TheWashCycle

More Than Just the Wilson Bridge Active Transportation Lane opens next Saturday

By now most readers know that the Wilson Bridge's ATL will open next Saturday at 1pm. The Post had an article on it in the Extra edition last week, and with it mention that

Two other trail sections are opening June 6, one from the Wilson Bridge to National Harbor, and another from the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Route 1 on the Virginia side. The bridge path connects with the Mount Vernon trail at the Capital Beltway and the parkway, an area planners call the Washington Street deck.

The path to National Harbor was kind of a given, since without it the bridge crossing takes you no where, but there has been some clamoring for the Route 1 path which will probably be more useful. Not that the Wilson Bridge isn't, but if won't reach its full potential until/if the (not yet built) South Capitol Street trail can be connected to the Wilson Bridge north side. This will involve cooperation from DC, Maryland and the NPS so it's not likely to be quick.

There's still one more trail segment to come: a pedestrian/bikeway on the elegantly Ramp A-2 from Huntington Avenue over the Beltway to Eisenhower Avenue and the metro station there as part of the Telegraph Road Interchange. That ramp won't open until spring of 2010, but that doesn't mean the bike/ped lane will open when the traffic lane does. The whole project will end in 2013.

It doesn't appear there has been any progress on the Huntington Stream Valley Connector Trail.

I tend to side with Stephen Marks, co-owner of Bike and Roll Alexandria more than Bennett Moore, manager of Big Wheel Bikes

[Marks] already sends riders on trips to Mount Vernon and on cellphone tours of Old Town's historic sites, and he said he thinks the new path will be popular. "It's a huge bridge and a beautiful view over the water," Marks said.
"I don't really see it as a big draw. Mount Vernon is the draw, and riding into D.C.," Moore said.

But then, I like bridges and bikes so I'm probably not an accurate representation.

Motoring Helmet

I'm not sure which is more surprising, that someone tried to sell these or that more people haven't.

Bicycle Friendly World: Switzerland and the US

The Swiss Embassy hosted a bike commuter program the week before Bike to Work Day. Michael E. Jackson, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Director for Maryland, was the moderator. He showed a photo of street signs in Madison that treated bike paths like they would roads (sort of like the photo at right of a trail intersection).

Elmer Lendergerber, who usually bike commutes, had just retired as Mayor of Zurich  and talked about biking in Zurich. Zurich has a 7% bike mode share - despite being more spread out. In 1984 they passed a bicycle initiative. By 1994 bike share was about 3.8% and it was up to 7% by 2000 but it has stagnated since then. Their program sounds DC's bicycle master plan but several years down the road (bike routes, parking, bike lanes and sharrows, bike training for kids, a bike station and limited bike share), so it's encouraging that 7% is doable. But it also appears that more is needed to break through to double digit bike share.

Tommy Wells spoke next. He talked about how he didn't come to the District Building to be a bike advocate, he came to encourage walkable, livable communities. But when he got there, there was nowhere for him to park his bike. So he would park his bike - unlocked - in an on street councilmember space (which one guest pointed out is illegal). Only Marion Barry had the gumption to pick up his bike and move it out of the way and onto the sidewalk. So, now the District Building has a bike room - named for David Clark. DC's walk/bike share, CM Wells pointed out, is 15.8% (compared to Zurich's 52%) and transit of 34% (compared to 28%) so in some ways we compare wells and in others, not so well. But CM Wells doesn't think we're going to get there by "just painting stripes". He wants to see a few cycle tracks go in - in places such as M Street SE/SW and on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between the Capitol and the White House, "the most famous street in the United States".

Dr. Gotschi from Rails-to-Trails talked about the Active Transportation for America push in the upcoming transportation bill. Guess what? Countries that spend a lot on biking, have a lot of cyclists.

Michelle Kranz of Swiss Tourism of North America talked about all the places there are to bike in Switzerland. You can bring a bike on any train, any time. Nice.

Afterwards there was a reception at the Ambassador's residence. Rep Earl Blumenhauer spoke briefly, but unfortunately it was before George Will's anti-Portland article so we didn't get his response. But he did talk about how Portland is able to draw people interested in a transit-friendly, bikeable, walkable city. They're helping cities in California learn how to do what they've done, he joked, so that Californians would stay home.

Congratulations to the Swiss Embassy for putting on a great event.

Photo by TouringCyclist

11th Street Bridge Design

JDLand has a link to the new schematic from the design/build team for 11th Street Bridges. One of the commenters pointed out

The new schematic from design/builders Skanska/Facchina does not show all the ramp connections in the FEIS design because the District could only find $260 million to fund the project, and the FEIS design is estimated to cost $360 million. The District asked for proposals to build as much of the project as possible for the available $260 mill, and the schematic shows how much the winning bidder Skanska/Facchina proposed to build. It is a lane-mile more than the next best proposal. The District's plan is to build the rest when they can secure funding (maybe sooner than later.)

It doesn't show where the bicycle and pedestrian lanes would be.

Maryland earns Honorable Mention in LAB's Bicycle Friendly State program

The League Of American Bicyclists Highlights Maryland As One Of Six Bicycle-Friendly States
Making Key Initiatives To Improve Conditions For Bicyclists

HANOVER , MD – The League of American Bicyclists named Maryland as an Honorable Mention in its Bicycle Friendly State program. Maryland is one of six bicycle-friendly states recognized for state initiatives to improve conditions for bicyclists. This year is the first year the organization expanded its program honoring bicycle-friendly communities to highlight states making government efforts for bicyclists.

As part of Governor O’Malley’s Smart, Green and Growing Initiative, Maryland has taken a number of steps to improve access and to provide safe bicycling for residents and visitors. These efforts range from implementing a 20-year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan and adding bicycle racks to buses to producing comprehensive bicycle safety materials. A key focus has been on creating materials aimed at encouraging adults to bicycle safely on Maryland roadways and trails. The Smart, Green and Growing Initiative is geared to help Maryland achieve a more sustainable future by linking: community revitalization, transportation improvements, economic development, smart growth and environmental restoration efforts.

Said Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari. “In addition to a number of efforts here in Maryland , our next step is to launch our Maryland Trails Strategic Implementation Plan that will link 800 miles of existing transportation trails in Maryland . The goal is to provide trails without borders, by filling in the missing links regardless of city, county or State lines.”

One of the key missing links to be completed in June is the bicycle trail on the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge that connects Virginia and Maryland . This trail will provide an alternative commuter route and a great recreation option with an incredible view of the Potomac River and our Nation’s Capital.

The League of American Bicyclists cited a number of specific efforts Maryland is making that made them stand out including:
- coordination with other states;
- reach and breadth of education efforts by Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Washington Area Bicyclist Association and One Less Car;
- bike patrol certification;
- creation of a Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access position at MDOT;
- creation of popular Competence and Confidence adult bicycle safety video specific to Maryland ; and
- establishment of a 20-Year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan that provides a detailed perspective from the State's vision of becoming the best State for bicycling by 2023 and the 66 action items needed to get there.

Both Maryland and Delaware were given honorable mention awards, with silver awards going to Washington and Wisconsin and bronze awards going to Arizona and Minnesota . Applicants completed a detailed, online form, and scoring was based on a 75-item questionnaire evaluating a state’s commitment to bicycling and covering six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement.
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The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America . The League represents the interests of America 's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates.

To learn more about Maryland ’s Smart, Green and Growing Initiative, visit http://www.green.maryland.gov.
To learn more about Maryland ’s 20-Year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan, visit http://www.marylandtransportation.com/Planning/index.html.
To learn more about the League’s Bicycle Friendly States program, visit http://www.bicyclefriendlyamerica.org.

Udvar-Hazy: the bike-unfriendly Smithsonian?

John Kelly was discussing the rise in parking fees at Udvar-Hazy and the change in policy that eliminates free drop-offs at the entrance (they now have to be done at the gate - which leaves a 6 minute walk) and someone called the museum

the only Smithsonian museum that is bike-unfriendly -- no bike parking or viable routes, and no cyclists are allowed through the route 50 gate.

Fairfax is half right. There is bike parking - oodles of it - I've used it, but there are no viable routes. The led John Kelly to state

I wondered about the bike parking. I don't know what happens if you show up on a bicycle. Do they consider you a pedestrian, and let you in free? Or do they raise the gate and charge you $15.

When I did it, we got in free, but I'm not sure that's policy. I don't think the shuttle from the Mall still runs, but buses can park for free.

If you ask me, (which you did not), they should really run a bike path from the W&OD trail to Udvar-Hazy - I mean the Wright Brothers were bicycle guys - with a spur to Dulles. Then rent bikes at Dulles for people with long layovers. I even know a service that could help

Travelers who prefer to explore an area by bike have an easier way to find a rental shop. RentaBikeNow.com matches bikers with stores in 144 cities in the United States and Canada. The site lets you choose your preferred dates and location, as well as bike type, size and accessories. The list of options includes rates per length of rental. From there, you can reserve and pay. Just be aware that the site charges a "convenience" fee (from $5 for one bike) for the, er, convenience

Alternatively, they could use the Fairfax County Parkway Trail (which gets you within a mile) and the path along Franklin Farm Road (expanded) to get you to Udvar-Hazy. Or, for a third choice. Drop a connection from the Fairfax County Parkway Trail to the median of the Dulles Toll Road and build a path along the Dulles Rail Line Phase II (that would take riders to the airport) and then a second BWI-Trail style path around the airport to Udvar-Hazy. So many options.

Photo by Jon Abbott

Big Turtle on the CCT

David, pictured, sent me this photo of a pretty big turtle crossing the CCT. I've seen a few snakes out, lots of deer, a fox and even a chicken (yes, crossing a road, but I don't know why), but never a turtle this big.

Photo by Tom Pollak

Rendering of NY Avenue Bridge

Here's a rendering of the NY Avenue Bridge (not sure if it's the new one) with the Met Branch off to the left and the Washington Gateway complex - as of yet not started - prominently featured. The rendering is not from DDOT it's from the Gateway people, but I think if you look at the near end of the trees on the far side of the street you can see a little path off the bridge that appears to connect to the MBT. That would be swell.

MBT Q Street Connector

Earlier this month I repeated a story from eckington...(wbts) by stating that "the Harry Thomas Way connector of the Met Branch Trail has been dropped." This was not correct. On that post, Jay commented that DDOT had responded to him about this.

“There has been no change to that planned connection at ‘Q’ street, but it is not in the ongoing construction contract because we do not yet control that land.  I believe the developer was going to provide the land but they have yet to buy the whole parcel from PEPCO.  We will talk to PEPCO again about how to make that connection in the meantime.”

So, here is what has actually happened. Getting into our wayback machine we can go  to the year 1999* when WABA published a Draft Concept Plan for the trail.

that envisioned creation of a large urban park and greenway along the abandoned, and as yet undeveloped, CSX railroad property.

Then in 2003 DDOT did its own trail design plan, which was - I believe - completed in 2004 2005. This plan also envisioned using the CSX railroad property and creating a large park. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum - PEPCO bought the land and decided to build a substation on part of it.

So to avert catastrophe, DDOT convinced them to donate enough land for the trail. This was a $3.3M donation that took about a year to finalize, but came through last summer.PEPCO also gave DDOT permission to cross their property to work on the trail.

The land north of the PEPCO substation also belongs to PEPCO and was to be sold to Trammell Crow. Trammell Crow had agreed to then give DDOT an easement to a strip of that land that would become the Q Street connector to the MBT. Trammell Crow owns the piece of land across the street (between Harry Thomas way and Eckington Place) and the plan was to continue Q Street across that and to Harry Thomas, then the connector would continue to the trail. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum - our entire financial system nearly collapsed around us.

So Trammell Crow hasn't yet bought the land, and thus can not give an easement to DDOT. PEPCO doesn't want to give the land to DDOT because it will make the whole lot less valuable. As originally planned, Trammell Crow would be able to build a building based on the FAR of the whole lot including the trail. So at present, DDOT is waiting for that real estate deal to come through. Even if it doesn't, when another one does, it will have to go through a PUD and DDOT will make sure the connector is included in any development.

In the meantime, DDOT - figuring that we've all waited long enough - will go ahead with the next section of the trail from it's terminus under the New York Avenue Bridge to R Franklin Street NE. They are holding a Milestone Ceremony (not a groundbreaking - that was held 10 years ago in 1999) for the new section on June 2nd at 10:30am at 700 Rhode Island Avenue NE. [This has changed, from the previously reported May 28th].

 

And, when the land is available, DDOT will build the Q Street Connector. 

*Try not to go back to 1989 when the trail was first proposed.

2009 Air Force Cycling Classic

May 30-31, 2009

WABA is pleased to announce its support of the 2009 edition of the Air Force Cycling Classic, Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st.  These two days of events will allow more opportunities for cycling enthusiasts of all abilities to participate in this National Capital Region signature event.

The weekend’s cycling will begin in Arlington on Saturday, May 30th with amateur and professional criterium races in Clarendon.  Then on Sunday, May 31st, cycling enthusiasts of all abilities can challenge themselves on the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic’s 12 1/2 kilometer circuit in Crystal City during the Crystal Ride.  Following this amateur, non-competitive ride, Pros will again take to the streets.

Bike Valet parking will be available on the day of May 31st, 2009.

If you are considering joining WABA, take advantage of a special offer:  Register for the Air Force Cycling Classic’s Crystal Ride and join WABA for a special price of only $50.

 More info>>