November 2011 BAC meeting notes

Safety, Educationa and Enforcement Committee:

At this month's BAC meeting the most noticeable change was the presence of an MPD representative. I did not get his name, but he is a senior officer, seems completely well-informed and was active in participating.

He's from the Traffic, Safety and Specialized Enforcement unit - among other things he works with the NHTSA budget for enforcement, which is primarily for alcohol enforcement but also bike/ped enforcement. His unit manages initiatives at branches that deal with specific enforcement (seatbelts, speeding etc...) and makes decisions on where enforcement should happen (based on traffic information). He seems like a good fit.

Facilties Committee:

Oxon Run Trail rebuild is maybe 2 years away, with 1 year to design and 1 to build.

The Suitland Parkway Trail is not in the works, but it is on the list. DDOT wants to work with MD on this upgrade and are waiting on them, but they won't wait forever. In the meantime, DDOT is going to put up more signs to help cyclist get from the South Capital Street Bridge to the Suitland Parkway Trail.

There is some bad news on the 11th Street bridges. Unfortunately, there will be no bike lanes on the local bridge, as was once planned, so that will mean biking on the 16 foot wide sidewalk or in the traffic lanes. I hadn't noticed this in last year's design, but on the east side, the sidewalk doesn't connect directly to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. Instead users will have to go all the way to the MLK Ave & Good Hope Road intersection before turning back to the river. (see poorly drawn red line below). It's a design/build contract, so DDOT is hoping to they can still get a more direct link.

The Facilities committee sent a letter to DDOT about bike racks that were removed during streetscape work, but then not replaced. They're considering another letter to DCRA to complaint that many new buildings are getting a certificate of occupancy without the 5% bike parking that is required by law. Even after the certificate is given they still need to meet the requirements, but it is easier to get it done in the beginning. 

Legislative Committee:

Discussed the existing DDOT Director's order for Complete Streets and whether a law was necessary. The order is only within DDOT and could be changed by any director. But a law would apply to other agencies, even though they don't have much to do with roads. It would also be more difficult to ignore or change.

The also mentioned modifing the anti-assault bill to remove the "attempt to distract" as an offense.

Other:

Mike Goodno and James Cheeks attended a one-week study tour of bicycling design best practices in the Netherlands. Some interesting facts include

• everytime the Dutch rebuild a road, they remove parking from one side of the road and put in a bike lane. People complain, but it's done anyway. But there is more off-street parking there than here.
• Car ownership is expensive - parking, license, cars, gas - all expensive.
• There is no in-school driver training. But there is bike training - every child, every year - and certification in "traffic village" - fake cities where kids can bike safely under real conditions.
• Lots of pedicabs, especially in Amsterdam.
• They met a self-described car advocate. He still bikes more than 50% of the time. But he wants to grade separate roads so that he can drive faster.

Comments

[Purple Eagle]

Regarding the 11th St Bridge - the extra distance from the bridge to the ART might not be to bad for cyclists, particularly if the grade is friendly. But for pedestrians it looks like a significant detour. The old bridge had a set of stairs for accessing the path - though they were overgrown with bushes and obviously saw use by local homeless. And would not be ADA complient.

[americancyclo]

The 11th st bridge currently has a choppy path that is rideable, and lets cyclists and peds off north of 295. Are they going to demo that?

[Jameel Alsalam]

The MPD representative's name is Lt. Nick Breul. In addition, MPD committed at the Council hearing to take a number of steps to address issues raised in the Office of Police Complaints report. BAC Safety, Education, and Enforcement Committee will follow up on those efforts.

[washcycle]

americancycle - yes, that bridge is coming down. Only the supports in the river are being kept for pedestrian overlooks.

The other issue for the 11th street bridge is that every sidewalk user will need to contend with traffic going onto and off of DC-295. Think of the Key Bridge-Whitehurst Freeway turn, but two times instead of just one.

[Froggie]

However, unlike the Key Bridge turn, the ramps to 295 will be signalized.

[read scott martin]

The local bridge really, really disappoints when compared with original intent. Local-only traffic on the Anacostia Bridge, nope. Streetcar tracks, nope. Bike lane, nope but the sidewalk is better. DIsappointing.

[Randall Myers]

As for bike lanes on the 11th street bridge, I'm not super disappointed about this. If the speed of the roadway can kept at reasonable levels, I don't see why bicyclists cannot take the lane. Either way, I look forward to a a better connection to downtown Anacostia.

[Jim T]

Can you explain what they meant by DC waiting for Maryland on the Sitland Parkway trail? What are they waiting for Maryland to do?

[washcycle]

Commit to simultaneously building their section from the DC line to at least the Branch Avenue Metro station. The existing section has limited utility without that.

[Jim T]

This is owned by the National Park Service. Has NPS already given the state of Maryland authorization to build a trail? (This might be a better use of funds than a certain detour...) If too tedious to deal with here, maybe you can send me name and contact of whomever indicated they were waiting for MD to do something, and then I can nag the appropriate people (or nag the designated naggers).

[IMGoph]

There was a meeting at the Census Bureau yesterday regarding bicycle infrastructure at the Suitland Federal Center. Apparently money has been allocated to build a bike trail on the campus, but there's nothing going forward regarding getting the trail along the Suitland Parkway extended from the District line. I asked whether they've worked with the Park Service to get that going forward, and I got a wishy-washy answer.

[Jim T]

DDOT wants to work with MD on this upgrade and are waiting on them, but they won't wait forever.

I spoke with DDOT and got clarification. They were clear that they are not waiting on Maryland. (So I don't have to nag anyone in the state.)

DDOT wants to do some refurbishing, but that is competing with other priorities. If someone (e.g. the National Park Service) were to build a trail in the Maryland portion of Suitland Parkway, then that refurbishing would happen sooner. But they realize that this is unlikely within the relevant time horizon, so they will probably refurbish the trail before NPS builds a trail in the Maryland section.

Within PG County, there is some push to connect the Henson Creek Trail over the beltway to the Branh Avenue Metro station. Whether that means a bridge or a tunnel remains to be seen. Secretary Pocari suggested that some day the culvert under the Beltway might be replaced with a bridge--I guess he meant when the beltway is widened. Until then, it is unclear whether a tunnel or a bridge is least problematic. Once that occurs, there will be a push for a Suitland Parkway trail.

[washcycle]

Thanks for the clarification.