Crossing Lynn Street and Lee Highway: How Can We Make It Safer for Cyclists and Peds?

[txgoonie]

Woo hoo! A move in the right direction:)

[Mark Blacknell]

Wanted to bump this as a reminder. Had planned to promo a little bit better earlier this week, but . . . things came up.

[DaveK]

@Mark Blacknell 7960 wrote:

Wanted to bump this as a reminder. Had planned to promo a little bit better earlier this week, but . . . things came up.

Somehow I don’t think you’ll need to do too much PR for this.

[Keith Bennett]

I live and ride in Rosslyn. This intersection is the pits. Cars turning right on red, bikes using the westbound crosswalk like a bike trail, everybody in too much of a hurry. Connect this to the Key Bridge downstream walk way fiasco (Bicycling folks would be better served using the upstream sidewalk, fewer pedestrians, easier Lee Hiway crossing at Ft Meyer Drive). Please bring your better ideas.

[eminva]

A belated thanks to everyone who made this meeting happen. I arrived late and couldn’t hear too well, but it was useful. I hope the assembled officials could see how many people are affected by this situation and feel strongly about it. Perhaps they will be able to devise something to improve the situation, within the considerable limitations imposed by topography, bureaucracy, etc.

I have to admit I was a bit discouraged by the remarks from the Chief of Police (I didn’t catch his name). I had already revised my route home to avoid crossing Lynn, and for the first time this morning I changed my morning routine, too. I crossed Key Bridge on the upstream side, waited for the right turning cars off Canal to clear, and positioned myself at the front of the queue of cars heading east on M Street. I had the distinct impression, based on the chief’s remarks, that as a cyclist I was pretty much on my own crossing Lynn, no matter what the signal said, and in the event of an accident, at best an investigating officer would assign fault to no one, and at worst, would assign it to me.

It was nice to talk to everyone afterwards, too. Thanks so much.

Liz

[Mark Blacknell]

Thanks for coming, Liz. I’m sorry I didn’t get to chat with everyone as much as I’d hoped to do. That site visit wasn’t the end the BAC’s attention to this intersection, and I’m hohopeful that we can use it to improve the lines of communication with ACPD.

For those that didn’t make it, here’s some coverage of the meeting:

http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/an-ongoing-conversation-making-rosslyn-safer-for-cyclists-motorists

and

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/12014/cyclists-officials-inspect-dangerous-rosslyn-intersection/

I wrote a related piece, today, on the gap between the ACPD’s enforcement standards and the law, when it comes to crosswalks:

http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/matching-enforcement-to-the-law-in-crosswalks

[jabberwocky]

@Mark Blacknell 8115 wrote:

I wrote a related piece, today, on the gap between the ACPD’s enforcement standards and the law, when it comes to crosswalks:

http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/matching-enforcement-to-the-law-in-crosswalks

I read your piece earlier and was pretty astounded the police took the interpretation they did. The law seems pretty clear, I’ve always thought. :confused: I mean,

Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.

is about as clear as laws get.

[consularrider]

There were four Arlington police officers out there this morning (two cars) a the NW corner of the intersection. Saw them waive over two cars as I approached coming from Roosevelt Island. Didn’t stop a cyclist from filtering up on the right (where there wasn’t room for him to peddle and he was pushing off the curb with one foot) of the cars stopped heading north and then running the red light himself. :confused:

[Dirt]

I noticed that the sign that used to say “Cars must yield to people in the crosswalk” sign was taken down in favor of the picture of a person walking in the crosswalk with the yield sign.

[Mark Blacknell]

I think Brian @ Tales from the Sharrows captured the meeting best – http://talesfromthesharrows.blogspot.com/2011/09/xingleehighway.html

(And that was me waving at you from across the intersection yesterday AM, Consularrider. Got some interesting video at the intersection. I hope I can find the time to edit and post it.)

[consularrider]

@Mark Blacknell 8148 wrote:

I think Brian @ Tales from the Sharrows captured the meeting best – http://talesfromthesharrows.blogspot.com/2011/09/xingleehighway.html

(And that was me waving at you from across the intersection yesterday AM, Consularrider. Got some interesting video at the intersection. I hope I can find the time to edit and post it.)

Yep, I recognized you. I think I got a positive comment from one of the officers this morning when I commented to the cyclist red light runner that he should also be getting a ticket. It was a good thing I was watching him, because he would have t-boned me if I had started out when the light turned green (after waiting the three seconds for the advanced walk light). :rolleyes:

[Mark Blacknell]

One thing that I came to realize when sitting at the intersection was how the timing of the light at Nash affects things. Eastbound cyclists, starting across Nash when the light turns, only reach Lynn at the end of the walk cycle (unless they *really* drill it). Since any riders who had already massed at the Lynn/Lee intersection have already crossed Lynn by the time the Nash grupetto arrives, cars that had waited for the Lynn group are now in motion through the turn. This then forces the Nash cyclists to either attempt to negotiate their way into a crosswalk for which they’ve got a walk signal, or to simply stop and wait for the next cycle.* I wonder whether a timing adjustment which *cuts* the cross time at Lynn might be a better solution in the mornings. Haven’t worked through it well enough to be sure.

*This was the solution a cyclist quite adamantly said was the right one, after he pointed out to me someone taking the former approach.

[brianmcentee]

@Mark Blacknell 8165 wrote:

One thing that I came to realize when sitting at the intersection was how the timing of the light at Nash affects things. Eastbound cyclists, starting across Nash when the light turns, only reach Lynn at the end of the walk cycle (unless they *really* drill it). Since any riders who had already massed at the Lynn/Lee intersection have already crossed Lynn by the time the Nash grupetto arrives, cars that had waited for the Lynn group are now in motion through the turn. This then forces the Nash cyclists to either attempt to negotiate their way into a crosswalk for which they’ve got a walk signal, or to simply stop and wait for the next cycle.* I wonder whether a timing adjustment which *cuts* the cross time at Lynn might be a better solution in the mornings. Haven’t worked through it well enough to be sure.

*This was the solution a cyclist quite adamantly said was the right one, after he pointed out to me someone taking the former approach.

Do you mean Nash or Fort Myer?

[baiskeli]

@Mark Blacknell 8165 wrote:

simply stop and wait for the next cycle.*

This is what I’m doing now, to protect myself legally and bodily. I can wait.

[OneEighth]

The late rush hour drivers were especially special this morning at the Lynn Street intersection this morning.
Frankly, they were pretty special everywhere I encountered them on the ride in today. Funny how rain does that around here.
Be careful, folks.

[Author]

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