Sidewalks in Hawthorne and at P Street

 The Hawthorne neighborhood of northwest Washington, DC, is bounded by Pinehurst Branch, Oregon Avenue, and Western Avenue. Whenever I passed through it some years ago, I would see yard signs reading "No Sidewalks in Hawthorne". At some point, they were joined by "Yes, Sidewalks in Hawthorne" signs. I had never found it dangerous to run or walk through along Chestnut Street, NW, and hadn't much of an opinion.

Over the last three years, I didn't make it up that way often. But a few weeks ago, I followed Oregon Avenue from Wise Road to Western Avenue, and was gratified to see a sidewalk, along Hawthorne if not in it. Last week, on the way from Silver Spring to Spring Valley, I drove along Chestnut Street, and saw a block or two of sidewalk, and preparations to lay more. I hope that those who opposed sidewalks will be reconciled to them.

The ramp between P St. NW and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway never had a sidewalk. Runners leaving or joining the bike trail along the parkway had their choice of running in the gutter of the ramp, or using a narrow and uneven track worn in the grass. This week, I noticed that there are wide asphalt sidewalks on both sides of the ramp. I didn't make use of them, but I expect I will soon.