TheWashCycle

Report from the AOC meeting

Liam Heely, the DC Bicycle Advisory Committee member from Ward 6, went to the meeting with the Architect of the Capitol last night. He reports that three of the four WABA issues were discussed (the Met Branch along Louisiana Avenue being the exception.

- They will be installing 4 new bike racks near the new Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) in April. These will have capacity for a total of about 45 bikes.  They are not the DDOT-favored inverted-U, but what they called the "S" style; (the undulating snake-like piping).   When the questioner expressed displeasure with this type; the architect's representative made some statement about having to pass aesthetic review, etc., but didn't know the details of the choice.

- A questioner asked about the routes from Union Station to the CVC, and the difficulty of traversing Columbus Circle particularly for the handicapped and bicycles.  I notice that this was on WABA's talking points. The AOC reps said that Columbus Circle is not AOC territory.  Several people pointed out that Columbus Circle is in the process of being redesigned.

- A questioner asked about bike lanes on 1st St.  This was also on WABA's talking points.  This went unanswered by AOC reps; I mentioned in passing I thought this was DDOT territory.

- Someone asked about biking in parts of the Capitol grounds where it is prohibited for security reasons.  He was directed to talk to the Sergeant at Arms.

I stated that I was on the DCBAC and that we were interested in general in improving bike transportation around the Capitol in places where it is permitted but bollards, barriers, etc. make it difficult to pass.  I was referred to the Sergeant at Arms.  The AOC representative said that the Sergeat of Arms reports to the policymakers and they can bring about changes to the physical impediments. In fact, there are two Sergeant at Arms, one for the House and one for the Senate. Apparently we need to determined whether a bollard is a Senate bollard or a House bollard before discussing the issue with someone.  Seriously.

I'm surprised they didn't take the opportunity to come out with a distinctive, aesthetic bike rack like the Nationals did - even if, like those, it was only on the end rack.

photo by Tonyfromdc

Careful when Sidewalk Cycling

A reminder that you can ride safely, you can ride fast and you can ride on the sidewalk. But you can't do all three at once. You have to pick two.

Bicycles on sidewalks can be dangerous.

In the best of all possible worlds, bikes and pedestrians could probably mix well. However, this is not the best world.

When a rider is going too fast to avoid the pedestrian, laws of physics dictate that the speed of the faster object (usually the rider, not the walker) greatly increases the force of the impact. Almost 30 years after such an encounter, I still have scars, and the rider -- who was thrown by the impact, too -- probably does as well.

Photo by iirraa

More from WABA on tonight's meeting with the AOC

They put together a list of topics to broach

1) there is no bike parking at the new Capitol Visitor Center;

2) security barriers are not handicap accessible and make bike travel difficult;

3) the AOC should work with the DC Department of Transportation on building the Met Branch Trail along Louisiana Avenue;

4) bike lanes are needed on 1st Street NE/SE

The meeting will be held in the Church basement from 7 p.m to 8 p.m. St. Peter's is located at 313 Second Street , S.E., Washington , D.C.  Please note that many streets near the Capitol will be closed due to the President's address to Congress this evening.  As often is the case, biking will the best way to go.

America Bikes' List "Ready to go" Projects

This is a (somewhat) corrected update of the list of local projects I put up before (Bolded = ready to go in 90 days):

DC 15th Street, NW Cycle Track $100,000
DC 16th - U - NH bike signals, contra-flow lanes $100,000
DC Anacostia Trail Extension $500,000
DC Bus Stop Relocation Program $200,000
DC City wide sidewalk construction $2,000,000
DC Commuter Store $750,000
DC Complete the entire DC signed route network $750,000
DC Expand DDOTs traffic calming implementation program $500,000
DC Pedestrian safety improvements $1,000,000
DC Rhode Island Ave Ped/bike Bridge $3,500,000
DC South Capitol - Oxon Run Trails $5,000,000
DC MacArthur Boulevard Shared Use Path & Shoulder $2,900,000
DC Metropolitan Branch Trail $3,000,000
DC Metro Area Metro Bike Parking Project $500,000
DC, Anacostia River Walk and Trail $1,600,000
DC, MD PG Connector Trail $2,750,000
DC 4 priority pedestrian corridors $800,000
Montgomery & Prince George’s Cos Sligo Creek Trail Improvements $1,600,000
Montgomery County Capital Crescent Trail Safety Improvement $2,500,000
Montgomery County MacArthur Blvd Shared Used Path and Shoulder $2,900,000
Prince George’s County Anacostia Trails Improvements $3,000,000
Prince George’s County Henson Creek Trail $750,000
Alexandria & Arlington Four Mile Run Bridge $6,000,000
Alexandria Holmes Run Greenway Shared Use Path $510,000
Arlington Arlington Boulevard Bikeway Improvement $200,000
DC, Alexandria & Arlington Mt. Vernon Trail Widening $3,750,000
Arlington & Fairfax Cos Mt. Vernon Trail Extension $4,750,000

One thing they need to do is scrub it for spelling errors. It's got so many (corrected above) that it looks like I wrote it.

Some of these aren't really bike related (commuter store, bus stop relocation) and some of them are already funded - which means that it will free that money up for something (what?) else - like the Met Branch Trail and the Rhode Island Avenue bridge. And the MacArthur Boulevard project still shows up twice.

I guess you can never be too careful

Either the Florida punk band This Bike is a Pipe Bomb needs to get more famous or less.

A pilot alerted airport police when he saw a bike with a sticker that read "this bike is a pipe bomb" parked near the passenger ramps of Terminal C at Memphis International Airport, according to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.

Bikes sporting similar stickers at college campuses in Ohio and Philadelphia led to building closures, arrests and the bikes' destruction by bomb squads acting on the assumption the sticker was announcing a real threat.

The owner of the Memphis bike was taken into custody by airport police, Greaud said, but was later released because they had no grounds to hold him. Greaud said federal authorities were discussing possible federal charges, but a federal source said it was "a non-event."

The biggest piece of news for me, it seems you can find bike parking at the Memphis Airport.

Photo by BikePortland

VASA Ride this Sunday

Don't forget to register for the VASA ride. It's this Sunday (my year-older day) at the House of Sweden. Starts between 8:30 and 8:50 am. Bring long johns and an appetite for blueberry soup.

Photo by JoelK75

I've got a fever, and the only prescription...is more bike valet.

From the road and rails chat.

Northern Virginia: Almost a month later, what lessons have we learned about daily mass transit from the transit experience on inauguration day?... the bike valet service made a huge difference. Any chance of institutionalizing that?

Eric Weiss: Ahh, lessons learned. [snip]

As far as bikes go, yes, another success. But since inaugurations are once every four years, don't know if permanent bus [sic] valets around downtown are need. However, they are building a bicycle center at Union Station that will make it easier to make the transfer from bike to transit.

That's mostly true. I also think you'll see people who work in the immediate area of Union Station who use the Bike Station.

Perhaps we don't need a "permanent" bike valet in downtown, but maybe DDOT (and NPS) should come up with a "Bike Valet Plan."  Right now, WABA is running a dozen or so bike valets a year. Mostly with volunteers. There are opportunities for way more than that at events like Screen on the Green, the Folk Festival, Solar Decathlon, various marches etc...but there is a limit to how much you can ask volunteers to do. Then there's the problem of bike racks, storage etc...

DDOT should put together a plan to provide for-fee bike valets to regular events. WABA could still run it, but valets would be paid (or else you'll never get the numbers regularly needed - and y'know what that is? That's jobs. That's shovel-ready stimulus). Bike valet would be one way that an event could meet TDM goals (which all events should be required to have). DDOT would arrange for the purchase/upkeep/storage of all equipment. 

And, of course, once their done with the current bike station, it'll be time to work on the next one.

Photo by guez

Maryland Legislation Alert

From WABA

The Maryland General Assembly is now considering several bills that are important for cyclists.  Three in particular are being debated by the House Environmental Matters Committee and are particularly deserving of attention.  Below is a list of the relevant bills along with a summary of each, and the position WABA is urging you to take on each.  At the bottom of this page is a sample letter that you can send to the committee to express your opinion on the legislation.  Please note that while WABA has provided you a sample letter below, personal stories are much more effective.  It is also recommended that you reach out to your particular House member.  A list of members on the Environemental Matters Committee can be found here.

These bills are:

Bill: House Bill 437-Protective Head Gear
WABA Position: Oppose
Summary:  This bill would raise the mandatory helmet law age from 15 to 17.  While WABA supports the use of bicycle helmets, and helmets are effective in reducing traumatic brain injuries during crashes, helmets do not prevent crashes from happening in the first place.  Instead of pursing mandatory helmet laws, which are difficult to enforce, the state should focus on bike education efforts and on policies that foster safe roadway design.  Currently, less than 1% of highway safety funds given to the state are used on bike and pedestrian projects.

Bill: House Bill 496-Three Foot Passing Law
WABA Position: Support
Summary: Would establish required motorists to give at least three feet of space when passing cyclists.  This bill would also require drivers to yield right of way to cyclists traveling in a bike lane.  WABA feels that by establishing a formal safe passing distance drivers can be better educated on how to properly pass cyclists.

Bill: House Bill 1197-Removal of Mandatory Use of Shoulders for Bicyclists
WABA Position: Support
Summary: It explicitly permits cyclists to continue to ride in a shoulder if one is present and that is where the cyclist would prefer to ride, but permits cyclist to take the lane.  This is essential when shoulders are less than AASHTO recommended width for safe cycling and the existing law does not address narrow shouders.  It removes the ambiguity to determine if a shoulder is of adequate width to require use.

Bike-Related Oscar Nominees

I saw the Live Action Shorts this weekend. In the movie Manon on the Asphalt, Manon is on a bike before she's on the asphalt. I actually liked this movie the least, and not just because she wasn't wearing a helmet.

I also watched the Documentary Shorts, and The Final Inch shows one of the last American polio victims riding his hand-bike across Texas. It, like all the documentary shorts, made me cry, but I think The Witness should win (and I liked The Pig best of the live action shorts)

YouTube Cop no longer with NYPD

Patrick Pogan, the police officer who, last summer, was caught on tape knocking a critical mass cyclist off of his bike is no longer with NYPD.

Police officials say Patrick Pogan was dismissed last week. He was suspended last year after pleading not guilty to criminal charges of filing false paperwork.

His lawyer, Stuart London, says his 23-year-old client resigned and expects to be vindicated at trial.