Wednesday Morning Commute - BMUFL

Good morning. Not much for me to report, but soon I'll be able to start biking again, which I'm excited about.

• The hit and run in Bethesda might not have involved a hit. "There may or may not have been actual contact between the biker and the van," he said. After the accident, the cyclist said the van made a sudden lane change and hit her, Didone said, but preliminary investigations of the damage did not show any signs of the van hitting the bicycle.
• The BAC comes up with some ideas about automated enforcement. 
• Where BMUFL signs are being installed in Montgomery County. I saw some on MD-212 Riggs Road earlier today. 
• There was another possible hit and run involving a cyclist yesterday, this time in Arlington near Westover.
• Livestrong donations are strong
• I'm blogging for the Green Lanes Project about DC bicycle facilities and you can see my first post here.

Comments

[Michael H.]

Interesting new blog on the Green Lanes Project site. Any recent updates about specific initiatives in D.C. through that program? At first I was underwhelmed by the concept. Then I later became a little more intrigued. But I'm still waiting to hear about specific projects and programs.

In any case, I'm glad to see that Capital Bikeshare is continuing to expand, in Old Town Alexandria this week, in Arlington and D.C. (maybe this winter or next spring?) and in Montgomery Co. and Prince George's Co. next year.

[JeffB]

Corrected link for Arlington possible hit and run.

[T]

Are those signs going up on 29, 355, 650, etc because they're heavily traveled and so they think more motorists may take note of the sign or because SHA actually thinks cyclists will ride those portions? I looked at the list and laughed. No chance I would ride certain sections there on the street even on the best of days as there is no room for error, heavy volume and lots of speeding. I would rather see those signs on smaller roads nearby in some of those cases.

[Jim T]

Here was the process:

1. The one community that asked for the signs got them.
2. PG-BTAG asked for signs on state highways that cross the beltway, most of which go into DC. Why? Because the only bike routes accross beltway or into DC in many places are state highways. Some people actually have to get somewhere and adding 5 miles to their route is not practical. Te point is not that the signs will make these roads attractive for tourism or recreation, but rather that they will help (on average) give a bit of space to the poor soul who is out there on that road. A side benefit is driver education and maybe less road rage.
3. AFAIK no one from MoCo made requests for the R4-11 signs, but SHA did not want to limit the initial batch to PG. They picked a handful of roads in MoCo with characteristics similar to the roads they picked in PG.

Judgment call: Do you enhance safety on the safest routes, because many people use them, or do you enhance safety on the most hazardous roads because the few souls out there need it most. Eventually, SHA intends to post signs on all these roads.

They had to start somewhere, and posting these signs on US-1 and US-29 does send the message to alot of drivers that even on a road like this, bicycles may use full lane.

[Jay]

Photos from CaBi station installation at Braddock Road Metro this morning.

http://jay.typepad.com/william_jay/2012/08/new-capital-bikeshare-stations-braddock-road-.html

[washcycle]

Michael, there will be more about DC's Green Lane projects on there. That's basically what I'm covering for them

[T]

Thanks Jim for the explanation. I tend to think it's good for awareness, albeit I don't see a lot of folks utilizing it, especially 29 and NH. I know folks working at one big company on 29 literally hate even crossing the street, but yah, not a lot of alternatives there.

[Robert W. Smith]

@T-

I too, am still laughing at even the thought of biking up New Hampshire Ave. I don’t know too many bicyclists who would be comfortable biking up New Hampshire Ave. Often cars speed and weave through traffic trying to get the the beltway. Oh, and there is that killer hill near Adelphi Road. I average 6-8MPH going uphill. In a zone where 40-45MPH is normal.. naaah, I'll pass!

I guess these signs are helpful and a nice thought. It just makes me wonder sometimes...*sigh*