Cherry blossoms and cycle tracks

[lordofthemark]

At the tidal basin, peak day, the newly extended cycle track is working magnificently. Almost steady streams of bikes and scooters. Only issue is when it was briefly for the Presidential motorcade.[ATTACH=CONFIG]29007[/ATTACH]

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[Brendan von Buckingham]

Glad they’re having fun. I hope they fix this part of Maine Avenue soon though. This used to be my normal commute from Lincoln to Waterfront but its impassable since they put in the cycle track. They converted the right lane into a separated “bike” lane which is dangerous due to graveldrifts, bollards and those surface barriers that have been swamped enough by vehicles that several are cocked across the bike lane. The two remaining through-lanes are an un-ridable moonscape of potholes. Same for Indpendence WB between Tidal and Lincoln. Some sort of barely patched utility trench makes that practically un-ridable too.

[lordofthemark]

There are certainly many places around the region where better pavement would make for a better ride, both in seg infra and for folks taking the lane.

This happens to be a location where the gap in seg infra has long been a barrier to many potential users who are less than comfortable taking the lane on 15th – even some more experienced and fit riders did not like it – and certainly it was more of a barrier to the young, old, newbies, Cabi riders, etc (which resulted in some riding the sidewalk with its many pedestrians, and many not riding at all) The vast number there were not only having fun (and I am pretty sure some were riding to get places) but they were learning about the potential for biking in a city, and showing the public and DC authorities the potential demand for bike riding.

I am not quite sure why 15th SB to Maine vehicular style is impassable, but I didn’t try it, maybe I will soon just to see.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

I don’t use 15th Street. I use Independence from Lincoln Memorial to where Maine splits off towards Waterfront. Then I take Maine and intersect with 15th as I continue through to the Waterfront. At the same time that they improved 15th Street with a two way cycle track, they took away the right lane on Maine (where I used to take the lane) and filled it with bollards and barriers so no vehicle could use it. This forces me over a lane to take what used to be the center lane. But the two remaining lanes are impassable due to potholes. I’m annoyed they couldn’t improve 15th without taking away Maine. Or at least instead of taking the right lane away from everybody, leave out the barriers to I can bike that lane safely. It feels like a one-mile detour at least to find the next best route.

It’s poor design and planning.

[lordofthemark]

@Brendan von Buckingham 218681 wrote:

I don’t use 15th Street. I use Independence from Lincoln Memorial to where Maine splits off towards Waterfront. Then I take Maine and intersect with 15th as I continue through to the Waterfront. At the same time that they improved 15th Street with a two way cycle track, they took away the right lane on Maine (where I used to take the lane) and filled it with bollards and barriers so no vehicle could use it. This forces me over a lane to take what used to be the center lane. But the two remaining lanes are impassable due to potholes. I’m annoyed they couldn’t improve 15th without taking away Maine. Or at least instead of taking the right lane away from everybody, leave out the barriers to I can bike that lane safely. It feels like a one-mile detour at least to find the next best route.

It’s poor design and planning.

Here

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8846295,-77.0340649,3a,75y,154.57h,87.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCGlKRL-0ZyWpfODpO4SpjA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I will have to go back and see what it looks like now. If its a paving issue, then that will be fixed with repaving. I am not sure leaving a gap in the protection of the cycle track is a better option to deal with a temporary pavement condition.

[Author]

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