Maine Avenue is Combat

[Steve O]

@ursus 166347 wrote:

Does anyone know why the grass has been removed on the slope to Banneker Circle?

There’s a thread on that topic: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?12334-Improvements-to-Banneker-Park-area-of-DC

[TwoWheelsDC]

@ursus 166347 wrote:

Does anyone know why the grass has been removed on the slope to Banneker Circle?

That’s where they’re adding a new stairway up to the bridge from Maine Ave.

[ursus]

Thanks to both you. I did read that thread but exactly what was going on never clicked.

[ursus]

Maine Avenue has been paved. It still needs some line painting.

I rode a bit on the new bike lane. I had to dodge pedestrians on the way to the fish market. The actual sidewalk wasn’t useable there so I will give them a pass on that today. Hopefully the intended purpose of the bike lane will be made clear.

[ursus]

It has a way to go to reach 6 figures. https://twitter.com/Wash_cycle/status/917207179769257984

Some other pictures
https://twitter.com/Wash_cycle/status/917207101113384960
https://twitter.com/Wash_cycle/status/917207293678166016
https://twitter.com/Wash_cycle/status/917207411991117824

[TwoWheelsDC]

The cycle track is basically open to the public at this point. Wasn’t really crowded tonight, but I’m definitely sticking with my prediction that it will be a pain in the ass to ride for much of the day. Oh, and watch out for turning cars!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6W3XsP7S-s&feature=youtu.be

[lordofthemark]

@TwoWheelsDC 166501 wrote:

The cycle track is basically open to the public at this point. Wasn’t really crowded tonight, but I’m definitely sticking with my prediction that it will be a pain in the ass to ride for much of the day. Oh, and watch out for turning cars!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6W3XsP7S-s&feature=youtu.be

looks no worse than the MVT was tonight

Doesn’t appear to be any signage indicating its a bike lane. Is there any?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@lordofthemark 166503 wrote:

Doesn’t appear to be any signage indicating its a bike lane. Is there any?

I was hoping to see some signage and did not. It’s possible that there’s something at the western end (where I guess the bike counter is?), but nothing from 9th to 7th. Maybe they’re going to paint some bike symbols or whatever, but now that it’s open, it seems a little late for that.

[lordofthemark]

Rode it this morning, east bound. There were quite a few pedestrians on it, though in fact riding (at a moderate pace) was not worse than plenty of our more popular trails, and much better than some sidewalks I occasionally find myself bailing to.

Other than a “bikes follow ped signals” sign, there was no signage whatsoever indicating this is a bike lane. Nor is there a center stripe as two way PBLs usually have. Given that, its hard to blame the pedestrians for using it as an extra sidewalk, especially as there are not many riders (I saw none other than myself). The actual sidewalk did not appear THAT narrow, but I did not walk it.

[ChampionTier]

@TwoWheelsDC 166501 wrote:

The cycle track is basically open to the public at this point. Wasn’t really crowded tonight, but I’m definitely sticking with my prediction that it will be a pain in the ass to ride for much of the day. Oh, and watch out for turning cars!

Nice clip! Looking forward to riding in on it tomorrow morning!

[ursus]

@lordofthemark 166522 wrote:

Rode it this morning, east bound. There were quite a few pedestrians on it, though in fact riding (at a moderate pace) was not worse than plenty of our more popular trails, and much better than some sidewalks I occasionally find myself bailing to.

Other than a “bikes follow ped signals” sign, there was no signage whatsoever indicating this is a bike lane. Nor is there a center stripe as two way PBLs usually have. Given that, its hard to blame the pedestrians for using it as an extra sidewalk, especially as there are not many riders (I saw none other than myself). The actual sidewalk did not appear THAT narrow, but I did not walk it.

When I rode southeastward coming back from Haines Point about an hour ago, it was similar and the real sidewalk was blocked by a band waiting to play and other things.

I still haven’t seen the bikeometer.

[Judd]

@ursus 166525 wrote:

I still haven’t seen the bikeometer.

The bikeometer is sort of in front of the District Hardware. It’s also oriented so that the display is facing the street instead of facing the path so you’ll have to turn your head to the side to figure out what number you are.

[ursus]

@Judd 166538 wrote:

The bikeometer is sort of in front of the District Hardware. It’s also oriented so that the display is facing the street instead of facing the path so you’ll have to turn your head to the side to figure out what number you are.

Thanks I saw it today. Since it is sideways one doesn’t know if one is actually counted. Assuming I was, I was #37 at about 7 AM heading west and #62 returning about 10:30 AM. Certainly not many riders.

As an off topic comment, it is great that for the first time in the 42 years that I lived in SW DC, there is now a hardware store which I can walk to.

[Judd]

@ursus 166584 wrote:

Thanks I saw it today. Since it is sideways one doesn’t know if one is actually counted. Assuming I was, I was #37 at about 7 AM heading west and #62 returning about 10:30 AM. Certainly not many riders.

As an off topic comment, it is great that for the first time in the 42 years that I lived in SW DC, there is now a hardware store which I can walk to.

I wish it was oriented the other way. I did a test to see if it was counting me since there’s not a visible ground loop. I guess it’s hiding underneath the surface. The surface itself is permeable which is kind of neat.

[lordofthemark]

I rode the PBL west bound on the way home. Figured a Friday evening would be a particular challenge. Lots of pedestrians, if still not enough to render it unrideable for me. There was one cyclist going the other way on the PBL. But there was also a cyclist riding on the actual sidewalk (IE NOT the PBL) Which I think indicates a problem as big as that inherent in the infrastructure – there is nothing present indicating to anyone that there is supposed to be mode seperation between bikes and peds. Unless you are aficionado of Dutch style bike infra, or you have been combing this forum for references to the PBL, you would have no idea that there was a PBL there. Also does not help that one of the apt buildings has its leasing sign in the PBL. My suggested solution is that we maybe ask DDOT to put in a cycle track on Maine Avenue. That might get their attention, maybe?

Also of course one other reason there is little bike traffic is that there is really nowhere to go at the west end of the PBL – the connection to fish market sidewalk is worse than ever.

On a side note, if I cross Maine in the crosswalk on the west side of 7th, and then turn west on the PBL, the bike counter will not capture me, right? For now at least the entry to the woonerf is closed, so its either that, or use the crosswalk on the east side of 7th, which is hard to get to because of the construction east of 7th.

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