Christmas Wish List 2006 - Preview

Last year I put together a list wish list of twelve projects for the DC area. You can see a listing of those, as well as a review of their status on yesterday's post. Since then I've been thinking about the list and how I would do it this year. I decided to make two major changes

Eliminate Projects That Are Being Considered Somewhere Else.

There are literally hundreds of projects and proposals out there; in DC's Bike Plan, on the MCBAG list, in the Arlington Master Transportation plan and any of the dozens of the other proposals, plans and reports. I've decided if I've seen it in a plan somewhere, I'll leave it off the list in the hopes that eventually it will be done. That is admittedly so unlikely that it might as well be considered impossible (one of WABA's original goals was to build a trail on the Cabin John Trolley right-of-way in Montgomery County and that has been effectively beaten back by homeowners in the area ever since). But that removes a lot of projects from last year's list including: The Rock Creek Trail rebuild, the 14th St. Bridge connections, the TR bridge downstream trail, W&OD under 395, the North Bethesda/CCT connector, the Met Branch Trail, the Suitland Parkway trail, the WB&A connection to the Anacostia and the Mt. Vernon Trail Expansion. It also removes a lot of other great projects from consideration

Eliminate Projects That Are Too Big

A trail around the entire Beltway would be great, but it wouldn't really be one project and it would take decades to complete. In fact it is more likely that - due to rising gas prices - the Beltway will be converted, Americathon-style, to bicycle use only than that a trail so large and involved will be built. So such an ambitious project would not be included - though a signed route from the North Bethesda Trail to the Rock Creek Trail could be (but isn't).* Also off the list as a result is the BW Parkway Trail. And the Reopening DC project will be scaled back to specific areas.

So basically a whole new list.

*Here's what that might look like. The photo predates completion of the bike bridge over 270.

Comments

[Contrarian]

Facilities, facilities, facilities. Have you ever thought about policy? Here's a few from my list

1. Revision of minimum passing distance of a bicycle in Virginia and Maryland. Maryland currently has a "suggested" minimum distance of 3 feet, but no firm law; Virginia has 2 feet written into its law. Both should be updated to the emerging national standard of 3 feet.

2. Repeal of the mandatory bike lane and shoulder use law in Maryland.

3. Repeal of mandatory bike registration in the District. (Second choice: implementation of registration by the incoming police chief. Either way, legalize biking in DC).

4. Removal of the illegal no bikes signs on Massachusetts Avenue at Thomas Circle.

5. Just once, have a Post transportation writer admit that cyclists are actually allowed to use the roadway -- the part of the road to the left of the white line.

[washcycle]

Those are all good. But wait till you see my whole list - it isn't all facilities (though I admit, I probably like to talk about facilities more than anything else).

[guez]

I know that this is a bike blog, but I think what is happening to Metrorail is much more alarming than DC's bike registration laws. If the new rate hikes turn riders into motorists, we're all going to screwed, including cyclists.

[Contrarian]

Another policy wish list:

Revision of the AASHTO bike facilities guidelines, so that dangerous facilities are no longer endorsed, and highway planners can no longer hide behind the excuse that the facilities meet AASHTO guidelines.

[john pickett]

My number one wish is for the NPS to redesign the Mount Vernon Trail between Fort Hunt Road and Waynewood Boulevard. A nasty, shoulderless switchback has no place in a trail design. If you have to put up a sign that says "Walk bikes" you should take the hint that the trail design is deficient.
My number two wish is for trail designers to put replace stop signs with some yield signs at street crossings for trail users (and put stop signs in for street users). The W&OD in Falls Church would benefit greatly from such a change.