New DC bill could make biking easier for some and safer for all

A new bill introduced by DC Councilmember Mary Cheh should make cycling easier for DC employees and safer for all.

The Employee Transportation Act of 2012 includes a few provisions of interests to cyclists.

It requires the Mayor to issue a comprehensive plan, termed the Fleet Management Strategy, once a year. This plan would, among other things, certify compliance with the vehicle fleet requirements of section 2 of the Bicycle Safety Enhancement Amendment Act of 2008. That section reads

Sec. 2. Bicycle safety enhancements for District-owned, heavy-duty vehicles.
    (a) The Mayor shall:
        (1) Equip all District-owned, heavy-duty vehicles with the following:
                (A) Blind-spot mirrors;
                (B) Reflective blind-spot warning stickers; and
                (C) Side-underrun guards to prevent bicyclists, other vehicles, or pedestrians from sliding under                 rear wheels.
        (2) Require that operators of District-owned, heavy-duty vehicles receive bicycle and pedestrian         safety training from a curriculum and instructors that are approved by the District Department of         Transportation

Currently everything in that law is being complied with except for the side-underrun guards mentioned in part C. Adding those was estimated to cost $2.9 million in 2008, but the money was never allocated. Perhaps that would be a good use of traffic camera revenue - as it would protect both pedestrians and cyclists. The District is probably at great risk of liability since they have the law on the books, but have never implemented it. A jury probably wouldn't look too kindly on the "Yeah, we knew it was dangerous, but fixing it was too expensive" argument.

It also calls on the Director of Public Works to promote the use of bikeshare for work related travel, and it limits the purchase of new vehicles if the trips they would accommodate can be accommodated by bikeshare or transit.

And finally it calls on both the Mayor and the Secretary to the Council of the District of Columbia to report, separately, by the end of the year "Whether the use of alternative transportation, such as WMATA services, Circulator, Capital Bikeshare, and taxicabs by District government employees for work-related business could be increased and, if so, how."

By helping DC employees to use CaBi as part of their work duties, they could increase the pool of cyclists in DC (and maybe save some money), And if side underrun guards are finally added to all DC heavy-duty trucks, that would make the roads safer for all cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and scooter riders. This is a law that cyclists should support.

Comments

[Jameel Alsalam]

What do you mean when you say the law "calls" for DPW to use CaBi? Any legal requirements there? I think that they should make the option available and encourage employees to make transportation choices which save the department money and allow them to be most effective in their work. If that means using a car or private bicycle, I would rather they do that then use CaBi just for the sake of increasing the pool of users.

[washcycle]

Jameel, it doesn't call on DPW to use CaBi. It calls on them to promote its use. So they're not required to use it, but they should make it easy for employees - perhaps with free memberships or by giving employees training on the system and on biking in general - to do so.

[Cheryl]

Love this legislation! go go go approve this bill DC Council!

[SJE]

I hope they extend the law to DC contractors. Otherwise, there is cost incentive to outsource the work to contractors, like the garbage collector that ran over that young lady in Dupont Circle a few years ago.

[T]

I laughed aloud at how alternative forms of transportation randomly includes taxicabs.

The training part is what I think would be most helpful. It seems monthly that I see a DC municipal vehicle parked in a bike lane or worse in a cycletrack. The reflective gear would also be great.

[SJE]

T: I think we should include taxis. They are an alternative to owning your own car. It reminds people that if they give up their car they can still get home if they are working late and its pouring with rain.

[BlooEyedDevil]

@SJE, the young lady you mention was Alice Swanson.