The Curious Case of Washington’s Exploding Manholes

A commenter recently pointed out I neglected to mention manhole explosions in my previous post on the manhole covers of Washington, D.C. While I came across reports of these explosions in my research, I dismissed them as isolated incidents. It appears I was wrong.

As explained by the website Howstuffworks, manhole cover explosions are caused when the eletrical cables ignite gasses underground. They can launch a 85-to-300-pound electrical manhole cover like the one to the left as far as 50 feet, and explosions have injured or killed construction workers and pedestrians, shattered windows, and overturned cars. Between 2000 and 2003, there were over 100 manhole explosions or fires in the District of Columbia. It’s unclear how many have happened since, although several incidents have been reported by the media. In May 2005, an explosion near the World Bank closed a four-block radius for hours, causing commuter headaches. Earlier this year, an early-morning manhole explosion and fire near the Mall caused major traffic backups after the incident knocked out stoplights at dozens of intersections, causing DDOT to put to use some of the 200 small generators it purchased for use in emergencies to keep traffic lights operating.

The most notable explosion in recent years was a massive March 2000 incident in Georgetown that sent six manholes flying and shattered storefront windows. Although a $40 million project was completed to upgrade the underground utilities, the Georgetown student newspaper The Hoya reported another explosion in 2003 — exactly three years later. After the spectacular Georgetown explosion, PEPCO blamed a Washington Gas crew’s probe for the damage that resulted in the explosion, and announced they would install vented manhole covers (like the one seen to the right) to “reduce threats to public safety from displaced manhole covers.”

However, the Georgetown incident was far from isolated: between February and July, 2000, over 20 separate manhole events were reported. In response, the DC Office of the People’s Counsel asked the DC Public Service Commission to initiate a formal report to examine the phenomenon. The investigation resulted in a major 174-page report (PDF) completed by Stone & Webster Consultants and released in December 2001. In it, the authors concluded that “it is our professional opinion that overloading is a primary factor in cable and splice failures, which may ultimately lead to manhole smoking, fires and explosions.” The report recommended improved maintenance and record keeping by PEPCO, as well as technical changes to minimize the possibility of overloaded cables underground.

Although they found the integrity of the electrical network acceptable or good in most places, the report cited examples of manholes crowded with cables, flooded with water, containing leaking transformers, or containing hot cables with faulty connections, particularly in Georgetown and Adams Morgan. Here are a couple of the more troubling images from the report — we can only hope they have been remedied in the years since.

As the table to the right shows, manhole fires and explosions are by no means unique to Washington. In fact, compared with many other large electrical utilities in the country, in 2000 PEPCO’s number of manhole “incidents” per 1,000 covers was .7, far below ConEdison’s 4 or Florida Power and Light’s rate of 14. A quick Google News search found recent explosions in Reno, Nevada, Hartford, Connecticut, and Boston, Massachusetts. It seems the occasional underground explosion is the inevitable result of running high-voltage electrical wires and equipment underground, underscoring the importance of routine inspection of these facilities.

> DC Public Service Commission Formal Case Number 991, 12/7/01, “Assessment of the Underground Distribution System of the Potomac Electric Power Company” (PDF, 4 mb)
> DC Office of the People’s Counsel: “Investigation into Manhole Explosions,” “Overview of Manhole Explosions 2000-2003”
> How Stuff Works: How Exploding Manholes Work

Rapid Bus Service Starts on Georgia Avenue

Today marks the end of the second week of service of WMATA’s new Metro Extra line on Georgia Avenue. To my knowledge the project is the second Bus Rapid Transit line developed in the region, and the first express bus to operate almost exclusively inside the District.

The service, officially Metro Extra Route 79, currently operates every ten minutes from 6-9:30 a.m. and 3-6:30 p.m. along 7th Street and Georgia Avenue, with stops at the Navy Memorial, Chinatown, Shaw, Petworth, Walter Reed, and Silver Spring, among others. When Dr. Gridlock took a ride on the bus recently he found it running smoothly, with the exception of a few confused riders. Over the next year new bus shelters, sidewalk bulb-outs, and technology to speed buses through intersections will be tested and installed. The service may also be eventually be extended to provide all-day service.

Although the branding for the route is less than ideal (extra what?), the marketing has been more creative than I’ve seen for any other WMATA bus service. I even received a pamphlet in the mail in Spanish and English clearly explaining the route, and containing coupons to use at the AFI Silver Theater and Borders Books (both located near route stops), and two coupons to ride the bus free during its first week of operation. With Arlington County, WMATA developed the successful PikeRide to provide service on Columbia Pike in Virginia. However, other suburban express routes could be improved by clearer marketing and route information.

The service, a joint project between WMATA and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) shows that DDOT continues to be much more dedicated to enhancing transportation in the District, having also launched the successful DC Circulator service, which recently expanded to take over the Georgetown Blue Bus route on Wisconsin Avenue.

The project is a rare bright spot for WMATA’s bus system, where little major changes have been made since a 2005 evaluation in which experts reported the system was providing erratic service on aging buses along routes that have changed little since 1973. High hopes are riding on WMATA’s much-discussed new General Manager, John Catoe, Jr., who successfully led the overhaul of bus service in the sprawling Los Angeles system.

> WMATA Metro Extra Information
> Metro Extra Project Development Website
> W. Post: “Georgia Avenue to Get Express Bus Route“, Get There Blog: “New Metrobus Rolls Out”
> W. Post, 12/27/05: “Progress Has Passed Metrobus By”
> DCist, 11/17/06: “New Guy on the Bus” (Catoe profile)

Bike Station Coming to Washington

District officials hope to break ground this summer on a “bike station” at Union Station, located just steps from both the Metro station entrance and the future route of the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The station will offer bike parking (for an estimated $1 a day, or $100 a year), rentals, repairs, accessories, a changing room, and lockers.

Nestled between the Old Post Office Building and Union Station, the sleek structure will have enough space for 180 bicycles total, and will boast solar panels and high-tech glass to keep the facility cool in the summer. The station is modeled after facilities in Chicago, Seattle, San Franscisco, and Long Beach. The California facilities are inspired in turn by Japanese and European examples. The driving force for the project in DC has been DDOT bicycle manager Jim Sebastian, who began exploring the concept after visiting Seattle.

The Bike Station has been covered by a variety local media, and the great blog WashCycle has even proposed a site for the next facility: the vacant Dupont Circle trolley station.

More Details

> DDOT Bicycle Program
> WashCycle: Union Station Bicycle Station
> Voice of the Hill: Bike Transit Center to be Housed at Union Station
> American Observer: Bicyclists will soon have a plush parking space

The images above were created by KGP Design Studio for DDOT. Additional images available on the city website above.

What’s Going on at 14th and U?

This post is in reponse to a request by my friend Jim to find out “what is going on” with the property shown here located at 2001 14th Street NW, at the intersection of 14th and U.

Construction is underway to renovate this building and construct an addition on a neighboring lot. The building was designed by Boeckl Gates, Inc. and is being offered by the Rockville-based VIP Realtors LLC at the rate of $55 per square foot. A PDF pamphlet posted to their website describes the property as ideal for a club, specialty restaurant, or other retail use.

Some preliminary research shows the property at this historic intersection had formerly been home to a restaurant and club, however I can’t find much more about it. The existing structure is described simply as a “monumental two-story commercial structure” in the Historic Preservation Review Board staff reports for the project, which suggested modifications to the facade to maintain a distinction between the new and historic parts of the project.

Jim dug up a couple more items. Councilmember Graham and others working on developing the property in 2002:

Date: Wed, 8 May 2002
From: GrahamWOne@aol.com
Subject: 2001 14th Street Progress

Dear Friends: First let me say, how much I appreciate
the advocacy and hard work of Dan Brown, Ron Renchard,
Scott Pomeroy and others on the problem of the
Northeast corner of 14th and U (2001 14th Street NW).
This has been an eyesore in the neighborhood for
years, and various efforts to have those responsible
do something have not produced the results we need.
The history of this building is a tormented one.
Suffice it so say, that the present lessee (who owns
the adjacent empty lot) has 24 years remaining in a
30 year lease. Each month he has faithfully paid the
$7,000, and done nothing else. (Why he has done this
year after year puzzles me.) Originally there was an
idea of a Burger King. But that was abandoned for
various reasons not relating really to community
reaction.
Anyway, thanks to community activism, the building
is to come before the Board o Condemnation on May 22.
Not for demolition, but for cleanup by the city.
After various attempts, I reached the owner and, in
turn, the lessee earlier this week. I expressed in no
uncertain terms the frustration with the appearance
and nonuse of this building on this important corner.
The lessee, Mr. Blant (or was it Bland?), promised
to take “immediate steps” to clean up the property.
Thereafter, I agree to sponsor a meeting with our
community leaders to work with the lessee who is eager
to put this property back into productive use.
Hopefully we can find that common ground.
Please stay in touch. Bests Jim Graham, Ward One
Councilmember

And this from the August 2006 InTowner:

The biggest news in Mid-City comes surrounding perhaps one of its smallest developments. Long vacant and boarded up, the 10,500-square-foot building at the prominent northeast corner of 14th and U streets is set to undergo renovations and be reintroduced to the commercial fabric of U Street. A building permit has recently been issued and construction is set to begin on this elegant two-story structure. The owner, while initially just building out a “vanilla box” to be able to accept a range of tenant categories, is seeking a “landmark tenant” which will contribute significantly to the neighborhood, and is actively marketing the building to a bank or a fine dining restaurant/lounge. “Discussions are underway with a very reputable local restaurateur,” owner’s broker Ken Naroozi told The InTowner, “who is looking to build a flagship restaurant.” If a restaurant is built, it will contain two floors of dining, lounge and service area plus a mezzanine, in addition to a roof terrace.

An Introduction to the Manhole Covers of Washington, D.C.

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about manhole covers recently.

I was reminded of the topic at a recent lecture by Dr. Timothy Beatly during a lecture about urban placemaking. He was speaking about ways European and Australian cities create distinctive urban environments. European cities, generally much denser and with higher foot traffic than American cities, are known for their elaborate and decorative manhole covers.

In the U.S. the topic is subject to considerably less attention. The major noteworthy book-length treatment of the subject is a text by Diana Stuart titled, “Designs Underfoot: The Art of Manhole Covers in New York City.” In the text she examines the aesthetics of manhole covers in New York City, including photos of roughly 400 covers from all five boroughs. The only other notable book I could find on Amazon is by the husband and wife team Mimi and Robert Melnick, authors of the 1974 “Manhole Covers of Los Angeles,” and a larger work titled simply “Manhole Covers,” published in 1994.

Although a decidedly a niche topic, there exists a wide variety of websites with photos of manhole covers from around the world, and several groups on flickr dedicated to the topic, the largest called simply “manhole cover” contains over 3,000 photos. After a survey of the web I’ve been unable to uncover any detailed treatment of the subject specific to Washington, D.C. This article is intended to be simply an introduction to the topic.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm by other manhole hunters for Washington, D.C., I think the city is a good place to look for them for a couple of reasons. First, much of the city has been fairly intensively urbanized for well over 100 years, and second, the city’s unique history means multiple entities have been responsible for the development of urban infrastructure. Whether it was the federal government, the region’s water and sewer authority, or one of a series of now-defunct forms of D.C. government, there’s been no shortage of agencies digging holes in the ground for various purposes.

Unlike many of the foreign examples, few of the covers I have found are unusually ornate or beautiful. Most are utilitarian in nature, and many of the contemporary covers are positively dull. Beauty aside, to the informed reader manholes can tell a story about the history and function of the modern city. Given their standard size and durable construction, manhole covers can have a long lifespan. This photo I snapped during a road re-surfacing project near the Mall shows why: when a road is re-paved, the manhole and its collar are retained:

These covers are perhaps more properly called drains; they are designed to convey water to the sewer system. The first I spotted near the U.S. Capitol, the second an unusual design I found on 10th Street in the Mt. Vernon Square neighborhood. Those curious to read more about what might happen to the wastewater when it runs beyond the grate are advised to check out Amy Longsworth’s detailed City Paper cover story from March 2005 titled “Who’ll Stop the Drain?” where a quest to uncover the mystery of an overflowing basement toilet leads her to unravel intricacies of a 100-year-old sewer system.

Many of the covers found in D.C. are owned by either the DC Water and Sewer Authority or PEPCO, the area’s electrical utility. Although generally quite dull in design, there exist a number of varieties.

Another category of covers are those installed by telecommunications companies. The first cover I spotted has the name “C&P Telephone,” (after the old Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company) dating it from before 1994, when the company was re-named “Bell Atlantic - Washington, D.C.” This AT&T cover I found downtown could perhaps be dated by the type of logo used - anyone have a guess on the year?

The first sewer system in Washington, D.C. was created by Alexander “Boss” Shepherd (more) who was by all accounts decisive if not always fiscally attentive leader. During his tenure as the head of the Board of Public Works, the city’s infrastructure was overhauled in a frantic few years that saw new sewer, paving, and bridge construction. However, the spending plunged the city government into debt. A variety of covers dating from the period shortly after can be identified by both their design, and the year stamped at the center. In fact, an example of this vintage from 1901 is the only example I found with a crack.

I found a couple examples of manholes by specific agencies in addition to the utilities. They include this GSA manhole I found near the mall, and this WMATA manhole I shot in Wheaton, MD.

Lastly there are those that defy easy explanation. I found the first also along 10th Street, and the second near a new condo building near the convention center. Does SL/TS stand for Signal Light/Traffic Signal?

This post contains just a sampling of what the streets of Washington contain, mostly along several streets I happened to walk along recently. I have omitted any mention of water or gas meters, which have their own story to tell. Lastly, this photo suggests D.C. may contain covers quite a bit more interesting than those highlighted above. Will someone find an original Shephard-era manhole cover? Does the city contain a truly beautiful manhole? Only time will tell.

Resources

> The Wikipedia’s manhole cover article is a good overview of the topic
> This NPR story contains a slide show of foreign manhole covers: When Traffic Lights make Us Stop and Think
> Gotham Gazette has a review of Designs Underfoot: The Art of Manhole Covers in New York City
> Check out the DC Water and Sewer Authority History Page for a remarkably detailed article on the history of D.C. sewer
> The March 4, 2005 Washington City Paper cover story “Who’ll Stop the Drain?” is a humorous exploration of the D.C. sewer
> View my photos of Manhole Covers and Other Items in Washington, D.C.

Re-Imagining The Watha T. Daniel Library

Could the site of the closed Watha T. Daniel library in Shaw become home to not only to a new library, but also housing and perhaps even a small store?

That’s what Cheryl Cort, Policy Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, is suggesting in a provocative proposal being circulated in the community, that I have published below.

The idea is not as far-fetched as it might seem. Although composed of barely a quarter of an acre of land, the library site is located immediately adjacent two large Section 8 subsidized apartment buildings and across the street from an exit to the Shaw Metro station. (The canopy can be seen to the far left in the photo above.) A dense development would fit nicely in the existing context, and take advantage of the proximity both to Metro and 7th Street buses, which will soon include the new Metro Extra. As Cheryl suggests, a creative re-use of the building could provide not only library and retail services but also additional housing and safety to the neighborhood. Furthermore, the parcel is already zoned R-5-D, a category designed to include both residential buildings and “institutional and semi-public buildings that would be compatible with the adjoining residential uses.”

A quick web search turned up an article about the project in Portland, Oregon Cheryl mentions, where mixed-use development combines a library, restaurant, and 47 apartments — 19 of which are reserved for households below the area’s median income. Although the situation here in Shaw may have been created by poor planning by library officials, the closed library presents a tremendous opportunity for a creative redevelopment.

Watha T. Daniel Library redevelopment proposal for a mixed use facility
By Cheryl Cort

Our closest (closed) library is the Watha T Daniel library at the 8th & R St. entrance of the Shaw Metro station. It feels or is unsafe at night; it’s a depressing place by day due to poor land uses and urban design.

The Mayor has promised to rebuild or reopen the 4 closed libraries as soon as possible.

Given the problems with crime and poor land uses around the Watha T. Daniel Library and the adjacent Shaw Metro station, a mixed use library at this site with a pedestrian-friendly design is particularly important for creating a safer environment for the community, library patrons and Metro riders. To create a safer and more inviting street environment and library, I propose reconstructing a new library with affordable housing units above, and possibly a small retail space at the ground level. This proposal is similar to the new branch library in Portland Oregon which doubled library space, added a café and 40 units of housing – 19 of which are affordable.

Transportation: The Watha T. Daniel site is tight but located next to a Metro station, close to grocery stores, shops, services & downtown. In order to provide added public benefits, such as affordable housing on top of a new library, I propose that the mixed building be developed with no automobile parking. Instead, residents can be offered a valuable package of carsharing memberships & discounted usage, transit passes, bicycles and bicycle parking (ShawEco Village could provide the bicycles). The transportation benefits package could equal the cost of renting a parking space in such a location – about $150 per month. Two to four on-street carsharing vehicles could be parked adjacent to the new library building. Access to residential parking permits could be limited to a small number in order to address adjacent neighbor concerns about more competition for $15/year residential public street parking.

Until now, the opportunity to leverage the value of the library sites through redevelopment to provide greater public benefits has been largely overlooked. These public benefits include: expanded library space, public meeting and study spaces, enhanced technology, synergistic development potential with adjacent schools/public facilities, and complementary private uses such as a café and affordable housing that could offer greater safety and vibrancy to the library as a center of civic life.

I understand that some people have been skeptical of the opportunity to leverage added public benefits from a public-private venture for the library. The idea of mixed use libraries to maximize complementary public benefits is not new. The Montgomery County Library in Rockville, Maryland, is finishing a ground floor café that marks the prominent corner of the street and public plaza that leads to the main entrance of the new main library for the County. Library agencies all over the country are building mixed use, complementary facilities to leverage the opportunity to expand library space and offer other public benefits such as affordable housing and activities to reinforce the vitality and safety of public realm through cafes and other small-scale retail. This is the kind of mix of uses that would great benefit a new Watha T. Daniel Library.

I propose that we adopt a resolution asking for the city to look into a public-private partnership to increase the library space, upgrade facilities and add complementary uses such as a café and affordable housing.

U.S. Transit Ridership Highest Since 1957

I thought this USA Today story I spotted on Planetizen today was interesting. In 2006, U.S. transit ridership in topped 10 billion trips, the highest level of use seen since 1957. Of course, this is puny compared to the historical peak of 23.4 billion trips in 1946, but it’s also much higher than the postwar low of 6.5 billion trips in 1972. If some quick calculations are correct, last year’s ridership is still the highest in the past ten years even if population increase is taken into account.

(Numbers are in 1,000’s on scale above)

Increased ridership on D.C.’s WMATA system was cited by the USA Today story as one example, and readers will remember last summer saw a series of record-breaking days when the system carried passengers on over 780,000 trips. (Statistics junkies will be reminded that since 2005 Metro has posted daily ridership figures for Metrorail.) With the Cherry Blossom Festival and start of Washington’s tourist season rapidly approaching, this summer could very well prove Metro’s busiest yet.

Over the past nine years, overall system ridership has steadily increased, although Metrobus at a much slower rate than rail.

(Again, numbers are in 1,000’s on scale above)