DC to double the number of bike racks in downtown area over next 3 yrs

[DSalovesh]

(The area for the first set to be installed is just a section of the BID, but later phases will cover the whole area.)

I’m curious how they decided where to put racks. While the Downtown BID leadership is bike-friendly overall, it seems that they’re working with property owners and businesses to decide where they’ll go.

I know my building is adamantly against putting racks along their frontage at 9th and E (in the BID). Guests and services that arrive by bike may be intercepted by security if they try to lock up to the low loop treebox fences, and at least one bike has been removed.

This is public space. Roads get car (etc.) parking by default. Bicycle parking should be just as common, and if placement is in the hands of businesses and BIDs, I’m skeptical that we’ll be getting what we need.

[PotomacCyclist]

moveDC could be a good place to provide input about bike parking, other bike infrastructure and related bike issues. They have a series of public meetings this summer. I think you can also provide feedback through their website and maybe through social media.

http://www.wemovedc.org/

They are gathering info and opinions from all sources to compile a draft multimodal transportation plan for the District. DDOT says that they want to include the needs of cyclists, pedestrians, public transit users and drivers in the new plan. I’ve seen the announcements for their meetings but I haven’t gotten too involved so far.

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.godcgo.com/home/get-me-there/tools-to-get-around/events/vw/3/itemid/524/d/20130626.aspx

6/26/2013 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM move DC Transportation Plan Advisory Committee Meeting
National Capital Planning Commission, 401 9th Street, NW (sutei 500, North Lobby)

The District Department of Transportation will host a moveDC Transportation Plan Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, June 26.

The TPAC is made up of District residents from each Ward who are active in transportation-related issues and other civic endeavors and are charged with acting in an advisory role to the moveDC project team throughout the plan development process. moveDC is a collaborative planning effort, lead by DDOT’s Policy, Planning & Sustainability Administration (PPSA) to develop a multimodal, long-range transportation plan for the District.

All TPAC meetings are open to the public. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in meetings.

Please note that all meeting attendees will be required to show state-issued identification to pass through security at the meeting venue.

More information about the times and locations of each meeting is available in the calendar section of the moveDC website at http://www.wemovedc.org.

[Apparently they don’t know how to spell “suite”.]

[83b]

@DSalovesh 56274 wrote:

I know my building is adamantly against putting racks along their frontage at 9th and E (in the BID)…

People are jerks about everything on that block due to the FBI building. Moreso even than around every other federal agency building in DC. I was opposite them on the 10th St block for some years, and they wouldn’t let us use our balconies.

[DSalovesh]

I asked MoveDC about this through twitter, and the response was that they’re not collecting that information at that fine grained level, just bike parking policy suggestions. Though even for that the eventual product is mainly a long-range master plan, not necessarily specific implementation tasks.

But another branch of that conversation may lead to using their tools (such as http://www.wemovedc.org/howsitmoving.html ) to collect suggestions to be submitted to the Downtown BID.

Still, while Downtown BID is “partnering” with DDOT on this project, it wasn’t clear exactly what that means or if personal input will be considered in the selection process.

[DSalovesh]

Working across the street from FBI HQ does make some things interesting, but not this. There are bike racks along 9th between E and D, and there’s a BikeShare station on-street at 10th and E, all facing the Hoover building.

This is 100% on the aesthetic sensibilities of our building’s owners, who have also painted the utility access covers on the sidewalk to better blend in with the cement.

[dasgeh]

@DSalovesh 56320 wrote:

This is 100% on the aesthetic sensibilities of our building’s owners, who have also painted the utility access covers on the sidewalk to better blend in with the cement.

Maybe you could convince them to do more interesting bike racks? There are some cool ideas out there.

[PotomacCyclist]

The security challenges in that area could change if and when the FBI moves, either to a different neighborhood in D.C. or perhaps out to the suburbs. There have been ongoing discussions about moving the FBI HQ but no definite plans. I’ve heard people speculate about the old St. Elizabeths site in Anacostia or a new campus next to one of the Metro stations in Prince George’s County. Or they could stay put.

[Rod Smith]

I lean and lock my bike against the side of 901 E out of view of the security guards. The building is a PITA. 1001 Penn is not bad. 401 9th is OK.

[Author]

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