My Evening Commute

[cvcalhoun]

@streetsmarts 160013 wrote:

Ha thanks Bobco. I’m waiting for a bus in the rain and was just gonna follow up.
It was really amazing that the bag was there 4 hrs later…untouched. Glad my friends encouraged me to go down there rather than wait.

Also from now on…things you can’t lose stay attached in pockets etc. And always make sure the panniers’ straps are attached. I maybe I forgot to do that.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Glad you got it back! One reason I really like the Ortlieb panniers is that they clamp onto the rack, and you have to actually lift the straps to unclamp them. And since each one clamps on in two places, they won’t come off even if you somehow fail to get one side on at all. That makes them nearly idiot-proof. And since I’m riding every morning pre-caffeine, “idiot-proof” is a necessity!

[bobco85]

I want to share this since it became one of my top 10 favorite rides all time.

Yesterday, I felt like doing a long ride after work and had planned to do so with a route going from my office in Arlington out to Bladensburg then home in Alexandria. I was a bit worried to find that the forecast called for a thunderstorm to pass through, but I was determined to go anyways.

I got caught in the rain for a bit (nothing more than a moderate amount), but after passing through SW DC and making it to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, I was treated to a beautiful rainbow to the east that I chased along the trail. Getting close to Bladensburg, I was treated to the serene environment of the wetlands where I saw a flock of small birds moving gracefully in what looked like an airborne school of fish. After reading all the informational signs at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, I made my way over to the Dueling Grounds where historical arguments were settled less than a half mile outside DC which had outlawed duels in the 19th century. I then found a way to access Boundary Stone NE7 which is at the edge of Fort Lincoln Cemetery by passing through a mud/straw covered area (my poor skinny tire road bike) near a housing development. Finally, while riding on the Wayne F Anderson Bikeway in Alexandria, I had my first lightning bug sighting of the summer. It was truly an awesome ride, and I’m glad I wasn’t deterred by the brief storm.

(left) artwork with Anacostia River in back; (right) the rainbow I chased
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(left) bridge geometry; (right) enjoying the views and sounds of the wetlands
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(left) reflection at Bladensburg Waterfront Park; (right) family of geese on the Anacostia River
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(left) Boundary Stone NE7 at outer edge of Ft Lincoln Cemetery; (right) wearing my new socks!
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[Brendan von Buckingham]

I had a site visit in LeDroit Park yesterday on my commute home. To be blunt, after the Masjid Muhammad mosque at 4th and P, black pedestrians or cyclists were unnoticeable until I got to Georgetown. Along 4th, to 2nd and U where my client lives, then outbound on Rhode Island Ave and M Street to get to Key Bridge almost every cyclist or pedestrian was white. It was a beautiful day with swarms of cyclists and pedestrians too many to count.

Then this morning this article came across my desk this morning, The Demographics of walking and biking to work tell yet another story of gentrification. Not too long, charts and maps, and this conclusion: “We don’t have to don a veil of ignorance to formulate transportation policy. Those who can walk or bike to work have already won the income lottery.”

I think they’ve flipped causes and effects in a couple of places, and that the article is looking to justify a preconceived conclusion, e.g. they take a club to the idea of bicycle commuter tax benefits because cyclists are so rich. Regardless…

I’m not saying there’s a link. I just had an evening commute yesterday when I said to myself, jeez, where did all these cyclists come from? and jeez where did all these white people come from?

[lordofthemark]

@Brendan von Buckingham 161109 wrote:

I had a site visit in LeDroit Park yesterday on my commute home. To be blunt, after the Masjid Muhammad mosque at 4th and P, black pedestrians or cyclists were unnoticeable until I got to Georgetown. Along 4th, to 2nd and U where my client lives, then outbound on Rhode Island Ave and M Street to get to Key Bridge almost every cyclist or pedestrian was white. It was a beautiful day with swarms of cyclists and pedestrians too many to count.

Then this morning this article came across my desk this morning, The Demographics of walking and biking to work tell yet another story of gentrification. Not too long, charts and maps, and this conclusion: “We don’t have to don a veil of ignorance to formulate transportation policy. Those who can walk or bike to work have already won the income lottery.”

I think they’ve flipped causes and effects in a couple of places, and that the article is looking to justify a preconceived conclusion, e.g. they take a club to the idea of bicycle commuter tax benefits because cyclists are so rich. Regardless…

I’m not saying there’s a link. I just had an evening commute yesterday when I said to myself, jeez, where did all these cyclists come from? and jeez where did all these white people come from?

In NoVa, plenty of poor people of color, mostly hispanics, bike for transportation. That it is different among african americans in DC (where the policy issue is) is partly due to geography, partly due to culture, AFAICT. As an economist, I think one can be concerned about income distribution, without believing every policy must be evaluated on its income distribution effects – DC can increase its efforts to aid low income people, or make its tax system more progressive, to offset any income effects of this.

[cvcalhoun]

@lordofthemark 161110 wrote:

In NoVa, plenty of poor people of color, mostly hispanics, bike for transportation. That it is different among african americans in DC (where the policy issue is) is partly due to geography, partly due to culture, AFAICT. As an economist, I think one can be concerned about income distribution, without believing every policy must be evaluated on its income distribution effects – DC can increase its efforts to aid low income people, or make its tax system more progressive, to offset any income effects of this.

One of the problems is that DC can’t really make its tax system more progressive to compensate for measures designed to help cyclists. Unlike every state in the Union, it is prohibited from assessing income taxes (the only taxes that can be made progressive) on people who work here and live elsewhere. So to the extent that more bicycle infrastructure benefits people from VA or MD, making the tax system more progressive won’t get them to pay their share.

The same is true for all infrastructure, of course, and is not a reason to treat cycling infrastructure differently. But when the poorest areas of town (those with the most people who can’t afford cars) get the worst biking infrastructure, and the bike infrastructure is disproportionately created in areas used by nonresidents, you’re going to create resentment.

Of course, I wrote an article espousing elimination of the prohibition on taxing nonresidents in 1980, and it’s not gone yet, so I’m not optimistic. (And before anyone asks, I live in MD and work in DC.)

[Zack]

Made a map of bike to work rates using 2013 American Community Survey data by census tract. There are only two census tracts in upper Northwest with no cyclists riding work but south/east of the Anacostia there are only 133 and 30+ tracts without any BTW. In contrast, there only 8 tracts without any BTW east of Rock Creek Park and west of the Anacostia.

I think a lot of the low BTW is due to poor connections thanks to 295 and the railroad tracks. While folks south and east of the river have three trails, including the fantastic Anacostia Riverwalk and Marvin Gaye, none connect east/west. What connections do exist are not low less. Eleven streets cross the 295/railroad corridor but only 2 are low stress streets. While the 11th St Bridge has a nice path, there are few low stress connections on the Anacostia side. While there are four pedestrian bridges, two do not cross the railroad tracks and one relies on the Metro being open. While the pedestrian bridge near Anacostia High School has low stress streets on one side, the river side still requires an indirect and time-consuming pedal to the nearest bridge. Fixing and expanding these connections would be immensely popular among residents, regardless of gentrification outcomes.

[KLizotte]

^yeah, I once tried to map some routes around SE just to do some sightseeing and found it very frustrating. A lot of the residential streets are hemmed in by scary roads, railroad tracks, highways, etc. making them into “islands”. 395/95 really cut off that part of town from the rest of the city.

If you bike around some of the more working class neighborhoods in VA you will see a ton of bikes parked outside apartment buildings (usually of Target quality) that are used by immigrants to get to work/school. Also, you will usually see bikes parked behind fast food restaurants because that is how the workers commute.

Bike counts always miss out on the “second wave” of commuters; that is, folks commuting from cleaning and restaurant jobs around the midnight-2:00 am time slot. These folks usually have minimal safety equipment and have to travel on less desirable roads to get home. True income inequality.

[dasgeh]

@Zack 161203 wrote:

Made a map of bike to work rates using 2013 American Community Survey data by census tract. There are only two census tracts in upper Northwest with no cyclists riding work but south/east of the Anacostia there are only 133 and 30+ tracts without any BTW. In contrast, there only 8 tracts without any BTW east of Rock Creek Park and west of the Anacostia.

I think a lot of the low BTW is due to poor connections thanks to 295 and the railroad tracks. While folks south and east of the river have three trails, including the fantastic Anacostia Riverwalk and Marvin Gaye, none connect east/west. What connections do exist are not low less. Eleven streets cross the 295/railroad corridor but only 2 are low stress streets. While the 11th St Bridge has a nice path, there are few low stress connections on the Anacostia side. While there are four pedestrian bridges, two do not cross the railroad tracks and one relies on the Metro being open. While the pedestrian bridge near Anacostia High School has low stress streets on one side, the river side still requires an indirect and time-consuming pedal to the nearest bridge. Fixing and expanding these connections would be immensely popular among residents, regardless of gentrification outcomes.

Reading this, I wonder whether DC should adopt a policy of 3 miles of bike facilities east of the Anacostia for every 1 west, or similar.

[ginacico]

The worst part of my evening commute is getting from my office to the 15th Street cycletrack, heading to the 14th Street bridge. I wrote to WABA just restating the nightmare that they already know exists, but I’m sure those of you who are in or have to go around the Farragut – Lafayette Square zone can commiserate. A picture is worth a thousand words.

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[MFC]

@ginacico 161275 wrote:

The worst part of my evening commute is getting from my office to the 15th Street cycletrack, heading to the 14th Street bridge. I wrote to WABA just restating the nightmare that they already know exists, but I’m sure those of you who are in or have to go around the Farragut – Lafayette Square zone can commiserate. A picture is worth a thousand words.

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At one time, WABA was agitating to extend the 15th Street cycletrack past the Ellipse to Constitution Avenue. My recollection is that someone from WABA later told me this was unlikely to get anywhere because of the vendor trucks and the large amount of traffic that turns right onto Constitution from 15th.

[OneEighth]

DC isn’t even willing to get the vendor trucks out of there to ease motor vehicular congestion and improve emergency response. Especially not when the commuters being impacted are (for the most part) not DC residents.
Stupid AND spiteful.

[ginacico]

@OneEighth 161285 wrote:

DC isn’t even willing to get the vendor trucks out of there to ease motor vehicular congestion and improve emergency response. Especially not when the commuters being impacted are (for the most part) not DC residents.
Stupid AND spiteful.

Well said.

I wasn’t aware the 15th Street cycletrack extension was already off the table.

I also mentioned in my email the crossing of Constitution at 15th which, even using the crosswalks and pedestrian signals, is dangerous. I witnessed a very close call there recently.

WABA has also agitated about

• the L Street bike lane between 16th and 15th, and lack of safe passage during construction
• the frequent, unannounced and seemingly arbitrary Lafayette Square closures (despite their win building the cycle chute on Madison Place)

I acknowledge they’ve tried, just reiterated that the problems haven’t gone away. At this point I wish I could ride one way in the morning and magically teleport out of the city after work, it just sucks to deal with that gauntlet.

[scoot]

@ginacico 161288 wrote:

At this point I wish I could ride one way in the morning and magically teleport out of the city after work, it just sucks to deal with that gauntlet.

It’s rather indirect if you’re heading to 14th St bridge, but have you considered riding M St west to Rock Creek trail? The connection is admittedly a bit awkward (I’d try either 26th or 28th to Pennsylvania), but at least motor traffic congestion shouldn’t be a big problem.

[EasyRider]

Was politely (and easily) passed by a cyclist sporting a pink VIP zipper pull as I moseyed over to Clare and Don’s last night. A belated good evening, sir.

[Zack]

@OneEighth 161285 wrote:

DC isn’t even willing to get the vendor trucks out of there to ease motor vehicular congestion and improve emergency response. Especially not when the commuters being impacted are (for the most part) not DC residents.
Stupid AND spiteful.

Wow, I thought that was the plan as of last year and has been for several years.
http://www.thewashcycle.com/15th-street-cycletrack/

Certainly way too ambitious for government but the traffic patterns and street configuration on the Mall is stupidly inefficient and makes walking and biking unpleasant and second class. Reconfiguring some of those streets could improve traffic flow, ease congestion a bit and make walking and biking first class.
But government is anchored to the status quo!

Apologies for the rant…

[Author]

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