Early last month, the National Park Service issued the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the National Mall for public comment. Substantive written comments will be accepted through March 18, 2010. The EIS describes five different scenarios under which the Mall could be managed. It represents a process that has been going on for a few years now. During the first comment period, WABA had a list of recommendations, some of which have been adopted in the preferred alternative. Unfortunately, there isn't anything in the plan that wasn't in the preliminary proposal.
NPS starts out with a whole section on bicycling
The relatively flat terrain of the National Mall makes it conducive to bicycling, which offers a pleasant, healthy, and nonpolluting means of transportation. Bicyclists and pedestrians share walkways, creating conflicts between uses. Between 2000 and 2002, 37.3% of bicycle crashes (296) occurred in the D.C. ward that includes the National Mall. Both commercial and NPS bicycling tours of the National Mall are offered. Bicycles must be left outside memorials or walked through them.
Bicycles can be rented in the nearby downtown area, at the Old Post Office Tower near Pennsylvania Avenue, and near Thompson’s Boat Center in Rock Creek Park.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is an organization dedicated to promoting bicycling and has an extensive website providing information, maps, and bicycle safety programs. WABA volunteers frequently host popular bicycle parking during special events.
In addition to recreational biking, there is a large population of bicycle commuters. The National Capital Planning Commission estimated in 2005 that there were 20,000 bicycle commuters, many of whom traverse the National Mall. In 2007 and 2008 the National Park Service installed 110 additional two-bike racks on the National Mall to supplement the 22 existing bike racks. This project was partially funded by D.C. Department of Transportation. The District of Columbia has recently embarked on a bike-sharing program, with 120 bikes available to members at 10 selfservice racks in the downtown area. At this point, the program is not available to short-term users such as tourists.
Bicycling routes within other national park units, such as George Washington Memorial Parkway, Rock Creek Park, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, have connections to the National Mall. The East Coast Greenway, a long-distance bicycle trail, goes through the National Mall. Midday is a popular time for competitive training rides, and East Potomac Park sees a great many of these riders.
Pedicabs, which are treated as taxicabs, are an increasingly common form of transportation on the National Mall.
NPS then notes that many cyclists already use the park
Access and circulation through the National Mall and surrounding downtown areas is part of the urban experience in Washington, D.C. There is a large regional bicycle-riding population that commutes and engages in recreational riding. Bicyclists commute through the park from Virginia and Maryland. Within the park they use multipurpose walks, which are also used by pedestrians and recreational bicycle riders. The city’s Bicycle Master Plan identifies improved bicycle access and facilities. The National Park Service has also instituted a work-related employee bike-sharing program that would continue.
A visitor survey showed that 2.1% of visitors used bikes to reach the Mall.
Then they go through the Alternatives. Every alternative continues the bike tours that NPS already does. The no-build alternative would repair the deteriorating river walls south of Arlington Memorial Bridge, but that's about it.
In the preferred alternative NPS would
- Encourage event organizers, though not require as WABA advocated, to provide bicycle parking.
- Facilitate cycling through improved facilities such as separate bicycle lanes, bike routes and "additional facilities." They don't always explicitly state where those would be, but do discuss working with the District to implement the Bicycle Master Plan; accommodating cyclists on Madison and Jefferson (with the eventual goal to remove auto parking on those roads to make more space); and adding bike lanes or a trail along Ohio Drive, near the Jefferson Memorial and on the approach to the George Mason Bridge.
- Work with the District to implement the bicycle rental program
- Encourage on and off site bicycle rentals
- Improve the trail connections to the waterfront, Rock Creek Park and East Potomac Park
- Construct a system of separate dedicated bike trails throughout the National Mall so that pedestrians and cyclists would each have their own space.
- Give pedestrians and cyclists priority at lights.
- Widen the bicycle and pedestrian paths at Inlet, Outlet and Kutz Bridges.
- Pave all of the gravel trails to improve air quality (sorry joggers)
NPS should probably adopt the events policy from Alternative C that would require that bicycle parking be provided at events estimated to be attended by more than 2,000 people (with estimated use by 1% of attendees) to encourage bicycle access.
Under the "Lessons from the 2009 Inauguration" section they include:
Attended bike valet parking was provided, but use was not required. In some areas people locked bikes to any structure they found, which affected pedestrian circulation.
Alternative C would also lower 14th street into a tunnel under the Mall and build a deck over Maine to aid pedestrians.
Allen Muchnick mentioned that they should commit to providing one bike parking space to every 10 car parking spaces. With parking for 264 bikes, and 1183 cars, that has already been met, and they do note that they plan to add more bike parking.
Impacts on Bicycle Users
In terms of bicycle riding, the preferred alternative, compared to the no-action alternative, would support and encourage bicycling as a healthful form of recreation as well as an alternative transportation mode. Developing a system of bike lanes or routes separate from roads or pedestrian walkways, using traffic-calming measures, and giving bicyclists priority at intersections would all improve bicycling opportunities and safety. The bicycling experience would be further improved by enhancing connections to bicycle trails in East Potomac Park, Rock Creek Park, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the southwest Washington, D.C., area. The National Park Service would work with the city to implement compatible sections of its Bicycle Master Plan and bicycle rental program.
The number and distribution of bicycle racks on the National Mall would be improved. More NPS-guided bicycling tours would be provided. The National Park Service would also work with others to better fulfill the goals of the D.C. Bicycle Master Plan, with access to bridges and an onsite coordinated bicycle rental program.
Like the no-action alternative, the preferred alternative would continue to encourage bicycle parking for events and offsite bicycle rentals and guided bicycling tours to meet the needs of some visitors.
Compared to the no-action alternative, the preferred alternative would have long-term, major, beneficial impacts on bicycle users because separate trails or routes would provide a safer, more enjoyable environment, encouraging this alternative circulation mode. Improved bicycling opportunities, including facilities, tours, and bicycle rentals, would also support local planning goals to reduce vehicle use.
On the picture below, all of the dotted black lines represent bike lanes or routes.
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