Thursday Morning Commute - incessant desire

Good morning

• Numbers are out for CaBi usage in November. While the numbers are down ~25% in both miles and trips from October, that's pretty normal. But the year-to-year numbers are up 48% and 53% respectively. Oddly in 2011, the busiest month was June but in 2012 it was September.
• WABA wants cyclists to turn out for MoveDC and the update to Maryland's Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. "Both plans present significant opportunities to alter how people get around, and in subsequent posts we’ll provide more detailed information on each. What matters most right now is that both processes are being designed to maximally integrate public input into the planning of our transportation future. While WABA will be actively involved as an organization, it’s also critical that people—like you!—who value biking as a way of getting around and want to see it encouraged in the future participate."
• WABA is also looking for bike ambassadors.
• Who's blocking the L Street bike lane today?
• More new bike parking.
• Traffic fatalities in DC were lower than they've been since at least the 1920's and there were no bicycle fatalities. In fact, there was only one - Diane Whitman in Maryland - were two in the whole DC area. (There was also a fatality involving a pedestrian hit by a cyclist on a bike trail). That's the lowest number of DC area bike fatalities since 2006 (and my numbers are probably incomplete that year).
• Construction-related changes to the CCT crossing of Bethesda Avenue have made the crossing less safe argues one letter writer. 
• The flier for the Little Paint Branch Trail extension.
• To the long list of projects that Maryland has identified but can't afford, add the Gov. Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge, which would include a walking and bike path on both sides. Don't expect gas taxes to go up in Maryland to pay for it any time soon either. “Everybody’s taxes just increased,” said [House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Calvert, St. Mary’s)], adding that a gas tax would implement effects, including higher prices, across the board. He said there is an “incessant desire” to raise taxes to create more revenue. “It’s unbelievable,” he said as he pushed the microphone away at the podium and walked back to his seat...[Del. Mark Fisher (R-Calvert)] said in a testimony made to the Ways and Means Committee, they were told “Maryland has enough money to take care of its roads,” without increasing the gas tax....Fisher said, during his concluding remarks, that there are ways to raise money for transportation, such as privatizing some roads, toll roads and rest centers, selling welcome centers and naming rights to roads, “instead of going into pockets of citizens.”  WC: Doesn't money for tolls come out of the pockets of citizens? Look, I think toll roads can be useful, but let't not pretend that it isn't just a different tax. 
• Meanwhile, in Virginia, some people are focusing on the drop in gas tax and ignoring the increase in sales tax, but not bike store owners (aka Small Business owners, aka Job Creators).
• Sapphire.
• New West Virginia rail trail built on a short spur would cross the Potomac at Hancock and connect to the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the C&O Canal.

Comments

[Wayne Phyillaier]

While I certainly agree that the placement of the crosswalk and the fast turning traffic at Bethesda Avenue makes the CCT crossing dangerous, this condition existed much as it is now before the Lot 31 construction began. This CCT crossing will remain dangerous until the intersection is reworked to address the problem of turning traffic.

[ACyclistInTheSuburbs]

On bike fatality data:

what about the cyclist who was killed on Columbia Pike in Fairfax?

[ken]

The Bethesda Ave. crossing is now the most dangerous part of my 5 mile DC->MD & back . I think it considerably more dangerous now especially for the inexperienced. Part of the problem is caused by obscured sight lines for drivers whether making the right from Woodmont or heading west on Bethesda from east of Woodmont: due to barriers & parked cars one can't easily see those about to cross. Made worse no doubt by the traffic slowness which means drivers are sprinting at the light toget in line and wait and doing so where those sight lines are less than ideal.

[washcycle]

Oh yeah, that one got overlooked.

[SJE]

Its funny, but the opponents of higher tolls call pay for use socialism, but expect it to come out of general revenue: the very definition of socialism. The current fees are insanely low. In the past, you would have paid a much larger fee (adjusted for cost of living). Overseas, you would expect to pay much much more.

[Mike]

well, that's a depressing epitaph

[sbg]

For me, tolling is a type of user fee and not a tax. Its a pay to use system that rightly assess a fee for those who choose to use the facility. People generally have a choice to pay for the use or not.

[washcycle]

So then the gas tax is actually a user fee no?

[sbg]

Actually I would agrue that yes, the Gas tax is a hybrid user fee. I am for an increase since I choose to bike commute and use my vehicle as little as possible. It should be a pay to play system.