MWCOG Tries for bicycle-related TIGER grant again

Last mont the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments annouced that they would be applying for a $19.9 million TIGER grant and once again it would be for bicycle and pedestrian access to transit. In fact the grant for the 2012 cycle is very similar to the one from TIGER III.

The application is similar to the TPB’s $37.8 [million] proposal submitted in October 2011 under the Fiscal Year 2011 round of the TIGER program; however the overall proposal cost is approximately $5.7 million lower than in the previous version while the match amount increased by $3.7 million.   

The whole program would spend $32.1 million with the remainder coming from state, local and private money. It includes 20 Capital Bikeshare stations, bike lanes, cycletracks, secure bike parking and trail improvements. 

This is at least the 3rd time they've sought money to expand bikeshare and/or improve cycling. Perhaps this is the time we win. Odds are long though. Areas are asking for 20 times more money than is available.

The projects included in the proposal are

1. Fort Totten / 1st Place‐Galloway Road Access Improvements - The project will install pavers, secure bicycle parking, and landscaping in and around a new pedestrian plaza as well as install new sidewalks 
2. Forest Glen Metrorail Access Project - The project will construct a grade‐separated crossing of Georgia Avenue (MD 97) at Forest Glen Road to provide for safer access to the Forest Glen Metrorail station to several communities and Holy Cross Hospital. The crossing will also streamline access to metro to/from these locations for persons using mobility devices. The project will also add ten Capital Bikeshare stations to location around the Metrostation and hospital, complementing the regional bikeshare network.
3. Pedestrian Safety Measures for the New Carrollton Metrorail Station - This would implement the recommended improvements from the New Carrollton Interim Pedestrian Safety Improvements study which includes, among other things, bike lanes on 85th Avenue.
4. West Hyattsville Metrorail Station Access Improvements  - The project will add approximately 500 linear feet of sidewalk along the south side of Jamestown road to improve pedestrian access to the West Hyattsville Metrorail station. A WMATA secure bike parking facility and related identified improvements that connect into the WMATA West Hyattsville Station will be provided. This is one of the recommendations out of the WMATA Bicycle Access Study. The bike parking facility will be located adjacent to station entrance and will have access to the local bike network, including the Anacostia Tributary Trail System. It will be weather protected and security will be maintained by limited access entry system and cameras. This will be similar to the facility being built at College Park.
5. Army Navy Drive Multimodal Access Improvements - This project proposes building the region’s first separated two‐way cycle track. While this type of facility is common in other parts of the world, especially in northern Europe, and has some precedent in North America; particularly in Montreal, this would be the first purpose‐built cycle track in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, and the first in the Commonwealth of Virginia. [WC: Not sure why that wouldn't be 15th Street NW] By narrowing the very wide existing street cross section of Army Navy Drive, space will be created for greatly improved conditions for pedestrians along an improved sidewalk, and a new alignment will be created for a dedicated bicycle facility. This will be done without negatively affecting motor vehicle operations, and while assuring a good fit for the anticipated fixed‐rail streetcar line in the corridor. The anticipated cycle track facility proposed for Army Navy Drive is difficult to implement under existing modal funding in part because it is costly to build in prime urban settings, and in part because there are few precedents in this country fort his type of bicycle accommodation.  This will also add 10 Capital Bikeshare stations to the area. 
6. Rosslyn Circle Crossing Multimodal Access Improvements - The Rosslyn Circle Crossing project component makes significant safety and access improvements to the intersection of N. Lynn Street and Lee Highway (US 29), where the Custis Trail and Mount Vernon Trail meet Metrorail's Rosslyn Station and the Key Bridge into Washington, DC. The project includes pedestrian and bike facility improvements on N. Lynn Street from eastbound Lee Highway to westbound Lee Highway, on the one‐block segment where Lee Highway is bisected by I‐66 and Arlington Gateway Park. This segment of the project will accommodate wider ADA‐compliant sidewalks, improved traffic signals, bike lanes, signage, lighting, landscaping, and the integration of public art. A significant change includes the widening of the east side sidewalk span bridging over I‐66.  The project additionally includes bike trail and intersection improvements to westbound Lee Highway from N. Lynn Street to Oak Street, and provides safety improvements to the Custis Bike Trail, changes to traffic lane configurations and the I‐66 exit ramp retaining wall, and commercial driveway improvements and intersection upgrades.  
7. Bicycle Lockers at Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Stations - The project will install bicycle lockers at the following VRE Stations:
   • Broad Run/Airport (Prince William County)  - 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity
   • Manassas – 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity
   • Manassas Park – 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity
   • Rolling Road (Fairfax County) – 5 lockers, 10 bike capacity 
   • Lorton (Fairfax County) – 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity
   • Franconia‐Springfield (Fairfax County) – 6 lockers, 12 bike capacity 
   • Woodbridge (Prince William County) – 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity
   • Rippon (Prince William County) – 4 lockers, 8 bike capacity

Comments

[Crickey7]

The intersection of Georgia and Forest Glen has only a moderate amount of foot and bicycle traffic, but it's incredibly dangerous. Auto traffic coming from the Beltway off-ramp and from the Beltway underpass has a tendency to start rapidly accelerating even as sight lines are only so-so.

I once came so close to getting nailed on my bike there by a red-light runner that people actually called an ambulance.

[washcycle]

Maybe it only has a moderate amount of foot and bike traffic BECAUSE it's incredibly dangerous.

[charlie]

" A significant change includes the widening of the east side sidewalk span bridging over I‐66." Where -- on Lynn?

Doesn't VDOT get the call on bike lanes?

"This segment of the project will accommodate wider ADA‐compliant sidewalks, improved traffic signals, bike lanes, signage, lighting, landscaping, and the integration of public art."

ADA sidewalks? Waste. Traffic signals -- they should be done by Arlington anyway. Bike lanes are VDOT. Signage/lighting/landscaping/public art is another waste.

What would be nice is big cooling fountain in Gateway Park -- and removing the homeless people. I saw an entire campout right off the MTV entrace.

[Kolohe]

"[WC: Not sure why that wouldn't be 15th Street NW]"

There's something vaguely 'accidental' about the 15th street track, which is demonstrated by its poor surface condition and being somewhat over 'design' capacity.

[jeff]

Is MWCOG getting feedback that this has scored high, but just not high enough? Otherwise I don't quite see the point in applying with such a similar proposal yet again. The bike share component is unique, but otherwise doesn't really stand out from other multi-modal and bike/ped projects that have already been funded.

[Christopher Fotos]

Great to see a desire for bike lockers at the VRE stops for Manassas Park and Manassas (Old Town), but I'm not so sure about Broad Run, the first/last stop, by the airport. The main and maybe only approaches to the airport are either via 234/Prince William Parkway, with 45-55 mph speed limits, and 28/Nokesville Road, which I believe is 45 mph. These are major car-commuter corridors and not something I'd want to face on a bike every day--although they widened and improved parts of Nokesville Rd. so I'll have to check next time I'm out there if the shoulders make sense.

[Michael H.]

The Army-Navy Drive cycletrack would be interesting. The sidewalk is substandard, for pedestrians or cyclists. However, it's pretty easy to travel from Crystal City to Joyce St. along other local roads, some of which have bike lanes already and which also have calmer automobile traffic.

I was intrigued to learn from the document that funding already seems to be in place for a bike/pedestrian improvement along Joyce St., between Army-Navy Drive and Columbia Pike. Construction on that facility is already scheduled for this year, although I haven't seen anything going on over there.

The sidewalk under 395 is in poor shape and there are pipe fixtures that jut out from the concrete structure, into the path of pedestrians or cyclists who may be using the southbound path. While cyclists can ride in the road, going northbound, there is a moderate climb and the cars speed by.

There's enough space to build a safer bike/pedestrian path under 395 so I'm glad to hear about this project. Any info available about this separate project? I searched on Google but didn't find much other than a few old news articles.

The gas station on Joyce has closed and there is some rubble on site, but no signs of new construction.

[Kolohe]

"The gas station on Joyce has closed and there is some rubble on site, but no signs of new construction."

From what I understand, the Cemetery's taking over all that land (including the Navy Annex; a lot of the tenants have vacated already)

[Froggie]

@Wash: bollards don't provide for full separation...the pavement between the 15th St cycletrack and the vehicle lanes is flush. That's why the 15th St cycletrack isn't counted as "separated".

@Kolohe: this is the first I've heard of the cemetery taking over the Navy Annex. Where did you get that from?

[washcycle]

But isn't the 15th street cycletrack separated by parked cars? That's pretty separated.

[Kolohe]

@Kolohe: this is the first I've heard of the cemetery taking over the Navy Annex. Where did you get that from?

The NEX uniform shop people just before they closed and moved over to Henderson Hall.

[Froggie]

@Wash: it's not separated by a curb or other permanent divider. Parked cars and bollards are not permanent.

@Kolohe: I know they moved, but they didn't say anything to me about the cemetery taking over.

[washcycle]

Yeah, but a parking space is.

[Froggie]

You know as well as I that parking spaces can be moved/painted over.

[washcycle]

And walls can be knocked down (see Berlin, Maginot). So nothing is really permanent. We are all but the wispy thought of a sigh that evaporates at the flutter of a butterfly's wing...or something.

But a parking space is pretty permanent.

[Westnorth]

I heard that Navy Annex was going to become cemetery land from Arlington staff at a Columbia Pike meeting last summer, but the deal was signed in 2008.

Southgate's a nice, if unnecessarily steep, bike route alternative to the Pike along there.

[JHR]

I think the non-separatedness of the 15th st cycletrack is demonstrated well by cars sometimes deciding to drive south through it to reach the next intersection when coming out of a parking garage around L or M street.