E Monroe Ave – Drivers in the bike lane

[KLizotte]

Hi, please report the issue to the Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator asap, esp if you have pictures. The last time I contacted Alexandria about bike issues it was in July 2013. The Coordinator at the time was:

Carrie Sanders
City of Alexandria
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
TES
703-746-4088 W
703-319-7110 M
Carrie.Sanders@alexandriava.gov

[CaseyKane50]

@creadinger 145747 wrote:

I’m wondering whether Alexandria, is aware of or hopefully going to take action to fix the problem with the speed humps along E. Monroe in the vicinity of the new Aldi.

With the set up of the humps, drivers just pull up to the curb and drive down the bike lane the whole way. It completely defeats the purpose of the lane, and the humps. I’ve seen this odd behavior in other places too, like Russel road near Monticello, but never quite so ridiculous as it is on Monroe.

There was additional discussion about the bikes lanes on Monroe earlier this year. The City had said that there would be adjustments made when the weather got warmer. It sounds as if the adjustments weren’t made or they didn’t solve the problem.

You can contact City Complete Streets staff using Call.Click.Connect or call Hillary Orr at (703) 746-4017 or Ray Hayhurst at (703) 746-4160.

[Emm]

This has been going on for almost a year, ever since they installed the new speed bumps–see a conversation we had here about it: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?688-Missed-connection/page395

It got to the point last spring that when I lived in Del Ray, I avoided biking on E. Monroe (I used Leslie to E. Alexandria). I reported it at the time, and nothing occurred. When I hurt my hip and had to drive I saw police officers pretty often on that street drive behind people doing it, and not enforcing anything.

As a driver those speed bumps did suck, they were really steep and my car made really unhappy noises even when I went over them super slow. So I just drove down different roads to avoid them. A number of my neighbors started doing the same thing, but unfortunately most people appeared to just continue driving in the bike lane.

[peterw_diy]

Changes were made but they didn’t solve the problem. The initial speed cushions were too harsh and the bike lanes were flat, so drivers learned to drive in the bike lanes. Now the cushions are OK and there are some in the bike lanes, intended to discourage motoring in the bike lanes. But they don’t work.

Please consider requesting traffic enforcement via Call.Click.Connect. since APD apparently uses volume of complaints, rather than actual risk, to guide its enforcement.

https://request.alexandriava.gov/CCC/?h=tab=Find&keyword=Traffic%20enforcement&service=APD_TRFPRK

[creadinger]

Thank you all! I will click on some links and send in some complaints now.

I’ve also been meaning to complain about how many drivers feel that the stop signs on Commonwealth are suggestions and tend to “roll through” at 15mph. My fear however is that APD will use it as an excuse to target cyclists who use Commonwealth frequently too. Oh well.

[Emm]

Fyi– Va Sen Scott Surovell introduced a bill that would penalize drivers who drive in the bike lane to avoid vehicles. I asked him if it would address issues like the one mentioned here, and he said yes, it would also make it clear that actions like going into the bike lane to avoid speed humps is illegal. I haven’t read the bill text yet but since he’s a cyclist, I’m hopeful he knows his stuff.

http://wtop.com/virginia/2017/02/va-bill-would-block-drivers-from-bike-lane-penalize-drivers-who-hit-pedestrians/

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