M Street SE/SW Bike Lane Proposal

Back in October, I mentioned the plans that Toole Design was putting together for DDOT the Capitol Riverfront BID on possible configurations for M St, SE/SW. Of the four being considered, the BAC facility committee preferred the cycle track (so-called Montreal Style) and it appears that this is the one being proposed. JDLand has a post on a briefing of the project given to the Capitol Riverfront BID.

the main recommendations are:

• Configure the two curb lanes on M Street as "cycle tracks" with flexible posts, a temporary measure suggested because of the "unknowns" of any future streetcar implementations along M Street. There would also be a widening of the sidewalks between Half streets SE and SW, moving the cycle track onto the widened sidewalk, because this area is where the "most intense traffic on the corridor occurs."
• Eliminate all parking along M Street at all hours, though "after a period of evaluation it may be appropriate to allow parking adjacent to the cycle track if it is desired."
• Move all transit stops to the far sides of intersections, where buses and bikes can more easily cross and where buses can still pick up and drop off passengers at a curb rather than on street level.
• Reconfigure all traffic signals to allow bikes time to get through intersections before vehicle traffic gets a green light (the bikes and the pedestrian "walk" signals would go green first, followed then by the vehicular greens).

The leading pedestrian interval mentioned above would be at least 7 seconds. This design has two options that differ in the separating material. In option 1, it's flexposts; in option 2 it's a surface mounted concrete curb. Option 2 is more expensive. 

Unfortunately, the concept drawing is in Appendix B and JDLand doesn't have that up. While the report goes into several options for separating material - including granite curbed islands and planters - they don't recommend the more expensive options because M is likely to be rebuilt when streetcars are built. 

Near bus stops, the curb will extend across the cycletrack to the bus/traffic lane. Cyclists will ride up a slight ramp to curb level before dropping back down to street level. Think of a very long speed table - with more gradual ramps. You can see it in the background of this photo.

Between Half SE and Half SW, they recommend incorporating the cycletrack into the sidewalk, possibly with separate light phases for cyclists (and peds). 

JDLand also reports on the reception of the plan.

There apparently were some business owners at the BID meeting who were displeased with the plans, centering mainly around the traffic implications of the loss of one lane in each direction, which during rush hour and ballpark events are travel lanes and which are parking for customers/workers/residents/etc. the rest of the time. This could especially be an issue during events at Nationals Park, a scenario which isn't mentioned at all in the feasibility study and which has the Nationals particularly concerned (as apparently voiced by the Nats' Gregory McCarthy at the briefing), since it's not out of the realm of possibility (my words, not theirs) that attendance at the ballpark could rise substantially if the team's fortunes improve, making the backups that are seen when the stadium is sold out--such as during the Red Sox series this summer--considerably worse.

Unlike the Montreal Cycle Track pictured here, I think these would be one way, with one on each side.

Photo by Anirudh Koul

Comments

[w]

brilliant idea

[Lee Watkins]

flexposts don't protect you from cars. concrete curb don't stop cars either.

What does stop cars is a jersey barrier. NYC has put up jersey barriers on a number of their bike tracks that I saw recently - it feels extremely safe and secure. since this is a temporary situation - why not just lease some JBs for M street in the meantime - or are there some unused JBs just sitting around in the DC metro area??? While they are at it, add some to the cycletrack on 15th street and others....

[w]

not a bad idea Lee.

However- perhaps DC could buy JBs that are not so damn ugly and that actually add to the appearance of the streetscape.

JB's with planter tops built into them?

JBs with ornamental scrollwork cast into the concrete ?

[Washcycle]

Well, if we want to protect vulnerable users from wayward cars, and if curbs are insufficient then we'll need jersey barriers along all sidewalks.

Flexposts and curbs protect you from drivers who are in control of their car - which is the overwhelming majority. JBs seem like a dramatic move to protect users from drivers who've last control of their car on a road with a 25mph speed limit.

[Contrarian]

Flexposts have the advantage of not restricting pedestrians or cyclists from crossing the bike lane at mid-block. Would you really only want to cross the street at intersections?

[Froggie]

Another point about Jersey barriers: they typically take 2ft of width from the street. To build "ornamental scrollwork" into them considerably adds to the cost, and to build "planter tops" into them would further increase the width required (in part because, looking at them from the side, they're shaped like a trapezoid with a narrow top).

[w]

Froggie- you sound exactly like a 1960's era Brutalist developer;

"any architectural details adds costs and is not efficient so we must avoid that track"

Of course- peopel have to live with whatever we build. People can only live with institutional architecture and "efficiency" for so long. Good design is critical to overcoming a VERY overlooked problem in the USA- it is called VISUAL POLLUTION.

As for the jaywalking options- which I am totally in favor of- any new JBs could have mid-block breaks to allow for pedestrian access. This is a good point.

As a regular cyclist in DC- Iam a lot more fearful of car /auto drivers than "terrorists" since they are an immediate and palpable threat to me. JBs are the answer for the feds- and they could be the answer for some of the busier auto trafficed streets around here, It is certainly an option- so lets try to not dismiss it out of hand and keep an open mind. We should be trying to make cycling to be regarded as a very safe activity- and to put more different kinds of people on bicycles. This kind of thing might just help to accomplis this goal.

[Chris]

I'm not familiar with this particular section of M Street - not since it's become completely redeveloped beyond all recognition, anyhow - is there something wrong with the sidewalks there?

[Washcycle]

Many cyclists don't like to ride on the sidewalks.

[w]

Chris might have a point here- another way of providing safer auto protected bike ways is to bump out the sidewalk- making an area that is separate from peds and safe from cars. I have seen this in Europe. This is fairly common in both Berlin and in Koln. Of course- in both of these cities the intersections have special traffic lights just for the cyclists. We have not gotten quite to that level here yet.

There are many ways to build safer bikeways.

[Froggie]

w: just stating the facts. I don't have an opinion either way in this particular case.

[SJE]

Riding on sidewalks: isn't illegal in that particular region of DC? Even if not, it is a very bad idea for pedestrians and cyclists.

[Daniel Beckman]

Most people who suggest sidewalks as a viable place to cycle are from the suburbs, where sidewalks are mostly empty. In the city, that just does not work. As a cyclist, it's exasperating; as a pedestrian, it's inharmonious to a leisurely stroll, and sometimes scary.

Those who have seen arrangements in Europe may be confusing sidewalks with cycle tracks. In Copenhagen for instance, there's typically the road, then maybe parked cars, then a cycle track, then sidewalks, all of which are grade separated (curbs). And that's one reason why you see grandmas and little tikes and everyone in between riding there.

[Washcycle]

SJE, it's legal on M Street SE/SW, but in order to be safe, has to be done at slow speeds. A cycletrack is the best of both worlds.