Can I have my bollards back?

[ShawnoftheDread]

Then why not add more flex-posts mid-block? Why are intersections helped by flex-posts but mid-block needs zebra barriers?

[Greenbelt]

@ShawnoftheDread 54379 wrote:

Then why not add more flex-posts mid-block? Why are intersections helped by flex-posts but mid-block needs zebra barriers?

No idea — I like the flexposts too. They’re fairly attractive, very reflective and removable/reinstallable for special events. They’re not really protective, since they flex, but they get the message across. Maybe the zebras are considered more attractive to the fine arts folks (all of whom should take a bike ride sometime!).

[KLizotte]

WashCycle has a link to this article about the world’s top cycling cities (of course none are in the US). Saw this pic of Barcelona and immediately thought “PA Ave!”. Yeah, the parade issue but the Fine Arts Commission surely couldn’t object to the appearance of this type of track. There is greenery!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3154[/ATTACH]

[jrenaut]

@KLizotte 56022 wrote:

WashCycle has a link to this article about the world’s top cycling cities (of course none are in the US). Saw this pic of Barcelona and immediately thought “PA Ave!”. Yeah, yeah, the parade but the Fine Arts Commission surely couldn’t object to the appearance of this type of track. There is greenery!

I’ve mentioned this before – they could easily take a lane in each direction and create something like this for bikes and pedestrians that would be wide enough to plow, surround it with flowers and stuff, and the Fine Arts Commission could not possibly object on any reasonable grounds. It would also make a nice little path for the new President to walk down every four years.

[rcannon100]

Be careful out there

[URL=”xhttp://talesfromthesharrows.blogspot.com/2013/07/citizen-volunteers-patrolling.html”]Citizen Volunteers Patrolling Pennsylvania Avenue Cycle Track Reporting Scofflaw Cyclists[/URL] Tales from the Sharrows

[bobco85]

@rcannon100 56788 wrote:

Be careful out there

I wonder, is the person noting illegal left/U-turners and jaywalkers, too? I have an uneasy feeling that the person is gathering information that will later be used to deny any work beneficial to cyclists on the PA Ave cycletrack in the future. Either that, or I’m just feeling cranky this morning.

[jrenaut]

From the blog post, it sounds more like someone fed up with all the idiot cyclists giving the rest of us a bad name. I’m not sure I approve of the methods, but I do hope it helps cut down on cyclists being stupid.

[ShawnoftheDread]

What’s the point? Running a red light is an infraction. It has to be observed by an LEO (or a red light camera) to be a chargeable offense. This guy with the bad path etiquette is not going to be able to get anyone in any actual trouble by telling on them.

[jrenaut]

Large chunk of the PA Ave bike lane blocked starting around 5th. I can’t swear to it, but it sure looks like zebra installation. There was nothing there yet, but it looked like they had drilled some good sized holes where the bollards used to be.

[bluerider]

@jrenaut 59578 wrote:

Large chunk of the PA Ave bike lane blocked starting around 5th. I can’t swear to it, but it sure looks like zebra installation. There was nothing there yet, but it looked like they had drilled some good sized holes where the bollards used to be.

They are installing flushed mounted flexposts. Basically the same as before but easier to maintain. Zebras later……hopefully.

[baiskeli]

@ShawnoftheDread 56831 wrote:

What’s the point? Running a red light is an infraction. It has to be observed by an LEO (or a red light camera) to be a chargeable offense. This guy with the bad path etiquette is not going to be able to get anyone in any actual trouble by telling on them.

Maybe they could hand out fliers to the scofflaw cyclists like the fliers the illegal U-turners got.

[jrenaut]

@bluerider 59579 wrote:

They are installing flushed mounted flexposts. Basically the same as before but easier to maintain. Zebras later……hopefully.

Really? Maybe if we’d stop taking stuff out and putting it back and just focus on MAKING IT SAFE, then a lot of these problems would go away. Or maybe I’m just grumpy because they’ve deposited a dumpster right in front of my house, blocking street cleaning, parking, and a rush hour travel lane. Thanks, guys!

[Xarici]

It’d be nice if they installed flexposts or really anything at all at Constitution and Penn. The vast majority of drivers turning left onto Constitution cut that corner well over the lines very close to anyone waiting at that light. I always stop well behind the stop bar there and have no idea why there aren’t any protective measures other than white paint there.

Update: based on the cones that are now placed along there, it looks like this will indeed happen!

[jrenaut]

ABC 7 is out interviewing cyclists at 13th and PA Ave about the zebras. I gave him my opinion, which is that the zebras are completely useless. I might be on TV at 6pm.

[bluerider]

I was contacted by them for an interview. However, my work schedule and location didn’t make an interview possible. Please support good infrastructure.

This morning I posted on follow-up to my article in the comments section on Greater Greater Washington with new information that came to light after the article was published. I wanted to make it available here: It is as follows:

I wanted to thank everyone for commenting on my article and not letting the discussion fall into “cyclists never follow the law” comments.

After this article was published, sources at DDOT confirmed they botched the Zebra installation. When DDOT re-stripped the cycle track a few years ago, the contractor they hired did the work incorrectly and did not follow the approved plans. Each stripped box on both sides is 5 feet too long. DDOT didn’t bother to inspect or notice the contractor’s non-compliance with the approved plans. At the time, this had no real consequences.

When DDOT designed the construction plans to install Zebras, they used the design plans for the striping which did not match the actually stripping on the pavement. The approved DDOT construction plans call for a 10 foot separation (each zebra in the middle of each stripped box). However, because each stripped box is 5 feet too long and DDOT staff installing the Zebras didn’t use a measuring tape, the actually separation on the pavement is 15 feet.

Zicla, the Zebra manufacturer, recommends a minimum separation of 8.2 feet. The combined mistakes from DDOT on the botched stripping work, using plans that didn’t match the reality on the ground, and an inability to use a measuring tape during installation results in a separation distance that is almost double what the manufacturer recommends.

Yesterday, after being asked twice if DDOT was going to fix the problem and adjust the separation, they have ducked the question each time. Will they fix their mistakes or just make the cycling community live with it. It is still unknown.

Regardless, thank you for taking the time to read the article and provide your opinion. By speaking up for better cycling infrastructure, it helps cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers have a better and safer experience on DC’s streets.

Ryan Sigworth AICP

[Author]

Posts