4400 block of Oliver Street is one of the only neighborhood streets that is intersects Baltimore Ave that isn't a part of the EYA condos or the high school. Even this website had a hard time verifying my own address. We are right up against Riverdale Park. I point this out since our unique street allows us to walk down Rt. 1 to the shopping district and restaurants. My complaint that the city needs to address is the condition of the sidewalks along the West side of Baltimore Avenue from Shagga restaurant down to DeMatha. The sidewalk along the retaining wall for the Oglethorpe Apartment building property is too narrow to walk when there are people waiting for a bus and the traffic is going so fast through there that many of my neighbors chose to walk through the neighborhood down to DeMatha so we can cross Rt. 1 over to the East side. The walk also is in front of some old businesses that seem to have been ignored with the new construction - Enterprise Rental, doctor's office, etc. The walk is crumbling, cracked and unsightly.

Thanks for your comments and information on the condition of the roads, Janis. State Highway Administration (SHA) is responsible for installation of new sidewalks and improvements to existing sidewalks along Route 1 (Baltimore Ave). I passed your comments on to our Director of Public Works, who will reach out to SHA regarding this particular area. Please let me know if you have any further questions. I can be reached directly at lreams@hyattsville.org - Laura Reams, City Clerk

Hi Julia, Here is the phone number to report concerns with the condition of the sidewalk to SHA: 301-776-7619. We've passed on your concerns, but it is always helpful for residents to call as well.

The city is currently still associating itself with a more auto/parking-centric system. The reason is that it offers very little designated bike lanes (ie. cycle tracks, painted, separated by street parking - Montgomery County's Bike Plan) or safe sidewalks. While we understand the balance of new developments partnering to correct our streetscapes its important address connectivity to destinations and promoting those links with a sense of safety. Safety has proven to be achieved by separating walkers from cars by landscape verges/green panels with trees. This has proven to beautify streets, drive a sense of neighborhood value, and increase the sense of safety. Perhaps SHA can consider a beautification project along the city's Route 1, like SHA's current MD 500 (Queens Chapel Project) Urban Reconstruction Project, to balance safety and reinforce a better sense of place - a sense of having arrived in the Arts District. Thank you.