A couple of letters from last week's discussion.
Q. How are the comments running about the bike lanes?
Dr. Gridlock: Not too much lately. Cyclists seem pretty happy with them, including the new lanes on 15th Street NW in DC. Drivers never like sharing the road with cyclists. They tend to object either to setting aside space for cyclists or to having the cyclists in the regular travel lanes.
Dr. Bikelock: Most cyclists seem to like bike lanes, and Jack Evans even likes the 15th Street Cycletrack as is.
Q. The recently completed links connecting Eisenhower valley through the Wilson Bridge are wonderful. There's now a "missing link", that if constructed, would be a boon to VA, PG County, DC, Nats Park, new Arena Stage, the rapidly rehabilitating Anacostia waterfront, etc . It would also facilitate a significant new non-car commuting capability to/from the military bases along 295, as well as the huge new DHS complex at St. Elizabeth's, and the Navy Yard area. That missing link is a bike/running trail between the Wilson Bridge and the South Capitol Street Bridge. Are there ANY plans for that, or even discussions about it?
Dr. Gridlock: I did a Commuter page feature shortly after the Wilson Bridge trail opened. This one: http://wapo.st/ddYcYC
But I can't remember the prospects for connecting with a trail to the north. (Perhaps some cycling enthusiasts could help in this?)
I know that plans for the new 11th Street Bridge include a bike path but don't know how far south that might take you.
Dr. Bikelock: There are plans for an improved connection between the South Capitol Street Bridge and the WIlson Bridge. DDOT has completed the Concept Plan for the South Capitol Street Trail and that will do much to make this a safer and faster connection. It will not be a direct connection, as cyclists will still have to detour around Oxon Cove and then up the hill over the Beltway and back through National Harbor, but it will be a mostly off-road connection nonetheless.
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