Cyclist Update and Virginia Transportation

Two items this morning.

The Post has an update on yesterday's fatality. It now appears she may not have been on the sidewalk as previously reported.

Police said Swanson was riding in or next to a designated bike lane. She and the truck driver were traveling west on R Street when the truck driver turned right onto 20th Street, hitting her, police said.

The incident appeared to occur in the crosswalk - and pardon the graphic nature of this - but that may be due to her being dragged several feet (my speculation).

No charges had been filed in the incident as of last night.

Swanson, who lived on Park Road in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, started work in January for the International Research and Exchanges Board, a nonprofit group on K Street NW. Keith Mellnick, a co-worker and friend, said she asked him about bike commuting, because she knew that was how he got to work.

"She was nervous because of D.C. traffic," Mellnick recalled.

Swanson was the first cyclist killed on D.C. streets this year, police said. Last year, two people died in bike accidents in the city.

I only heard of one death last year. This one with an unnamed victim. Does anyone know what happened with that, or of the other fatality?

Also, last night was the Transportation summit in Tyson's Corner with Jim Moran and Jim Oberstar. Did anyone go who would like to give us an update on any bike discussions?

Comments

[Bonzai Buckaroo]

Dear Fellow Cyclists,

The tragic death of Alice Swanson has had a very emotional and personal impact on me. I have two daughters (21 and 22 years of age). They are both cyclists. Based on what I have read, my daughters are at a point in their lives very similar to Alice. I can not express how deeply I feel for Alice’s parents and friends. Tears well up every time I think about it. “But for the grace of God, ‘ere go I.”

[Ian]

My sympathies to the Sawson family.

On the subject of the Transportation town hall. There was very limited discussion on biking, the topic of the town hall was roads to rails. They talked mostly about the need to invest in rail links, high speed intercity, light rail local links and of course since this was in tysons there was a lot of discussion about the silver line and the tunnel. The general consensus was that a tunnel under tysons would make sense, but we shouldn't let it get in the way of building the tunnel.

It was also raised that Freddy mac in Tysons was not metro or bike accessible, Jim Morans responded that it was deliberate so everyone would feel the pain of driving in Tysons. The funny thing was that the traffic was really light in Tysons that night.

During the introductions Jim Moran introduced Jim Oberstar as an avid biker who frequently cycles between his house in Potomac to Harpers Ferry

They also mentioned that the next public meeting for the NVA transportation Authority is on the 10th of Jult in Tysons. http://www.thenovaauthority.org/meetings.html

I did discover something that I didn't know before the silver line will run all the way into the city so no need to change trains at East Falls Church.

I talked to representative of Chairman Connolly about what is going to happen with the rapid transit buses once the silver line is built. My issue is that I use the bike racks on the buses to get from Herndon to west falls church and then cycle in to the city. If they disapear then I will only have the option of taking the silver line since metro doesn't allow bikes on the trains during rush hour.

Overall it was interesting to find out how the federal government affects transportation policy.

[Mike doan]

Good job, WashCycle, for keeping up with a breaking story (I used to work for AP).

[Derek L.]

Freddie Mac isn't metro or bike accessible? They have multiple bus stops directly in front of their building and a large Metro bus pick up spot with a Commuter Store in the middle as a next door neighbor... how is that not Metro accessible?

And not bike accessible? Please. I bike from Sterling to Westpark/Jones Branch which is about a half-mile from their compound. Anyone that says that Freddie Mac isn't bikable just isn't trying very hard.

Granted, Tysons isn't the most walker/biker friendly place in the world, but its certainly do-able, even for beginners. But if you can drive some place, you can bike there as well.

Though I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir...

[Tom]

Ian,

I asked the same question to a rep from the Fairfax Connector at a meeting in Reston. He said that the bus line was created to create a demand for the rail line and will be discontinued when/if the silver line is finished.

An old timer at the meeting told me that the express busses from Reston to Downtown were discontined when the metro was extended to West Falls Church. This seems consistant with what the connector rep said.

I also bus to WFC and pedal the rest of the way. My plan for when/if the silver line is built and I still work in the city, is to buy an electric bike. By then, thanks to the "McCain prize" batteries should be much lighter and last much longer.

I figure that I can (with assistance) make the whole trip in about 1 1/2 hours. My guess this will be comparable in time to metro and a whole lot more fun.

[Ren]

Has there been anything more on the cyclist hit in Vienna a week or 2 ago? Or what happened to the driver?