The proposal to connect Calverton and Dean Drives to allow vehicular traffic should be reconsidered. Hyattsville has established a goal of creating walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and this proposal is in complete opposition to that goal. It would funnel traffic from a high-density area into a small residential neighborhood with narrow streets that cannot accommodate additional traffic. Calverton Drive is so narrow that when cars are parked on the street, only one-way traffic is possible. Connecting Calverton to Dean Drive will divert traffic from major roadways into a neighborhood with streets that were not designed to handle it.

I am supportive of a connection that would allow pedestrian and bicycle access. Such a connection would align with Hyattsville's vision and would be of considerable benefit to Northwestern High School students who live in the apartments on Dean Drive and Highview Terrace, since they would have a more direct route to the school.

The project NS-5 Calverton and Dean connection needs additional research. This strategy is in complete opposition to the approved Prince Georges Plaza District Plan (adopted 2016). First, the wooded area between these two streets is identified as a green infrastructure network gap in the Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan (pg. 48 of the PG Plaza District Plan). As such, this area is identified as a critical area targeted for restoration to support overall functioning of the green infrastructure network – not pavement. Second, the District Plan clearly identified this connectivity as part of the area wide off-street bicycle and pedestrian policies and strategies as Strategy TM7.3 (pg. 88 of the PG Plaza District Plan) to implement exclusively non-motorized connections between existing disconnected streets including Dean Drive and Calverton Drive and Highview Terrace and Gumwood Drive. At a minimum, we request to strike NS-5 from the plan in its entirety. If not possible, then rewrite the strategy to align with the County approved plan for non-motorized connectivity.