L Street cycletracks

[jnva]

Yep, work has begun. L street is all torn up and very very dusty. Wear a dust mask if you ride that street!

[Dirt]

The Examiner had an article about it that brings up some good points:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/new-l-street-bike-lane-means-new-rules-for-bikes-and-cars/article/2511551#.UIfu9Iac-So

There are going to be a few traffic patterns for bikes and cars that are new for people. They are all designed to have people traveling safely with different modes of transportation through some busy areas. Green lanes and turning boxes will help, but will take some getting used to by everyone. A lot of drivers are going to be saying, “What the heck is that???”.

The key to the success of these cycleways takes a little effort on our part. One part is easy… Get out there and ride them!!! Ride them legally and be a PAL. Talk to people when you’re out riding and spread the word.

WABA sent out a mailing this morning suggesting that people talk to your local representatives and let them know how much these cycleways mean to you. We’ve seen pushback from people when new cycling infrastructure comes on-line… whether it is bike lanes or CABI stations, we will probably see some negative press. It is up to US to make some positive noise out there too.

Hugs and kisses,

Dirt

[jnva]

I rode on what looks like the first section of the bike lane that is marked now between 25th and 24th street. I was all excited, kind of felt like I was the first to ride on it! The feeling was short lived though, because it was only one block and – I’m not making this up – almost got hit by a car turning left.
I usually avoid the left lane because of the left hook, so this will be a big change for me. I really hate the mixing zones, but hopefully when it’s all done it will be easier to navigate.
It did look like the “bike lane” was marked between the traffic lane and parked cars – WTF – I though it was going to eliminate parking. Did they change the design???

[ShawnoftheDread]

My favorite part of the new section was all the cars driving in it this morning. Forget left hooks – cars were in the bike lane the entire block. The smooth pavement was nice, though.

[DismalScientist]

I ride L Street every day. I am cautiously pessimistic. Left hooks worry me and normally I would rather ride in the traffic lanes. I hope social pressure doesn’t force cyclists into the lane. Why was the bike lane put on the left rather than the right?

[eminva]

@DismalScientist 34315 wrote:

Why was the bike lane put on the left rather than the right?

There are only a few (maybe just one) garage entrances on the left side of the street that could not be relocated but a ton of them on the right side.

I will take the “cautiously optimistic” side of DismalScientist’s bet. The way I look at it is that bike infrastructure is still in its infancy and we are the guinea pigs. If it’s not perfect, maybe they will learn something and improve the design in the future.

Liz

P.S. I didn’t know they would be tearing up the whole street for our new bike lanes!

[jnva]

Hmm, now that I think about it, I may have been riding in the buffer zone and cars were parked in the cycle track!

[Dirt]

Help with sending a letter in support of the L STreet Cycletrack. https://hq-salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/451/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1259330

[Greenbelt]

@Dirt 34345 wrote:

Help with sending a letter in support of the L STreet Cycletrack. https://hq-salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/451/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1259330

Done

[Arlingtonrider]

Ditto.

[Bilsko]

@jnva 34324 wrote:

Hmm, now that I think about it, I may have been riding in the buffer zone and cars were parked in the cycle track!

I made the same mistake this morning! From Penn to NH ave, there is only the cycle lane (ie. the ‘ buffer zone’) After NH (East-bound), the cycle track is the 8ft immediately adjacent to the left curb, plus a 3ft buffer zone that will get flex-bollards installed soon.

[DismalScientist]

Cycletrack is completed to at least 18th street to the east.
The left turn lane onto 18th is a single lane, reduced from one and one half lanes. I’m not sure that the transition allow left turning traffic into the turn lane and cyclle traffic going right to remain in the cycletrack is signed as long enough.

A garbage truck, post office truck and limo seemed to think that the cycle track was the ideal place to stop and park for a while in rush hour traffic. There are signs up prohibiting this behavior. (I’m not the type of person to get my knickers in a twist over this, but I though you would like to know.)

[eminva]

Okay, I was cautiously optimistic a few days ago, but that’s out the window. Here are a couple of photos from this morning.

The Garbage Haulers of America would like to thank DDOT for the dedicated trash truck lane on a busy downtown street:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1956[/ATTACH]

It may appear this car has pulled over for the “mixing zone,” but he was in the bike lane for the whole block (just wasn’t fast enough with the camera):

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1957[/ATTACH]

Hopefully they make this more separate somehow (like the 15th Street cycletrack) or I’m not going to use them.

Liz

[vvill]

Hmm, looks like they need some enforcement and better signage.

[jrenaut]

Remember, the 15th St cycletracks were like this in the beginning, too. More bike traffic will help. More enforcement will help. There will always be idiots. If we can all try to gently correct their behavior, that will help, too.

[Author]

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