most affected.

There are several opportunities to learn more and share your input:

🗣 ANC 7B Monthly Meeting – DDOT Presentation
DDOT will present the project and take questions at the upcoming ANC 7B meeting. Residents are strongly encouraged to attend and participate.

📅 Thursday, March 19
⏰ 6:30 PM
📍 Joy Evans Therapeutic Recreation Center
3030 G Street SE

The meeting will also be available virtually:
🔗 ANC 7B Virtual Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdeiprTkrHdSusnSYNEgcnrvdU0HgWldI

📄 Project Information
🔗 DDOT Project Page: https://pennsylvania-minnesota-safety-improvement-dcgis.hub.arcgis.com/

📝 Submit Official Comments
The Notice of Intent (NOI) comment period is open until March 20, 2026.
Residents can submit comments through DDOT’s public portal by searching for “NOI-26-33.”

🔗 NOI Comment Portal: https://dcgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/a4068f7279d8458eb6f0fcca51e1bbcc

Community feedback is critical to ensuring this project reflects the needs, safety, and daily travel patterns of Ward 7 residents. If you live near 25th Street, Palmer Place, or along this corridor, I strongly encourage you to review the proposal and share your thoughts.

If there’s one thing Randle Highlands residents can expect after winter weather, it’s seeing me walking the neighborhood to make sure we’re being cleared out properly. ❄️🚶🏾‍♂️

I completed a block-by-block audit today and here’s what I found:

🟢 Streets in good condition
• Pennsylvania Avenue SE
• 25th Street SE
• 27th Street SE
• 30th Street SE (1600 block)
• R Street SE (2500 block)

🟡 Streets in okay condition
• 28th Street SE
• Naylor Road SE
• Texas Avenue SE (2700 block)

🔴 Streets in bad condition
• Q Street SE
• R Street SE (2600–2900 blocks)
• S Street SE
• 26th Place SE
• 28th Place SE
• 29th Street SE
• 30th Street SE (1700–1800 blocks)
• Palmer Place SE
• Park Place SE
• Texas Avenue SE (2800 block)

⚠️ Sidewalks:
Because sleet fell after the snow, most sidewalks across the neighborhood are extremely slippery—please take extra care when walking.

🚌 Bus service impacts:
Many routes citywide are still modified or suspended. For routes serving Randle Highlands:

• Detoured (still serving all usual stops in Randle Highlands): C15, C31, C37, D1X
•Detoured (stops changed): D10 - Not currently serving Naylor Road, 25th or 27th Streets. Use stops on Pennsylvania Avenue

For the most up-to-date bus information, visit wmata.com/snow.

As always, I’ll keep pushing to make sure our neighborhood gets the attention it deserves. Stay safe out there. 💙

❄️ Snow Emergency Reminder ❄️

With cold temperatures and pending snow, Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a snow emergency, in effect through 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 27.

🚗 Parking restrictions are in place on Snow Emergency Routes (see map) — please move your car to avoid tickets or towing.

🏠 Important: D.C. law guarantees a right to shelter during weather emergencies. If you need help, or see someone outside in these dangerous conditions, call (202) 399-7093. The D.C. Department of Human Services can help ensure they get to shelter.

Please check on neighbors, share this info, and stay safe. 💙

🚇💳 Good news for D.C. Metro riders!

Mastercard recently launched a Transit Benefit program — and Washington, D.C. is one of the participating cities. 🙌

If you use an eligible* contactless Mastercard to tap in and out on Metrorail and spend at least $10 on transit in a calendar month, you’ll automatically get $2.50 back on your card.

👉 Note: In D.C., tap-to-pay credit card payment is currently available only on Metrorail, not on Metrobus (at least for now).

A small but welcome incentive for D.C. commuters — and another step toward making everyday travel more seamless and sustainable. 🌍🚆

Learn more ➡️ mastercard.com/transitbenefit

* A handful of card issuers have opted out of this program. To see which ones aren’t participating, visit:https://www.mastercard.com/content/dam/mccom/us/consumers/documents/mastercard-transit-issuer-opt-out.pdf

Save on your commute with Mastercard Transit Benefit Get the most from your commute with Mastercard transit benefits and offers. Use a commuter benefits card to save on public transport in select cities across the U.S.

I generally don’t comment on federal policy in my official capacity as an ANC Commissioner—but today I can’t sit by as the President of the United States begins the unprecedented occupation of our city.

Read my full statement condemning this gross power grab.

🚍 WMATA’s new BetterBus routes have been in effect for a few weeks, and ANC 7B is drafting a resolution to suggest tweaks that could make service better in our area—like adjusting stop spacing or making slight route changes. If you have ideas, especially about Routes D10, D1X, C15, C21, C23, C25, C26, C31, C35, C37, C53, or P63, please comment below or email [email protected] so we can include your feedback.

CVS closing their Penn Branch location is not just a loss of a business in our community — it’s a loss of equitable access to the most basic of health care needs. Ward 7 already has no hospital, no urgent care, and now one less place for medications, vaccines, and essentials. We deserve better.

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“Swanson spoke about the implications of the CVS Pharmacy’s closure for residents who depend on public transportation.

“On paper, it might look like there are other CVS locations close by up at Skyland and up on Capitol Hill, which is great, but that’s not our reality,” Swanson said. “Ward 7 and 8 have the lowest rates of car ownership in the entire District. For someone who is sick, carrying children, or managing a disability, going an extra mile or two isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a barrier to care.””

Ward 7 Residents Protest Impending Closure of CVS Pharmacy Community members rally to save their CVS location on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, citing the importance of accessible health care resources.

This morning, I sent an email to the District Department of Transportation transit planning team urging them to relocate the bus shelter from the now-discontinued stop at Naylor Rd & S St SE to the new stop on 27th & R Streets SE. Our community deserves the same access to weather-protected transit as wealthier parts of DC.

The data backs it up. This June 2024 op-ed from Greater Greater Washington shows how bus shelters are concentrated in wealthier, whiter parts of DC—and why that needs to change. Everyone across the District deserves dignified, weather-protected access to transit. ➡️ ggwash.org/view/amp/93844

Today’s the day Metro Forward’s BetterBus routes officially rolled out! Just before 1 AM, I rode the inaugural westbound D10 from Randle Highlands to Eastern Market. By pure chance, on my way back I caught the final eastbound 32. A fitting farewell and fresh start all in one ride!

Not sure how your routes changed? Visit: https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/Better-Bus/index.cfm

🚌✨ Four weeks from today, every bus route in the Greater Washington, D.C. area will change. All routes will get new names, and many will have new paths — it’s believed that this is the largest transit overhaul to ever happen in a major U.S. city on a single day. 🚍🇺🇸

📅 All changes go into effect June 29, so it’s crucial to start planning now to avoid surprises on your commute.

🔍 Use the WMATA Trip Planner (select a date on or after June 29) to see what your new route looks like. wmata.com/schedules/trip-planner

🗺️ You can also explore maps and route profiles at betterbus.wmata.com.

For folks in ANC 7B, here’s how some of our current routes will change:

🚌 32 → D10
🚌 36 → D1X
🚌 B2 → C15
🚌 F14 → P63
🚌 M6 → C23 & C37
🚌 S35 → C35 & C37
🚌 U7 → C35
🚌 V2 → C31
🚌 V4 → C31
🚌 V7 → C21 & C23
🚌 W2 → C27
🚌 W3 → C27
🚌 W4 → C21 & C23
🚌 W6 → C23, C25 & C26

📲 Start planning today to stay ahead of the changes! 🚦

Yesterday, I was honored to join Mary’s House for Older Adults to celebrate the opening of their first (but certainly not their last) home in the District for LGBTQ+SGL adults.

Mary’s House provides a safe, affirming, and communal space where LGBTQ+SGL seniors in Washington, D.C. can thrive while living authentically. I’m especially proud that their first location is in ANC 7B.

Huge shoutout to Dr. Imani Woody for her incredible vision and tireless perseverance to make this long-awaited dream a reality.

Washington, D.C. has long been recognized as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the nation—back in 2013, the New York Times dubbed us the “gayest place in America,” and just last year, the UCLA Williams Institute reported that more than 14% of Washingtonians identify as LGBTQ—nearly double the percentage of the next highest state.

We love to see spaces like Mary’s House opening right here in our community, ensuring that LGBTQ+SGL seniors—who’ve given so much to our city’s history and culture—can age and thrive in place with dignity and pride.

Welcome to the neighborhood—I can’t wait to meet our new neighbors!