EPA Shuttle – Crystal City

[cyclingfool]

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One of my available commute routes from Alexandria to DC takes me through Crystal City, and I’ve been going this way lately out of boredom with taking the MVT every day for years. Almost daily, I encounter this shuttle bus, parked illegally in the bike lane along Potomac Avenue near the corner of Crystal Drive. I took the attached pictures the end of last week. Some googling revealed that this shuttle is providing shuttle service on a contract basis for the EPA offices located in the building. I emailed these pictures to what seemed like the correct EPA office (aaoarm@epa.gov) along with a request that they work with the contractor/driver so they don’t block the bike lane. (Text of email below). As I allude to in the email, there is some irony in the fact that a shuttle bus for the EPA blocks bike lanes.

As yet, I have received no response. I didn’t even get an automated “thank you for your email” message. I am hoping someone on this list works for/with EPA and knows where/to whom I could address my concerns, perhaps someone at the Crystal City office that might have a direct connection with the shuttle service. Thanks for any help/ideas that anyone may have.

Thanks!

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Original email follows:

I am writing to complain formally about what has become a regularly repeated scene near the Crystal City EPA office building in the morning. Attached you will find pictures taken this morning of a CEEPCO Contracting LLC-operated EPA shuttle bus parked illegally in the bike lane at the corner of Potomac Avenue and Crystal Drive around 9 AM. I pass through this area regularly on my bike commute, and this scene is repeated almost daily.

I urge you to work with this contractor and its drivers to make clear to them that parking in a bike lane (even if an operator is in the bus) is not acceptable behavior and that they must find another location to park or idle the shuttle bus, one that does not illegally block bike lanes in Crystal City.

As the US government agency tasked with protecting our environment, and as an agency with a solid reputation of supporting bike commuting among your staff, I trust that you will take this seriously.

Sincerely,
xxxx xxxxx

xxxx.xxxxx@gmail.com

xxx xxxxxx xxx xxx
Alexandria, VA 22301

Topic

[creadinger]

@cyclingfool 59327 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3374[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3375[/ATTACH]

One of my available commute routes from Alexandria to DC takes me through Crystal City, and I’ve been going this way lately out of boredom with taking the MVT every day for years. Almost daily, I encounter this shuttle bus, parked illegally in the bike lane along Potomac Avenue near the corner of Crystal Drive. I took the attached pictures the end of last week. Some googling revealed that this shuttle is providing shuttle service on a contract basis for the EPA offices located in the building. I emailed these pictures to what seemed like the correct EPA office (aaoarm@epa.gov) along with a request that they work with the contractor/driver so they don’t block the bike lane. (Text of email below). As I allude to in the email, there is some irony in the fact that a shuttle bus for the EPA blocks bike lanes.

As yet, I have received no response. I didn’t even get an automated “thank you for your email” message. I am hoping someone on this list works for/with EPA and knows where/to whom I could address my concerns, perhaps someone at the Crystal City office that might have a direct connection with the shuttle service. Thanks for any help/ideas that anyone may have.

Thanks!

I’d be interested to know if you get a response or even resolution about this. The wife and I rode that way a lot the past 2 years on grocery trips.

In the mean time I’d just suggest taking the lane as you ride north on Potomac Ave/Crystal Drive past the hotels, EPA, and defense contractor row. We routinely took the lane in that area, especially on Clark St. because of the number of charter buses, tour buses, hotel shuttles and taxis blocking bike lanes, car lanes, walking lanes, and any other type of lane you could think of. That area is a mess sometimes and the EPA shuttle is a small part of the challenge. I hope your e-mail will spur some action.

[cyclingfool]

@creadinger 59349 wrote:

I’d be interested to know if you get a response or even resolution about this. The wife and I rode that way a lot the past 2 years on grocery trips.

In the mean time I’d just suggest taking the lane as you ride north on Crystal Drive. We routinely took the lane in that area, especially on Clark St. because of the number of charter buses, tour buses, hotel shuttles and taxis blocking bike lanes, car lanes, walking lanes, and any other type of lane you could think of. That area is a mess sometimes and the EPA shuttle is a small part of the challenge. I hope your e-mail will spur some action.

THanks for the reply. I have no qualms taking the lane and I do so there when the shuttle is parked like that. It just seems particularly ridiculous to have an EPA shuttle bus clogging up the works and blocking a bike lane. And, as you point out, hotel shuttles and taxis regularly block/park in CC’s bike lanes… alas.

I’ll post back here if/when I get a reply from someone/anyone at EPA. I suppose I could also alert Arlington parking enforcement if I never hear anything else back.

[Author]

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