TheWashCycle

Jefferson Memorial security improvements could include better bike path

The National Park Service is investigating the replacement of the current vehicle security barriers - a line of jersey walls installed in 2001 - with a permanent barrier that creates better access and is more aestheically pleasing. Last month they released the Environmental Assessment for the project. While it won't fix the awful approach to the 14th Street Bridge, it should improve the ride along the path beast East Basin Drive. 

As the NPS writes

Bicycle commuters frequently travel the route along East Basin Drive to and from 14th Street Bridge, sharing the sidewalks with pedestrians along both the perimeter of the site and the internal paths inside of the barriers.

There are 3 alternatives (not counting the no build) - and they mainly change where the new security barrier would go. For all of them NPS writes

Paths would be constructed inside the barrier, with alignments that reflect Olmsted’s design intent and the sidewalk would be widened along East Basin Drive to help in separating pedestrians visiting the Memorial from cyclists traveling through the area.

In alternative 1, the preferred alternative, the sidewalk would be widened to 12 feet wide along East Basin Drive, and a pedestrian plaza would be created at the inlet and outlet bridges where users can decide whether to enter the site along the Tidal Basin path, or continue along the sidewalk. One option would be to split the sidewalk at the south lawn with the barrier, reserving the Memorial side for pedestrians and the road side for cyclists. Some paths on the east frontage would be 10' and allow cyclists.

Map of Alternative 1

Rendering of Alternative 1

Alternative 2 would be similar to 1 for cyclists but the barrier would be farther away, which might be more pleasant - and one could argue safer. 

Map of Alternative 2

The text says there will be a 12 foot sidewalk along East Basin Drive, but the picture calls it a 10-foot Bicycle Path, so that's confusing, but wider is probably better - since pedestrians will use it no matter what you call it. 

Alternative 3 moves the barrier further in and makes it semi-circle shaped, but for cyclists it's basically the same. 

So there's not much of a difference for cyclists, but I suppose I prefer Alternative 2 or 3 because it gives cyclists more room in case of a hazard and it will probably be nicer. Moving the wall away will likely let snow melt faster and make the path cooler in the summer too. 

There is one other bike element of note. 

There is a Capital Bikeshare Station located on the south side of East Basin Drive across from the Memorial. This Bikeshare station will be relocated in the future; however the final location of the station has not yet been determined.

Also, did you know that the Plaza along the Tidal Basin was originally part of a road that led around the Jefferson Memorial so that people could drive around it? That was removed in 1970 as an opening salvo in the War on Cars. Nixon!

Monday Morning Commute - I Chu Chu Choose You

I sold my folding bike to someone in Philadelphia, but they sent it back because when they took it in to get the shifter adjusted the guys told them that they needed a new hub and it would cost $250 to fix. After I got it back I took it back to Bikes at Vienna to have it fixed. The staff at Bikes at Vienna fixed it for $47 [The Philadelphia shop installed the shifter wrong] Admittedly I didn't have to pay for labor because I bought the bike there, but even then it wouldn't have been $250. 

Also, the Super Bowl was last night. The lights went out and the Ravens won. I'm annoyed that Justin Tucker was not named the MVP. 

• "Interested in naming rights for the coming street cars? The D.C. Circulator buses? The popular Capital Bikeshare program? Pick up the phone. That could happen, said District Department of Transportation spokesman John Lisle."
• A meeting with NPs on various biking issues around the Jefferson Memorial. 
• Instead of walking, she should have grabbed a CaBi. 
• "Darren Buck of Bikepedantic recently published his analysis on “Encouraging Equitable Access to Public Bikesharing Systems.” More here
• Bike commuting Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is stepping down. 
• Despite widening doping scandal, the International Cycling Union wants the IOC to add six medal events to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics program, including the restoration of track points races.
• I wonder if the same legislators demanding mandatory bike helmets will also push for mandatory external air bags. It might actually be worth it then.

Tuesday Evening Commute - LaHood

Good afternoon

• More on the delay with the Whole Foods development that will include a section of the PG County Trolley Trail. 
• The history of bicycling in California
• NPS has grant money for "Public access site development projects that advance the development of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail  or the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail or Chesapeake Bay Gateways water trails are the funding priority for fiscal year 2013." The Star Spangled Trail passes right through the DC area.
• LaHood is leaving the Department of Transportation once a replacement is in place (maybe a couple of months). Mayor Gray says the District will miss him "Gray (D) said Tuesday that LaHood has been an invaluable partner in city leaders’ efforts to invest in more bicycle lanes, push forward plans for a streetcar network and secure more funding to repair city bridges."

Tuesday Afternoon Commute - Stunts

Tough day for biking out there, but then, it sounds like it was no picnic driving either.

• This is no knock on Obama, but most of the progress in the region's bike-friendliness and mode-share uptick would have likely occurred under McCain. Unless...you think that the McCain administration would have denied Arlington/DC's use of CMAQ funding to pay for Capital Bikeshare. Biking in the area boomed during the Bush years too. 
• More from State Sen. Wagner on the anti-dooring law "It's establishing you're guilty for opening your car door whether you're guilty or not." No, that's not how the law work. If you fail to use due care, then it does kind of establish that you're guilty. But of course, a court will decide what is due care - and thus guilt. It is, however, correct to say that the current law establishes that you're not guilty, whether you're guilty or not - since opening a car door into someone without looking isn't a crime.
• Salisbury, MD has agreed to let mountain bikers maintain park trails. "The trails would not be what people imagine for mountain biking or stunts." This follows the passing of a bike lane ordinance last summer. 
• This is a surprisingly good article on the quiet car initiative conclusions. 
• A doctor who, in an act of civil disobedience, tried to block the removal of a bike lane was sentenced to community service. He'll be doing it with Cycle Toronto. 

National Parkland Open House

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is organizing another open house - on Thursday 6:30-8:30pm - dealing with NPS policies about parkland in DC and how those policies impact local citizens. 

As GGW points out

The Park Service had recently gotten a new head of the National Capital region and new superintendents for several of the local park "units." These managers started working better with residents than their predecessors. Theymade considerable progress on Bikeshare, concession rules, and the Circulator.

And the National Mall recently added CaBi stations. There are numerous cases where NPS decisions and policies have effected (or could effect) cycling. Here's a partial off-the-top of my head list.

• No bike parking or CaBi stations along Pennsylvania Avenue
• Allowing the PG County Connector Trail to use parkland between Gallotin and Galloway Streets
• Allowing the Met Branch Trail to cross park land on both sides of Riggs Road
• Bike parking at NPS facilities
• Building a Rock Creek Park Trail that meets national standards 
• Improving trail connections in the area of Memorial Circle
• NPS denying Bike DC's permit requests for use of the GW Parkway and cancelling the DC Triathlon
• The recent law requiring cyclists to use a trail next to a road on parkland
• Improvements to the Mount Vernon Trail
• Allowing the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to use NPS land on the river side of the Arboretum
• Pedicab harassment
• Snow removal on NPS trails
• Mountain biking in Rock Creek Park
• The policy of closing the Rock Creek Park Trail near the Zoo at night
• NPS's refusal to close Beach Drive outside of rush hour
• Banning bicycling on the GW and Clara Barton Parkways

Wednesday Evening Ride - Get out the map

If I miss something, feel free to add it in the comments for others

• Alexandria Parks opportunity: "Beginning in October 2012, The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is undertaking a nine-month public outreach process to inform Management Framework Plans for the City’s large multi-use Parks. The Citywide Parks include: Four Mile Run Park, Simpson Stadium Park, Chinquapin Park, Henlsey Park, Holmes Run Park, and Ben Brenman/Boothe Parks. The goal of this effort is to study and understand the existing conditions and future needs for each of the Parks."
• There are new "Bicycling in Virginia" bike maps. But it lacks necessary details. 
• A debate about gas taxes, roads and bikes in the papers of Pittsburgh. I'm not sure this stat is accurate though "cars additionally impose an estimated 6.5 cents per mile of road wear [per mile]." That seems high.

Never Mind the Bollards, Here's Jones Point Park

I went by Jones Point Park last weekend and despite the unnecessary, unwelcoming and possibly unsafe bollards, the park itself is pretty fantastic and represents a greatly improved destination along the trail.

Instead of running up the north side of the bridge and then crossing over to the south side, the MVT now goes in a more gradual diagonal direction underneath the bridge. This should make for an easier ride for those who are just passing through. In addition the trail now has a separate pedestrian section along part of it.

The waterfront has been vastly improved. There are now two fishing piers that give great views of the river, and a small boat dock. They've also added playgrounds and a lot of parking (way more than I suspect they'll ever need).

They've also taken quite a few steps to capture the history of the area. Those of you who've done WAGBRAD (probably not happening this year, I'm sorry to say) may remember that you had to jump down over a wall and a long the river to see the boundary marker that designated the southernmost point of DC (before retrocession of Arlington and Alexandria, now the southernmost point is a short distance away and at the water). But they installed a viewing window that allows you to look down at it.

They also added boundary markers alongside all trails and paths showing the historical boundaries between DC, Maryland and Virginia back before the Civil War. Which makes me wonder, did Maryland lose territory because of retrocession (the area on the SE side of this stone)?

During WWI the area was a shipbuilding dry dock and they found and displayed an old rudder from a ship that was built there. They also made the extant dry dock run (or whatever it's called) more visible and prominent. If you go, check out the photo of what the site looked like then.

They should take down the MVT detour signs in Old Town Alexandria, since they aren't needed anymore (they threw me off when I saw them and I followed the detour as a result). Maybe they already have.

And maybe all that parking could be put to use as bike-commuter parking. Drive in halfway, park and ride the rest of the way along the trail. Maybe even pay a small fee for a permit to reduce abuse and provide money for trail enhancements.

And of course...the bollards.

Monday Afternoon Commute - Good cops, bad cops

Good afternoon

• Driver hits two cyclists in bike lane, and once he notices that the collision damaged his car, he called the police who promptly cited him for illegally changing lanes into traffic. 
• The Washington Monument repairs could start this fall. It will require closing off the sidewalk along the south side of the Monument for 12-18 months, which should be no more than a minor inconvenience to cyclists.  
• "Frederick police are cracking down on skateboarders and bicycle stunt riders in the downtown historic district" If stunt biking and skateboarding had been against the rules in my hometown, then I would've had to take up another hobby - like huffing paint. 
• Would a BART-style "bikes on during rush hour" pilot program work on Metro Rail?
• Don't approach the Olympic Torch security bubble. 
• Lance Armstrong takes his doping case to the courtroom. Also "The agency says it has...along with blood samples from 2009-10 that are "fully consistent" with doping." If the 2009-10 blood samples are the ones that do him in, that would make his the worst comeback decision of all time. 

Monday Morning Commute - Smell the roses

Good morning. We're supposed to get a break in the heat today.

• The DC BAC's Safety Committee discussed traffic safety benchmarks and bike theft.
• NPS revises a rule so that it now "gives park superintendents the authority to allow bicycles on roads that are closed to the motoring public – like fire roads and roads used by park maintenance vehicles. Bikes are already allowed on park roads that are open to vehicles."
• More on the mountain biker who was seriously injured on Seneca Creek Trail. 
• Bike commuting is a great way to get time outside. The author, a New Yorker, even mentions DC and how easy it was for him to get around by bike even though he didn't bring one. 
• Lance Armstrong's lawyer has accussed the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency of a "lack of transparency and due process in charging Armstrong, which he said included the agency coercing other athletes to testify against Armstrong, and refusing to have their conduct reviewed by an independent auditing committee."

Walk Bike on the Georgetown Waterfront

Here We Go Again by M.V. Jantzen

A new sign on the south edge of Georgetown Waterfront Park.

My first thought when I saw this photo was that this sign listed the options one had here. They could walk or they could bike [No running, no roller-blading and certainly no blade running]. They might as well have as sign that says "No Biking" because that's what is really happening here.