Good News on Infrastructure thread

[lordofthemark]

I would like to start this as a list of all new infra (or major rehabs) that support cycling in the area – bike lanes, cycle tracks, MUT’s, bike boulevards, wide lanes, etc, etc. Across all jurisdictions in the metro area. For now I will start with links to existing threads – many such already exist in the road and trail conditions forum, and in the forums on Arlington, Alexandria, and FABB. I envision it as sort of a grand list of “good” news.

I think it should probably be limited to things actually under construction, completed, or at least definitely planned and funded, as opposed to things still up for debate, or general jurisdiction wide plans.

Eye Street (with its bike lanes) being repaved from SW to SE.

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?5975-Eye-Street-SW-bike-lanes

Columbia Pike Bike boulevard plans, and discussion of trail cross golf course

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?5926-Columbia-Pike-bike-boulevard-plan-update

Chambliss Street trail bridge in Alexandria complete

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?5603-Chambliss-Street-Bridge-Nearly-Complete

Topic

[dasgeh]

@bobco85 126510 wrote:

Hmm, maybe the idea currently being floated for the Quincy Street bike lane in Ballston could be used here (this is the area: https://goo.gl/maps/khxcPxfQCfK2), i.e. the bike lane would follow along the curb, flexposts would be used to separate the bike lane from the road, and the pick-up/drop-off spot would be between the right traffic lane and (newly protected) bike lane.

Yes! Of course, I think that paint bike lanes are basically useless, and that in most places, protected bike lanes would be an improvement

[chris_s]

@bobco85 126510 wrote:

Hmm, maybe the idea currently being floated for the Quincy Street bike lane in Ballston could be used here (this is the area: https://goo.gl/maps/khxcPxfQCfK2), i.e. the bike lane would follow along the curb, flexposts would be used to separate the bike lane from the road, and the pick-up/drop-off spot would be between the right traffic lane and (newly protected) bike lane.

I don’t think there is enough space right now without moving curbs. That’s part of the reason the bike lane is so damn narrow. That said….if the Riverhouse Development goes forward I will be shouting from the rooftops that they need to widen Joyce to the point that we have protected bike lanes through that whole stretch. It could potentially connect the planned Army Navy Drive PBL with the exiting 18th St PBL.

[Steve O]

@chris_s 126512 wrote:

I don’t think there is enough space right now without moving curbs. That’s part of the reason the bike lane is so damn narrow. That said….if theRiverhouse Development goes forward I will be shouting from the rooftops that they need to widen Joyce to the point that we have protected bike lanes through that whole stretch. It could potentially connect the planned Army Navy Drive PBL with the exiting 18th St PBL

Big picture, however: The width available in the entire ROW of S. Joyce from Army/Navy all the way to Crystal Drive, IMO, could accommodate protected bike lanes given commitment, money and smart design.

[KLizotte]

@bobco85 126510 wrote:

Hmm, maybe the idea currently being floated for the Quincy Street bike lane in Ballston could be used here (this is the area: https://goo.gl/maps/khxcPxfQCfK2), i.e. the bike lane would follow along the curb, flexposts would be used to separate the bike lane from the road, and the pick-up/drop-off spot would be between the right traffic lane and (newly protected) bike lane.

Text-based diagrams:
Current configuration:
median | left traffic lane | right traffic lane | bike lane | pick-up/drop-off | curb
My idea:
median | left traffic lane | right traffic lane | pick-up/drop-off | flexposts | bike lane | curb

That would be a definite improvement though I doubt there is room since you really need a buffer zone between the parking lane and bike lane. Lots of hotel shuttles and tour buses use that area to load/unload passengers so it would be a high conflict area. It is also used a lot by delivery trucks.

The south side bike lane was never a problem because it was wider and people had less incentive to park in the bike lane since that side of the street is residential. I’ve been told by someone knowledgeable about Pentagon Row that the developer built the sidewalks too wide and infringed upon the road space so the bike lane is narrower than it should be. Even if it were wider, it still does not deal with the high demand for parking on that side of the street and the fact that hotel shuttles, tour buses, delivery vehicles, etc. all use that cut out for parking and loading. During periods of high demand, folks are often double parked along that side of the street too (even though there are parking lots just round the corner).

I’m an experienced cyclist so I just take the lane but I worry about all of the less experienced riders along that stretch particularly since there is a Cabi station there. Vornado is planning on expanding the Riverhouse complex across the street to include restaurants/retail so congestion in that little stretch is just going to get worse. It is unfortunate that the County did not stop the PR developer from building sidewalks too wide to begin with (the buildings should have been set back more).

Anybody know who to contact regarding re-striping before it is too late? Bollards would be necessary to implement Bobco’s idea cause drivers really are blind to the bike lane markings there. Ideally the County would make the road one lane and put in a protected bike lane all along South Joyce Street but hell will freeze over before that happens.

P.S. I used to knock on driver’s windows (or trunks) and ask them to move when they parked in the bike lane. I never got a polite response (anger or complete bafflement was typical) so I finally gave up.

[KLizotte]

@chris_s 126512 wrote:

I don’t think there is enough space right now without moving curbs. That’s part of the reason the bike lane is so damn narrow. That said….if the Riverhouse Development goes forward I will be shouting from the rooftops that they need to widen Joyce to the point that we have protected bike lanes through that whole stretch. It could potentially connect the planned Army Navy Drive PBL with the exiting 18th St PBL.

They could do that now if they wanted by simply removing an existing travel lane (the horror!). That would have the add’l benefit of slowing drivers down; it is highly residential through there so traffic calming would be a really great benefit. There are tons of joggers, walkers, cyclists, etc in the neighborhood.

I live at Riverhouse and am not at all pleased about the proposed development. Vornado isn’t listening to the existing residents (none of whom want retail on the property) and they are intent on pulling out all of the old growth trees. The complex is one of the few green areas in the neighborhood so I’m really sad to see it go the way of Ballston. I’ll be moving out before the digging begins after living there for over a decade. I understand the need for in-fill development but this is not the way to do it.

[chris_s]

@KLizotte 126515 wrote:

Anybody know who to contact regarding re-striping before it is too late? Bollards would be necessary to implement Bobco’s idea cause drivers really are blind to the bike lane markings there. Ideally the County would make the road one lane and put in a protected bike lane all along South Joyce Street but hell will freeze over before that happens.

When in doubt, des@arlingtonva.us

[dplasters]

@Steve O 126513 wrote:

commitment, money and smart design.

Pick two.

[Emm]

They added unprotected bike lanes to Monroe Ave on Alexandria (Del Ray area) during the recent repaving. Due to existing car parking close to Main Line Blvd, it converts to sharrows there in a rather awkward fashion, but this it’s is still better than nothing. It looks like it may also convert to sharrows going east at the Mt. Vernon crossing before turning back into bike lanes–it was a little hard to tell last night since I couldn’t see past the cars at that intersection.

I appreciate the new bike lanes since the side walk juts out at a few points on E. Monroe between Mt. Vernon Ave and Main Line Blvd, and cars would usually drive so close to you on this rode that you risked crashing into one of the jutting out sections. The bike lanes now safely go around these.

[lordofthemark]

Wait when were the Eads street lanes (striped, not protected) extended all the way to Glebe?

[consularrider]

@lordofthemark 127006 wrote:

Wait when were the Eads street lanes (striped, not protected) extended all the way to Glebe?

Many years ago. Or have they finally repaved that stretch and you’re asking when they got repainted? I haven’t seen it for three months.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

They finished up a couple months ago. It was a real nightmare for a while while they were repaving and laying pipe in front of the poop factory.

[Fairlington124]

It appears as if the Potomac Yard Trail may be extended along the east (train tack) side of Potomac Avenue. If the most recent Google Maps photo (https://goo.gl/maps/WM2jpb6obSv) is indicative of anything, it looks like it will be about 475 feet, or about as far north as the southern end of Target. I took some photos which you can interpret how you like, but it seems that they are extending the trail, based on the width of the concrete in Photo 1. I saw no posted project details. I wonder if the PY Master Plan alludes to the trail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9974[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9975[/ATTACH]

Photo 2 suggests some sort of foot path leading towards terraced seating near the retention pond.

[dkel]

Sharrows appeared on West Street in Falls Church today. I would have gotten a picture, but I was driving. :p

[lordofthemark]

I am not sure if the Wilkes Street Improvements really belong here

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9553-Wilkes-Street-Bikeway-Update

City of Alexandria calls this a “Neighborhood Bikeway” and we can expect to see more of them. NB is sort of our brand for a bike boulevard. Except a bike boulevard is supposed to have signage, sharrows, and traffic calming. Wilkes, as far as I can tell, will have only signage and sharrows, plus some improvements to the access to the one block MUP connector segment. No new traffic calming.

[lordofthemark]

Short contraflow bike lane on G Place NE

http://www.thewashcycle.com/2015/11/new-contraflow-bike-lane-installed-on-g-place-ne.html

Also I think the N Hampton Drive bike lanes in Alexandria are finished now.

[Author]

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