Bike car crash at the Intersection of Louisiana Ave and 1st Street NW

This is from this evening at about 6:30pm. In another photo that I didn't include. They cyclist is seen lying in the road with police around them and appears to be conscious. Let's hope they're OK. Jeff, who sent me this, thinks this is a bad intersection.

Photo by Jeff

Comments

[Greenbelt]

My problem with the intersection is that because it's not a square corner, cars or buses making right turns on red are particularly dicey for pedestrians or bikes. Northbound right turners have to pull way out into the street (and crosswalk) to see if they're clear to turn right on red. I didn't witness this wreck, though, so I don't know it that was the particular issue here. However, I'd ban right turn on red in the whole central business district, like they've done in Montreal. What may have seemed like a sensible convenience for suburban drivers on roads with virtually no pedestrians who would otherwise have to wait out long light cycles, doesn't work as well in crowded cities in my opinion.

[Purple Eagle]

There was another bike-car crash around the same time last night, on West Virginia south of Mt. Olivet. Police were directing traffic around the scene and an ambulance was there.

[Spellingman]

I'm sure he's got a "conscience," but was he conscious?

[Greenbelt]

Update: I checked with a Capitol Police officer at that checkpoint this morning, who, in turn, checked with his Sergeant. Apparently, no reports of major injuries that they could find in a quick search, so hopefully that means the cyclist in the Capitol Hill crash was OK. Not a guarantee of course, but at least a quick look didn't turn up a major injury report.

[washcycle]

Damn spellcheck.

[Shawn]

I guess I'll change my route. I already felt at risk going through here, especially with all the big commuter buses and tourist drivers unfamiliar with the area hoping for parking near the Capitol.

[Purple Eagle]

There's another crash that just happened a few minutes ago at K and North Cap. I have a good view of the scene from my office - it does not look good. Cyclist is on the ground, not moving, EMTs just got out a backboard. Cyclist was on a CaBi bike. Looks like someone was turning left from westbound K onto southbound North Cap and hit the cyclist.

[Greenbelt]

@Shawn I'll admit it -- I often (I know it's not legal) ride slowly on the sidewalks through the Capitol grounds and park areas to get through the area and over from my office to the MBT. It's against my pride and instinct, but better to be ashamed and safe...

As long as I'm courteous and yield or stop for pedestrians, I haven't had any problems with my little shortcuts -- the Capitol Police don't seem to mind at all.

It's not a high-speed area, but there's just a lot of chaos and confused driving in the area around the Capitol and Union station.

[DaveS]

Forgive me, but I'm really losing my patience with conditions at this intersection. I'm now aware of THREE crashes at this intersection in the last two weeks, but I highlighted the area for special attention back in 2003(?) during the Bicycle Master Plan updates. The only change is that it's worse now.

Every day when I go through there I see vehicles going right from La. to Constitution without stopping for the red, and I usually see Constitution to La. left turn traffic blowing past their light long after WB Constitution gets the green as well. I've even been yelled and honked at for being in the intersection during my green light because some scofflaw driver wants to complete their illegal turn.

Making a bad situation worse, US(eless)CP is always present but never writes traffic tickets for these daily violators. I guess if you don't have a bomb in your bus they don't give a fig who you might kill.

[Greenbelt]

DaveS -- the Capitol policeman I spoke with today said that the officers manning the checkpoint have requested radar and permission to issue tickets, but so far the answer has been that they need to stick to their main job: security for the Capitol complex.

One approach might be to write a community op-ed or call a reporter for The Hill or RollCall. Certainly, if a Hill staffer has been in a crash, that could provide an angle to help prod the Capitol Police to extend their reach?

[Shawn]

I found an alternate route that I'll try today. Cool thing is that I'll avoid Penn Ave, where too many cars block the bike lanes as they try to turn left to go to the Mall.

Can we just get rid of cars in the central business district? One can dream...