Tuesday Afternoon Commute - Ribbon Cutting

Good afternoon. I went to today's ribbon cutting on a downright balmy December morning and I'll have some video on the Green Lanes blog at some point in the future, after I learn how to edit and splice video. (Photo by WABA)

• In the meantime there is plenty of video and photos on the internets. WUSA9 has both. DCist has coverage, as does FOXdc. I take this line from a WaPo story as a sign of progress 'He said that “not all cyclists, but some cyclists” disregard traffic signals and the rules of the road.'
• Two laws had their first readings before the District Council today. The Motorized Bicycle Amendment Act of 2012, which would govern things like electric-assist pedal bikes (motorized bicycles) which it would separate from faster motor scooter-type vehicles called "motor-driven cycles". "The third category would be that for motorized bicycles as determined by pedals, a post mounted seat and not capable of traveling more than 20 mph.  It is recommended that motorized bicycles have no DMV related requirements and would be able to park on the sidewalk.  This is a change from the current requirements for these cycles to be licensed, registered, titled, insured and inspected.  However, operationally, very few of these cycles currently meet these requirements, so this recommendation will not negatively impact current motorized bicycle owners." The other law to get a reading today was the Access to Justice for Bicyclists Act of 2012
• Making a city that's easier to bike and walk in is good for low-income citizens argues one person. This in response to Courtland Milloy's article asking that we get as serious about creating jobs as we are about making bike lanes. So, assigning one overworked DC employee to handle the whole jobs program (while also handling other responsibilities) is his solution? I'm not saying that DC isn't serious about bike lanes, but I'll agree that it isn't something we spend a lot of money on. 
• Rockville has plans to redesign Rockville Pike but that isn't the only reason they were named a Bicycle Friendly Community. 
• I don't know if I linked to this story about bike messengers before. 
• The Virginia Bicycling Federation will pursue the following legislative goals this year
  • Following too close — banning motorists from tailgating/intimidating cyclists
  • Three feet to pass cyclists (current law is two feet)
  • Vulnerable road user protection, and/or due care
• Will the fiscal cliff deal give us a better bike commuter benefit? Personally, I'd like to see the whole thing modified to just be a parking cash out. Employers who offer free parking have to offer a tax free parking cash-out of identical value to those who don't drive. That's it. Then let the market decide. Ideally there would be some way to encourage people to bike or walk or take transit some days instead of making it an all or nothing.

Comments

[JJ]

Your last point is a very good one. I am someone who takes Metro to work half the time and bikes in the other half, with variations depending upon the season. In signing up for my transit subsidy benefits, I still ask for the full amount (as if I commute by Metro every workday) because it is difficult, if not impossible, to change the subsidy amount every three to four months. Accordingly, for large portions of the year, I get more Metro benefits than I use. This problem has been somewhat alleviated with my unused subsidy going back to the government at the end of the month, but still ...

[charlie]

what is free parking? If I work at 7-11 and park in the customer lot, is that free. Or if I work at best buy in a suburban shopping center? Or in a downtown garage?

The left turns on L st are getting worse. Rather reminds me of K st and the "dont' turn from main lane" that everyone ignores. I've been almost clipped several times as a driver, biker, and pedestrian.

[washcycle]

If I work at 7-11 and park in the customer lot, is that free. Or if I work at best buy in a suburban shopping center? Or in a downtown garage?

Yes

[Kolohe]

Rode the L last night just for heck of it. I found the gap between left turning vehicles and straight ahead vehicles to be kinda narrow. (esp if left turning vehicles were in the middle of an intersection waiting for peds or gridlock to clear).

[JJJJJJJ]

L street merge areas should be altered.

Instead of the green appearing from the buffer, it should come from the left (the bike lane) creating a diagonal green line. The diagonal allows the placement of yield triangles aimed at cars, to better indicate the entrance area. The entrance area should also be extended somewhat, to allow time to see it, realize what it is, yield, and then merge, vs " wtf is happening"

The through lane should have a very clear "straight arrow only" painting.

[DaveS]

I also rode the L Street Cycletrack for the heck of it last night.

I wish they had figured out a way to put the "Drivers Yield to Bicycles" signs in the buffer. Maybe using a design similar to the "DC Law: Stop for Peds in Crosswalk" signs.

In fact, exactly those signs (with different text) would not only improve driver instruction but also more clearly mark the beginning and end of the crossover zone.

[Froggie]

Had I realized that was you interviewing me, I'd have chatted more. As it was, I had to book back south quickly.

[Kolohe]

I would swear that once upon a time that's how the transit bennefit worked. At an intern job (at a DOD contractor) one summer in the early 90's I had a choice of either getting a (free) parking space or a 75 dollar metro farecard every month

[just another rider]

How in the world did I miss that absurd suggested redesign for MD355? Just where did those planners think they would get--let's see, the diagram still shows 6 lanes of North/South through-traffic, then the "local lanes" are 2 wide, with a third lane-width for parking on each side (so that's total nine lanes) and the boundary separating local and through lanes is roughly a lane in each direction--11 lanes wide?? Would they really consider bulldozing pretty much everything that's there now (in what timeframe?)? They'll have a load of fun in downtown Rockville and St Mary's Cemetery (where F Scott Fitzgerald is buried); the existing 6 lanes of road (and two for turning onto Veir's Mill Rd) and cemetery have already pinched the sidewalk. And no doubt the planners have this idyllic image of me toddling home on those local lanes--in between people walking to their parked cars, backing their cars out, cross traffic....--when I really just want to go home? --they want to try to extend that service road by Best Buy? ugh!

Now - it's nice that Rockville has been selected for an honor, and I hope it does provide impetus to make the place better, but the article highlighted it: the existing bike routes are on residential streets (see the ones that connect Norbeck to Twinbrook parallel to Vier's Mill) that are zig-zag, stop-and-go affairs. Main thorough-fares are fairly well ignored. Nothing seems obvious as a straight path. Maybe it's fine that way and maybe my route home from work on MD355 doesn't need a lot of fixing, but it sure seems that the suggested routes don't have a lot to recommend them. Millennium Trail does have rough edges - and to answer the one question on the linked page: it handles intersections at MD355 (and everywhere else) just like a really wide sidewalk: fairly smooth ramps with safety bumps. Nice thing about it: the people coming out of the office complex with Comcast typically back up to clear the path when they see people on the trail coming towards where they've already stuck their nose out to wait for a clearing in auto-traffic on West Gude.

Does anyone know what happens to the MUP-path along Montrose Road when it comes to the top of the hill by the St. Elizabeth's Church (between Tildenwood and Farm Haven)?