L Street cycletracks

[ShawnoftheDread]

It definitely needs signage. There’s nothing painted in the lane to indicate that it’s a cycle track (other than the painted lines and sections of green of course, but no words or bike icons). Cars were either parked in the lane in spots or driving down its length for a full block despite the flex bollards. It would have been amusing had cars that pulled in behind the bollards at the intersections encountered one of the parked trucks also behind the bollards, but I never got to see that happen.

[jnva]

I had all the same issues this morning – cars driving in the lane for blocks probably not realizing that it was a bike lane. I think it will be a good thing once its complete. Kind of confusing right now for everyone.

[Greenbelt]

Is this a one-way bike lane or a two-way cycle track? Is is just eastbound, or can you use it for westbound too?

[UrbanEngineer]

It’s a one way east bound cycle track.

Other than the parked cars in the bike lane and left turning vehicles in the straight only motor vehicle lane, which these two issues will be quite prevalent until the signage gets finished, the other issues I noticed were:

At stop lights, with left turning vehicles to your left and straight traffic to your right, you may have as little as 4 feet of clearance for the bike lane. So when that green light comes, you may have moving traffic within a foot of you on other side.

Continuing a few blocks beyond the completed portion of the bike lane, there is a huge pot hole right where the bike lane will be. Clearly they’ll fill it up during construction of the lane, but at this point, it’s a fine place to go flying over your handle bars. Watch out for it.

[Rod Smith]

I like it. Sure beats riding in the door zone on the right side as most bicyclists still seem to prefer. I do change lanes when there’s someone parked in the bike lane. It would be easier to change lanes without those flexy bollards, but that would also make it more easier for motorists to get into my lane so advantage bike! I got a PR on the L Street Strava section today without running lights or splitting lanes. Express lane! I like it!

[bobco85]

I decided to check out the L Street cycletrack and film it so everyone who has not gotten a chance to ride it can at least see some of its advantages and pitfalls from a first-person perspective. I also went south on the 15th Street cycletrack to show the contrast between the two cycletracks.

I couldn’t supply my own music this time since Youtube got mad at me in my last video (but I do like the band Stereolab, so I chose a song I haven’t heard from them). Here’s the video: L and 15th Street Cycletracks

I think it will be really nice next spring/summer when the parallel M Street cycletrack gets completed. Both cycletracks on L (eastward) and M (westward) will make commuting a lot better for a lot of people if done right.

[Greenbelt]

Lots of parked cars and trucks in the track this morning.

[eminva]

The following was sent this morning, from my email address at a member of the Golden Triangle BID, to the Golden Triangle BID:

Hello –

As a bicycle commuter working in the Golden Triangle BID, I am grateful that DDOT is finally in the process of installing the L Street cycletrack. So far, it is not without its bumps. Many motorists (trash and delivery trucks, in particular) are unaware that the lane is only for bicycles. I believe in time these issues will be resolved and the cycletrack will be a great resource for DC cyclists.

However, I think it is very important for those of us who ostensibly support the cycletrack to respect that it is for bicycles ONLY, and not use it as short term parking, even in an emergency. Therefore, I would request that the BID ask all of its truck drivers to refrain from parking in the cycletrack. See attached photos (taken this morning at about 9 a.m., northeast corner of L and 19th).

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EDIT: At least there weren’t any trash trucks this morning. There were only two obstacles in total, so that was an improvement over yestereday. One other wrinkle: I noticed another cyclist treating the cycletrack as a two-way affair, cycling westbound. Hopefully they get the M Street cycletrack in soon before others get this idea.

[Steve]

Bobco, thanks for the video. As someone who doesn’t ride up in that part of the city much, it was nice to see what it actually looks like.

Something that stuck me about the track (and most of them) is whether or not it would be better if the tracks on L and M went in the opposite direction. There are some parts of the track that I could see this being problematic (when it is more of just a bike lane, not a separated track), but many that it would help. If bike traffic went in the opposite direction, there would not be a need for the mixing zone, which constantly requires you, as highlighted in the video, to look back over your right shoulder. Furthermore, going the opposite direction allows the rider and driver to see each other more easily, and make eye contact going into the intersection.

I’m no expert by any stretch, and I don’t ride those tracks much, just wondering what people thought about that.

[DismalScientist]

What’s the deal with cabs picking up and dropping off fares on the left side of the road in the cycletrack? Is/Will this be kosher?

Cycletracks in the opposite direction would be a disaster. It encourages salmoning on non-cycletrack roads. Mixing with left turning traffic is a problem. Pedestrians crossing the street aren’t expecting opposite direction bicycle traffic. There’s a street going the opposite direction only one block away. I would suggest making the 15th Street cycletrack one way southbound and figure out a different location for a northbound cycletrack.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@eminva 34821 wrote:

EDIT: At least there weren’t any trash trucks this morning. There were only two obstacles in total, so that was an improvement over yestereday. One other wrinkle: I noticed another cyclist treating the cycletrack as a two-way affair, cycling westbound. Hopefully they get the M Street cycletrack in soon before others get this idea.

I spied with my little eye a trash truck and at least two delivery trucks this morning at 8:50-ish. Plus automobiles. No planes or trains, though.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Steve 34823 wrote:

Bobco, thanks for the video. As someone who doesn’t ride up in that part of the city much, it was nice to see what it actually looks like.

Something that stuck me about the track (and most of them) is whether or not it would be better if the tracks on L and M went in the opposite direction. There are some parts of the track that I could see this being problematic (when it is more of just a bike lane, not a separated track), but many that it would help. If bike traffic went in the opposite direction, there would not be a need for the mixing zone, which constantly requires you, as highlighted in the video, to look back over your right shoulder. Furthermore, going the opposite direction allows the rider and driver to see each other more easily, and make eye contact going into the intersection.

I’m no expert by any stretch, and I don’t ride those tracks much, just wondering what people thought about that.

So the mixing zones for left turns and garage entrances could result in head-on collisions instead of just side-swipes. I think bikes should always travel in the same direction as adjacent vehicles.

[bobco85]

@DismalScientist 34840 wrote:

Cycletracks in the opposite direction would be a disaster. It encourages salmoning on non-cycletrack roads. Mixing with left turning traffic is a problem. Pedestrians crossing the street aren’t expecting opposite direction bicycle traffic. There’s a street going the opposite direction only one block away. I would suggest making the 15th Street cycletrack one way southbound and figure out a different location for a northbound cycletrack.

I disagree with your assertion about the separated two-way cycletrack encouraging cyclists to salmon on non-cycletrack roads. The cycletrack becomes like a trail, like the Custis Trail along Lee Highway in Rosslyn (one-way road, two-way trail, salmoning rare). I think the reason the 15th Street cycletrack is two-way is that it provides a link to the Pennsylvania cycletrack. Together they help to create a major thoroughfare that cyclists can branch off of on their individual routes.

I think in the case of L Street (and M Street if it is similarly designed), it would not be able to support a two-way cycletrack unless they could make it fully separated. Currently, it features a mixture of cycletrack, bike lane, and sharrows that it is constantly switching between. Truthfully, it is a bit confusing, and I think a couple of extra left turn arrows painted on the ground in places would really help to distinguish between parking/drop-off lane which people seem to perceive and actual lane of traffic. Also, it was weird riding on the left side of the road as it is a place usually reserved for faster traffic.

All in all, I like the ideas they’re trying for the L Street cycletrack, but a lot of adjustments will also be necessary.

[DismalScientist]

@bobco85 34847 wrote:

I disagree with your assertion about the separated two-way cycletrack encouraging cyclists to salmon on non-cycletrack roads. The cycletrack becomes like a trail, like the Custis Trail along Lee Highway in Rosslyn (one-way road, two-way trail, salmoning rare). I think the reason the 15th Street cycletrack is two-way is that it provides a link to the Pennsylvania cycletrack. Together they help to create a major thoroughfare that cyclists can branch off of on their individual routes.

I was responding to what I thought was Steve’s desire for a one-way cycle track westbound on L Street, not a two-way cycletrack. I think there are example of contra-flow bike path in DC. Maybe on 4th Street or so, NE, or something like that.

[Steve]

@ShawnoftheDread 34844 wrote:

So the mixing zones for left turns and garage entrances could result in head-on collisions instead of just side-swipes. I think bikes should always travel in the same direction as adjacent vehicles.

I guess I just disagree with the assertion that it is necessarily more dangerous. I say this only as a result of the 15th street track, where I have felt more comfortable when going in the opposite direction of traffic because of the ability for both the car and rider to see each other. It takes the bike out of a car’s blind spot, which I generally think is good. I agree that when in traffic, or when in bike lanes designed to go with traffic, the salmoning is wrong. However, I don’t agree with Dismal’s assertion that riding designed opposite way tracks would someone lead to more of it. I don’t believe 15th street has caused an outburst of salmoning.

[Author]

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