Hyattsville to host traffic calming meeting for Driskell Park

Hyattsville city staff will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 13 at Driskell Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street, to review three proposed design alternatives for the complex five-way intersection that sits in front of the park. The session continues community conversations about how to calm vehicle speeds, improve crossings and reshape traffic patterns at a busy neighborhood node.

The meeting will present the three alternatives and gather input from residents, park users, bicyclists and nearby businesses. City staff have framed the session as a chance for neighbors to weigh tradeoffs between safety improvements, traffic flow and access to Driskell Park and adjacent properties. Attendees can expect visuals and time to submit feedback that will inform next steps in the design process.

Five-way intersections present particular design challenges because they create multiple conflict points for pedestrians and drivers, complicate signal timing and force longer crossings. Changes made at this location could alter driver routes through central Hyattsville, affect parking and curbside access, and change how people approach the park on foot or by bike. For families, seniors and anyone who uses Driskell Park for recreation, the stakes are practical: clearer crossings and slower speeds reduce everyday risk and make the park more welcoming.

This meeting represents a routine but consequential stage in municipal transportation planning: staff proposals followed by public comment, then refinement and implementation. How the city balances mobility and safety priorities will shape daily experiences for commuters, students and local merchants. Public input at this point can influence details such as where curb extensions, crosswalks or signage are placed, and whether signal or lane adjustments are pursued.

Residents who care about walkability or commute reliability should attend to ensure their perspectives are recorded. City staff typically compile feedback from these meetings to guide engineering designs and budget proposals; vocal, specific comments about conflict points or peak times are the most useful for officials weighing options.

Our two cents? Show up tomorrow evening if you use the park or nearby streets — speak to the concrete tradeoffs you live with, note exact locations that feel unsafe and ask city staff how community feedback will translate into a timeline for design and construction. Your input now is the lever that shapes how Hyattsville moves and walks around Driskell Park.