[Zack]

I like how the article implies that the district is missing out on $150 per ticket when the fine for cyclists running the red light is $25. http://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Gateway/RuleHome.aspx?RuleNumber=18-1201

Anyone ever get the wrong ticket?

[Zack]

The Union/King St intersection seems so normal yet people completely loose their minds there. But that being said, the city did a study a few years ago which noted that most cyclists slowed down for the intersection anyways. https://www.alexandriava.gov/tes/info/default.aspx?id=62680

APD’s motors division has not been at full strength for a while so I am surprised to see they would waste time ticketing cyclists but then again, this summarizes their attitude towards bikes. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClCkkPEWEAAWoKd.jpg:large

[Zack]

Anyone get stuck in “bike traffic” lately? A few years ago, I would have laughed at the possibility but riding across the 14th St Bridge and Mt Vernon Trail, my commute has been become pretty crowded in the evenings.

[Zack]

@scoot 142199 wrote:

If I correctly recall the earlier presentation, Option 3 is an excellent design for all modes of travel. What were the main arguments of the opponents?

It was kind of hard to pin down, mainly why change, traffic will move slower and congest, and push cars onto neighboring streets, it is an arterial road, no major bike or pedestrian crashes in 10 years, lived here 30+ years and don’t like change, don’t have trouble crossing the street, the traffic study is wrong, and other creative but misguided arguments.

It is important to note that option 3 was strongly supported by local residents, 50+ people who live on/just off King St signed letters in support, and had support from older residents and younger ones with children. Their voices really made an impact on the board.

[Zack]

Good news, after a 30+ people speaking, roughly 19 in favor, this project, passed the parking and traffic board by 4 to 3 vote! Expect some initial construction in July and bike lanes on King Street from Kenwood to Janneys Ln by August. The city wants to finish the project before school starts.

[Zack]

@Zack 142040 wrote:

Hi all, on June 27, the King St Complete Streets project goes before the parking and traffic board for approval or disapproval. Via the City’s AlexEngage forum, people overwhelmingly voted in favor of option 3. If you are interested in this project, please come and speak up for it at the Parking and Traffic Board meeting on Monday, June 27 at 7:30 P.M. at Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street, 2nd Floor, Council Chambers. It also includes a rationalization of speed limts too, instead of 35mph>25mph>35mph>25mph, it simply makes it 25mph throughout the project, from Kenwood Ave to Janney’s Ln.

Good news, after a 30+ people speaking, roughly 19 in favor, this project, passed the board by 4 to 3 vote! Expect some initial construction in July and bike lanes on King by August. The city wants to finish the project before school starts.

[Zack]

@Fairlington124 141848 wrote:

Can’t imagine the Traffic and Parking board shooting this down. For one, they recently approved a quasi road-diet (albeit without buffers) on North Hampton between King and Braddock.

Secondly, there should be little-to-none credible local opposition, as there currently isn’t any on-street parking, and I think that the residences along the stretch (apartments, such as Braddock-Lee and the high-rise) would be, at worst, neutral about it.

You would be surprised but some people do oppose this project because they equate having fewer traffic lanes as being slower and are worried about cut thru traffic. However, it is hard to understand where cut thru traffic would go given the dearth of connections to nearby streets or even alternative parallel routes. And traffic volumes are well under the 17-23k threshold for road diets, just 13k cars per day, down about 16% in 10 years.

Please come and speak tonight, we need folks to speak up for option 3!

[Zack]

Update on this project, it comes before parking and traffic board on Monday June 27.
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?10468-King-St-Complete-Streets-Parking-and-Traffic-Board-meeting-June-27

[Zack]

@scorchedearth 141113 wrote:

Ryan is a friend of a friend. According to our mutual acquaintance, Ryan rode very much by the book and would not have crossed against the light at that intersection. Frankly, you’d have to be insane to even try, knowing the conditions on that part of Duke Street.

The authorities really dropped the ball on this one.

It is completely improbable that the cyclist would have crossed against the walk signal.
There is literally too many cars crossing through the intersection to even attempt crossing against the light. Without the walk signal, the east-west Duke St phase goes for about 60 seconds, 2 second gap, and then the 30-35 second Taylor Run phase. When the walk signal is pushed, the east-west Duke St phase goes for about 60 seconds, 2 second gap between red light and walk signal, then 30 seconds of walk signal, and then the 30-35 second Taylor Run phase.

[Zack]

@KLizotte 141702 wrote:

The first clip you link to doesn’t make your case IMHO only because I can’t see the walk signal (I may be blind however). I do see cars going thru the crosswalk with a walk signal in one of the still shots on the linked page. Find a video/pics showing cars going thru the crosswalk with a walking man and send to the WashPost, VDOT, the city of Alexandria, and the Brown’s family if you can. Get the authorities in charge afraid of a civil lawsuit. Then maybe change will occur.

Thanks for all the hard work.

Correct about the first clip, I could see it with my own eyes but you cannot see it behind the camera. The walk signal came on about two seconds after the red light each time so you can also count down from the red light coming on.

[Zack]

I observed this intersection the other day for about 45 minutes during rush hour. The crossing signal is completely separated from traffic. This means that for about 30 seconds, no cars are supposed to move while a person walks across. I find it very unlikely that Brown would have crossed against the walk signal because there is no gap in traffic during rush hour without it. There is an east-west signal phase on Duke and then a phase for Taylor Run drives to turn left and right. Each time, eastbound Duke past the light is completely full of cars.
In this clip, walk signal comes on at the 8 second mark. If I was walking across at that point, I would have been hit by the red Chevy. Here are the rest of the videos and a few pictures I took.

[Zack]

@Fairlington124 141650 wrote:

-Cameron and Prince bike lanes (Old Town). No project page yet, but these have also been discussed and would likely be non-protected lanes along the extent of those two streets (each of which are one-way). Lower volume streets than nearby King St.

Here is an image of what the city plans for these two streets. It is not bad and does improve the existing conditions. But those improvements are marginal at best. Parallel bike lanes work well when they are close and easy to find. But these streets are more difficult to get to at the west end and too far away to really function as a pair of bike lanes.

I understand city staff’s reluctance to remove a traffic lane but in this case, there isn’t really enough traffic to support two traffic lanes in the one-way sections of Cameron and Prince. King St carries almost 10k cars per day or about 5k per lane. Cameron carries about 4.3k and Prince 4.4-6.2k in two lanes. If one lane was removed, there would be space for a cycletrack, larger parking lanes, and a single traffic lane.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11956[/ATTACH]

[Zack]

I am kind of curious whether Alexandria lacks an ordnance like Richmond. I have never seen anyone ticketed in Alexandria’s handful of bike lanes. I also couldn’t find any city code expressly forbidding cars from parking in the bike lane.

[Zack]

@baiskeli 140818 wrote:

Hi Zack, I’m the guy you met at the Intersection of Doom and suggested you post this. See you on the trail.

Nice meeting you, I don’t usually ride Custis though, I was dropping off my 4 wheeled bucket of bolts for a repair.

[Zack]

@bentbike33 140777 wrote:

Reminds me of the time I was on E. Basin Drive signalling my left turn onto the ramp to the 14th Street bridge and the motorcycle cop passed me ON THE LEFT. 😡

At least he wasn’t driving his motorcycle on the bike trail! I saw one doing that a few months ago on the trail next to E. Basin Dr. Yelled at him that there was a perfectly nice street right over there but didn’t stop to obtain his information. Unfortunately, law enforcement culture doesn’t encourage following the laws themselves.

[Author]

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