Workshop re bike lanes (or something) from NE to NW DC – Tues. 4/16 WABA at 6:30

I’ll be there. I deliberately rode on Irving on Saturday to check out why folks were asking for an improvement. There’s signage that the narrow sidewalk is an official bicycle route:

https://goo.gl/maps/TYHWPc8tLqu

The sidewalk felt like it was 5 feet wide, but I didn’t stop to measure. I passed one pedestrian and there was no margin for error. The road is three lanes wide with lots of on and off ramps. Even on a Saturday with low traffic, I opted for the sidewalk. I’d maybe take a lane if I had a group with me.

I can’t be there tonight, but my family regularly rides from Columbia Heights to Brookland and to access the MBT. That highway north of the hospital is absurd. It’s way too big for the amount of traffic it gets. The highway-style on-ramps are incredibly dangerous. The angle to check for oncoming drivers, who are usually speeding, is really awkward. I am not at all comfortable with the kids in the road where the speed limit is 35 mph and drivers are doing 45 or more (not sure why they removed the speed cameras from there, they were at least mildly helpful).

DDOT likes to complain that they’ve gotten the low-hanging fruit, but they’re lying. They’ve gotten the fruit that’s already fell on the ground years ago. This project would be expensive, but it’s absolutely necessary.

@Judd 177510 wrote:

It’s tomorrow night.

Oh. Thanks. It may not change whether I can attend or not, but it makes it slightly more likely

As of now, I’m scheduled to be at WABA tomorrow night for the rescheduled “Bike to School Day” training/workshop, so it looks like I can’t make this workshop (but will see folks around there).

As far as the issue itself and my two cents: I wholeheartedly agree that the connections between Columbia Heights and Brookland are a mess and Irving by the hospital in particular needs a heavy road diet (and the reinstatement of those speed cameras). I’m probably in the minority in that I almost always take the lane between 1st and Michigan when heading east precisely because of the poor visibility with the cloverleaf at N. Capitol (if I’m going to be annoying, I may as well be clearly seen and be able to clearly see traffic), but I also wouldn’t be surprised if some of that is my stubbornness showing through. Part of it is also topography – it being mostly downhill east of 1st NW allows me to get up to a reasonable enough speed. And part of it is timing; I’m generally not going through there during rush hour so traffic isn’t as dense (so the annoyed Maryland drivers have plenty of chances to get around me). Heading west, I always take the sidewalk since it’s easier to see the on-ramp/off-ramp traffic that way and, with the topography, I’m not going as fast anyway.

As far as the original study goes – a few of the projects have been implemented (MM.1 and MM.2 seem done), but there’s plenty of low hanging fruit left, including the fairly simple bike facilities proposed for Irving and Kenyon.

And, in case anyone is interested in further background as to how that mess came to be in the first place, GGWash had a story a few months back (see https://ggwash.org/view/65858/heres-why-dc-has-a-traffic-cloverleaf-at-north-capitol-and-irving) detailing the decisions made almost a century ago that helped lead to the current road network around the Old Soldier’s Home, and the cloverleaf at N. Capitol.

It was a good meeting. Well attended and the group is energized. We will have another meeting in early May. Hit up streetsmarts with a PM and she can get you added to the google group.

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