TheWashCycle

Saturday Morning Ride

This week in local biking

• Injured Vets riding from San Francisco to Virginia Beach made a stop at the Marine Corps Memorial
• FABB has produced a new guide for reviewing road and trail design
• Baltimore received $4 million from the Maryland Department of Transportation to extend the Jones Falls hiking and biking trail into Mount Washington.
• Howard County engineers rode bikes around Columbia, MD to see what it was like.

The cyclists were hot, though, and lamented the lack of showers at their offices. DeLuca said the county would also like to encourage builders and business owners to include small showers or locker rooms when new structures rise.

• Richard Layman thinks Met Branch signage and wayfinding could be better.
• At the 11th Street SE Traffic Calming meeting there was some bike lane opposition, but not enough. "all agreed to add bike lanes south of Pa Av on 11th and remove 1lane up to new 11th st bridge"
• We see photos of an actual Capital Bikeshare Bike. Meanwhile, some worry that the system isn't dense enough (via GGW).
• Brief (15 minute) Silver Line Construction-related detours will soon be coming to the W&OD Trail. Longer overnight closures will come in the fall.
  

Without arguing about whether or not the stops signs are legal

If a driver has to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting you, you're doing it wrong.

Cyclists and stop signs

You've recently had letters from both drivers and cyclists about sharing the road. Coming from a family of cyclists, I'm all for this, and I try to be both a conscientous[sic] driver and cyclist.

However, I may have reached my limit. This weekend while driving in the area I had two close calls with cyclists crossing roads that bisect the WO&D trail. In both cases the cyclists blew through their stop signs, and sailed across the road without even looking to see if cars were coming. Both times I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them. In the second incident, the cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet- an accident would have been deadly.

Cyclists on the trail must stop at roadways - the stop signs are clearly marked. (The second time I heard another cyclist waiting to cross the road tell the offender that he was supposed to stop- the guy just shrugged). I try to keep an eye out for people approaching the roadway, and slow to under the speed limit near trail crossings, but cyclists need to do their part as well. This isn't the first time I've had a near accident. What I don't understand, is why a cyclist would be so cavalier? Even at low speeds, in a car vs. bike accident the cyclist is going to lose.

A. Robert Thomson writes:

I think of myself as a driver and a cyclist and a transit user and a walker and try to appreciate where everyone is coming from. For sure, I agree with you about the need for cyclists to obey traffic laws, for their sake and the sake of other travelers. There are periodic enforcement efforts, and I'm glad of that, but as I said before about Metro riding, there won't ever be enough enforcement to stop all the bad behavior.

Unforetunately[sic], there aren't enough travelers who do the right thing just because it's the right thing. More often they do the right thing -- like stopping at stop signs -- because they feel compelled to do it by the fear of a collision.

Post profiles Four Area Trails

I missed this last month, but the Post's Going out Guru's profiled four area trails (and Beach Drive) as an intro to Bike Month. It includes my favorite under-visited trail the WB&A.

WB&A Trail from Bowie to Glenn Dale

Patapsco Valley State Park

W&OD Trail from Leesburg to Purcellville

Beach Drive and Rock Creek Trail

Photo by Tracy A. Woodward/the Washington Post

East Falls Church Planning Task Force Forum

There's a meeting tonight to discuss the East Falls Church Plan. I'm not sure if the design still matches what was planned a year ago, but I suspect it's close. The plan had some positive changes for the W&OD trail as well as some better street connections.

The East Falls Church Planning Task Force, a citizen advisory group appointed by the County Board, is hosting the forums. The first forum will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tuckahoe Elementary School, 6550 26th St N, Arlington on Thursday, April 29. The second forum will also be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tuckahoe Elementary School, on Tuesday, May 4.

Saturday Afternoon Ride

The weather's so nice, let's do it twice...

Mount Rainier, MD plans to become greener and more bike friendly.

WABA tries for a "Hail Mary" to get federal funding for Montgomery County's section of the Met Branch Trail. 

Eric Gilliland, with support from Casey Anderson, Jack Cochrane, and me, has submitted an application to Congressman Chris VanHollen for FY11 federal funding to build the MetBranch. I say “hail Mary” because this is a very long shot, only a small fraction of these kinds of requests for funding are successful. We don’t know what the outcome of this request is yet. But If nothing else, the application effort has resulted in raising awareness of the merits of this Trail within Chris VanHollen’s office.

College Park City Council votes to install speed cameras. Presumably one of these would be near the Trolley Trail Crossing of Paint Branch Parkway.

Google's Bike There feature tried out by NPR in DC

To test it out, a friend, Mike Brown, and I printed out directions from downtown Washington, D.C., to Arlington, Va., where Mike lives. The site gave us an estimate: 34 minutes to cover 5.4 miles.

We started pedaling, south toward the White House. But the street we were supposed to ride on was blocked by a spiky iron gate and a not-too-friendly guard.

"Is this East Executive Avenue?" we asked.

"Yes."

"And can we bike through here?"

"No."

So getting around the White House was a bit of a challenge for Google.

But that was nothing compared with what came next: eight instructions consisting of turning left and right toward Lincoln Memorial Circle. Over and over. Google was trying to help us stay off busy streets by sending us through a maze of unmarked paths on the National Mall.

We made it across the river into Virginia, but there was more trouble ahead. Another guard — this one at Arlington National Cemetery.

"OK, you can't ride bikes in the cemetery, and you definitely can't take that stuff in the cemetery. OK?"

OK. So, I took my microphone and stuff, and we biked around the cemetery. Then we got lost.

An hour and 15 minutes after we started, we pulled up to Mike's house — about twice as long as Google had projected.

Volunteer to help clean up Rock Creek Park next weekend.

BicycleSpokesman on biking in the new White Flint.

Local business start up has mechanics on bicycles come to your house to change your car's oil (you provide the oil and filter).

Vienna, VA police are now giving gender neutral advice to W&OD trail users about the flasher.

Vienna police remind residents using trails to exercise in pairs, carry cell phones, remain aware of their locations at all times, avoid isolated areas and report suspicious activities by calling 911.

Photo by Command Z

Saturday Morning Ride

GGW reacts to the CFA decision on Pennsylvania Avenue Cycletracks and recommends doing a Summer Streets-style event on 14th Street NW.

DCMud writes about the Union Station Bike Station.

Ground was broken this month on the East Side of the Arts District of Hyattsiville. This section will include a piece of trail that will run along the same right-of-way as the College Park Trolley Trail and will eventually be connected to that to make the PG County Trolley Trail (my name, not official). You can see it on the right of the site plan.

Darren Flusche of Bikeleague writes about the importance of bike counts - and his experience volunteering for Arlington (Full disclosure: I was supposed to do this too, but had to work instead).  

VDOT is doing a survey of trail users opinions of the zig zag pavement markings.

It's getting warmer, which means it's time to start painting some bike lanes. And some are going in on New Mexico Avenue between Nebraska and 42nd and Tunlaw Road between 42nd and 39th. Free WAGBRAD registration to the first person to send me a photo. (via GGW)

Earl Blumenauer with Mandy Moore.

the actress-singer accepted a bike pin from the Oregon Democrat (chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus, who knew?).

Uh...like all the cool kids.

Photo by Erin Allweiss

Canopy to be constructed over part of the W&OD

Coming soon

From 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. April 6th – 8th, trail traffic can expect flagging operations and intermittent stoppages (30 minutes or less) as crews erect bridge beams for the Pacific Boulevard Extension over the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. The future overpass and trail connection for Pacific Boulevard is about 1/8 mile west of the W&OD trail bridge over Route 28.

On weekdays throughout the months of April, May and June, trail traffic should expect flagging operations and intermittent stoppages (no longer than 10 minutes) for construction on the bridge deck.

During construction of the bridge, no access will be provided between the W&OD Trail and existing Pacific Boulevard to the south. In observance of Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21, 2010, no construction will be performed that would interrupt trail traffic.

*As for the title, I was trying to put a positive spin on it.

Police Still Looking for the W&OD Flasher

They have very little to go by.

Police have not been able to obtain a full description of the male suspect who has hidden his face during incidents in which he exposed

Here is the advice they're giving women

Arlington Police spokesperson Crystal Nosal says that women shouldn't walk or bike alone along the trail and should carry a cell phone.

"None of the victims so far have had a phone on them," Nosal said. "It has taken them at least 15 to 20 minutes to contact us after this occurs."

Police also suggest not using headphones or other devices while on the trail, saying they could prevent you from hearing someone approach.

Patrols along the trail have increased in an effort to catch the man. Arlington Police are also asking bikers and hikers to report any incidents or suspicious behavior.

I'll be happy when they catch this guy. I just hope he doesn't escalate his behavior.

And not to make light of the situation, but this first line sounded odd to me

Police in Arlington County are urging caution to those using the Washington & Old Dominion bike trail as they search for a man who has been allegedly exposing himself to women.

What if you're not searching for the man exposing himself? And can't we drop the allegedly since we don't even know who it is?

Saturday Morning Ride

Here are couple of slideshows from recent rides. The Vasaloppet and the Congressional Bike Ride.

DC wants to work with NPS on bike sharing on the Mall.

Harriet Tregoning, Director of the DC Office of Planning, told me that in addition to working out bus transportation around the Mall, DC would like to work with NPS on bike sharing and management of tourbuses. DC and Arlington plan a large, joint bike sharing system, and the Mall would be a perfect place for many bike stations. These would both facilitate moving around the Mall and also traveling between the Mall and surrounding neighborhoods, restaurants, and Metro stations in DC and Arlington.

Trailvoice does a profile on the Rock Creek Park Trail and Beach Drive. 

WAMU does a story on the Bike House Co-op.

According to MWCOG, cycling trips in the DC Metro area are up for those over 24, below for those who are younger.

About Harry Sanders, who recently passed away

Without Harry’s early vision, the Georgetown Branch Corridor would not have been purchased by the County in 1988 and the CCT would not exist today. Without Harry’s perseverance in later years when most others had given up, the Purple Line project would not be alive today and the Interim CCT would be condemned to end forever in the obscure industrial park at Stewart Avenue, far from downtown Silver Spring, as it does now.

Completing an Ironman triathlon - tough. Completing while blind - tougher.

In fact, unless Powell can persuade USA Triathlon to change its rules, his time in the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run won't even count. The organization requires that disabled people complete the event, which Powell estimates will take him about 15 hours, with one partner, not one for each segment.

He has been slowly working up to the Ironman distance ever since, even as his sight has gradually diminished. He can still swim in a pool and make out the lane lines on a track, so he can practice in those places by himself. During last month's snowstorms, he ran 20 miles on a treadmill, holding on the entire time.

He continues to search for that one triathlete whose pace matches his own for all three legs of the event and is willing to do the whole race with him.

Photos of a drainage fail on the Wilson Bridge Trail.

The W&OD will be an easy place to make a cell phone call

the [Vienna Town] council Revised the town’s comprehensive plan to encourage the location of telecommunications equipment on several more electricity-transmission towers along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.

The council’s action is intended to provide better telecommunications service, especially in spotty-coverage areas such as southeast Vienna. Town policy encourages co-location of antennas on existing structures, rather than the construction of new monopoles.

FABB met with the Supervisor who claimed bikes are not transportation devices.

Is a bicycle a transportation device? At today's meeting with Supervisor Cook, he indicated that many, many cyclists had given him answers that question

And reported on a trail damaged by construction for which VDOT did not issue a permit.

1.4 miles might be too far to walk, but it's an easy bike ride.

But we can certainly make it easier for people to reach the stations without cars. The letter writer notes the need for more bike parking. Metro has 1,200 bike lockers and is considering an increase in the annual fee from $70 to $200, a 186 percent rise. That's pretty steep for a form of station access that we should be encouraging.

A photo of the MVT a day after the flooding. Ewww....This section is in DC.

Serial Flasher Still on W&OD Trail

There was another incident involving the W&OD flasher (or flashers I suppose). That would be the seventh known such assault this year.

It's not enough, in my opinion, to garner the "Dangerous Trail" label they give in the opening graphic, but it is a reason to be vigilant.

No one has been physically harmed in these [flashing] cases but the W & OD, which stretches across a large part of northern Virginia, has had a history of crimes from muggings to sexual assaults.