DDOT presents the M Street Cycle-track

Last night DDOT representatives held a short presentation on the M Street Cycle-track - along with the latest design - followed by a Q&A session.

During the presentation, DDOT tried to explain the reasoning for the cycle-track, how it would work and how it would benefit people.

Jim Sebastian, Mike Goodno and Associate DDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe showed preliminary data from the ongoing L Street study that showed that over the last 6 months since the cycle-track was installed, biking on L Street was up 41% (560 cyclists during the 8 hours of rush hour, up from 396). Over the same period bicycle and pedestrian crashes on L Street were both down a trivial amount. Meanwhile travel time by car had increased by only 1 minute across the length of the cycletrack in the morning and by no measurable amount in the afternoon commute (using data after construction on Connecticut Avenue was complete). They also discussed results of the completed 15th Street cycle-track showing that biking went up and that while crashes went up too, it was not as much as biking did.

They talked about lessons they learned on L street and how that influenced design on M. For example, the cycle-track will be narrower, with parking and loading zones adjacent to it. They'll put in more flexposts.And they're using a new "Yield to Bikes" sign.

Parking and loading would change very little. To deal with what lost parking there would be, they plan to take back some unused diplomatic parking spaces and replace some missing parking meters, as well as add better signage. 

The schedule is to continue evaluation between now and August and then install the tracks sometime this summer. That would take 3 weeks and be done in phases.

 

 

 

 

Other design features briefly touched upon were that the cycle-track diversion onto Rhode Island Avenue may have a concrete barrier to protect cyclists from traffic 

and queue areas within intersections that left turning cyclists can stop in to make a two-light turn.

There were other design changes not mentioned, but included in the drawings like a raised cycle-track at a bus stop where the track passes behind the stop. 

And there's more that I'll put up later, but before DDOT could discuss these things, it got very heated with Zimbabwe threatening to end the meeting if people continued to be disrespectful with one another.

It started with a woman who asked why DDOT was going ahead with the M Street lane if the L street study wasn't complete. M Street, she was told, is a compliment to L, so any study of L is incomplete without M. Originally they were to be built simultaneously. But she was clearly opposed to the project regardless, she said with exasperation that "L didn't work", claiming that no one ever used it (despite the presentation she just saw showing that there were several hundred users each rush hour) and that traffic was a disaster. Why were we spending money on bike lanes when libraries are closing? She called the design confusing and asked who this lane is for.

But that was just the appetizer. Many members and leaders of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church were there and they were not happy about the cycle-track or the way DDOT had informed them about it. 

"When slaves built our church, they were not thinking about bike lanes" is how the first comment started.

There were many criticisms some of them contradictory. No one rides on M Street. Senior citizens won't be able to cross the street to get to church because cyclists never yield to pedestrians (only a problem if people actually do bike on M). Senior citizens rely on the church for transportation. Other M Street businesses are not pleased either. The bike lane on the north side will block funeral access. "What percentage of taxpayer money is going to this?"

When asked if this was a done deal, Zimbabwe said it was and it wasn't. That there was going to be a cycle-track on M, but what it would look like was still negotiable. Speakers proceeded to throw the "done deal" comment, which wasn't his wording, back at him several times. But he stuck to his guns. When asked if the debate was over, he said "for this street, yes." When asked if the 1500 block could be left out of the plans, he said that it would have too negative an impact on people trying to bike the road. 

But the biggest issues were that the church would lose its angled parking on Sundays (which took them 3 years to get) and that no one talked to them about it until the day before.

A pastor for the church, after talking about the church's 175 year history, 87 of those years at this location, noted that this church is tied to the struggles of the African American people so to not be talked to about something like this until after it was a "done deal" was very disturbing and insulting. The church had been offered $1M to move out of the city, but they had made a commitment to stay. Many of their members had moved to the counties but still made an effort to come to church here. "Is DC becoming a church-unfriendly place?" she asked. 

On the first issue, DDOT created several alternatives for Sundays that would still allow 30-50 parking spaces, even one with angled parking and several that allowed parking in the cycletrack (which would shift in between two lanes of car parking) and promised to work on it with the church.

On the second issue, Jim Sebastian apologized and noted that he had met with church staff at the church in 2011. At least one person accused him of lying and Sebastian said he could pull the phone and email logs if needed. He also noted that they had started this process in 2009 with public meetings, and that DDOT staff have met with ANC's, BIDs, groups and individuals. He said they tried to reach the church, a comment that resulted in scoffing from the church's members.

I'll add that anyone on M Street who didn't know about this has not been paying attention. While I don't expect anyone to have read the 2005 Bicycle Master Plan, the addition of a cycletrack on M Street has been reported in the Washington Post many times. In fact it's been mentioned in numerous news outlets on many many occasions over many years. DDOT has had meetings and press releases. It's not been kept a secret. That no one in the church had ever heard about it until this week seems incredible.

Zimbabwe tried to address all the concerns. The M Street lane would have better signage. DC does not intend to be church unfriendly. There is no "rush" to complete this, but DDOT wants to make people safe now, not later. They're willing to work with the church to resolve its issues.

He could have mentioned that in many cases funding for bike lanes can't be moved over to libraries.

When one woman talked about how important biking was for our future, someone asked her "Do you expect senior citizens to bike." "Yes," I thought, "many already do now." In fact many senior citizens in the church had prefacced their comments with "I'm a cyclist." 

Another speaker, opposed to the bike lane, asked "Who wants this?" and many hands shot up followed by applause. 

"We're not taking a vote here or pitting one side against another" Zimbabwe said.

A restaurant/bar owner on M Street said that the street is already girdlocked (despite DDOT data presented earlier saying otherwise) and that eliminating a traffic lane was going to be a disaster for drivers and for his business. "I did find one friend who rides a bike and he says he'll never use it." he added, while noting that gridlock causes pollution and that snow removal is a problem as well. "Every merchant on M Street is concerned and in disbelief about this."

Zimbabwe pointed out that this is to get new riders to use bikes. Many tried to point to data in NYC showing that cycle-tracks are good for business. One person thanked DDOT for putting the cycle-track on L and opening her eyes to all the great businesses there. 

A Georgetown ANC member took the opportunity to berate DDOT for not doing something about all the unsafe cyclists disregarding traffic laws. "It's a miracle that no one has been hurt" he noted without realizing he was contradicting his whole position. 

Finally, someone asked "can't bike lanes go in AND angled parking be kept? Why does it have to be either/or?"

Zimbabwe promised to find a way to address the parking needs of church goers. 

And they do have a plan for that. Below you can see Sunday parking on the bike lane as one alternative. 

Comments

[JeffB]

"When slaves built our church, they were not thinking about bike lanes" is how the first comment started.

They also probably didn't have in mind a church membership that commuted to worship from outside the district.

Isn't it ironic that a tax-exempt organization with many members residing in Maryland - and thus not paying taxing to DC either - expects DC to give preference to it's needs over that of it's own citizens?

In a nutshell you have the true sense of entitlement that the suburbs have come to expect when it comes to DC.

[turtleshell]

40 years ago when I was a kid growing up in DC I remember we had a lot of animosity directed at the white suburbanites who came into our neighborhood and took up all the parking for certain events.

Times have changed in DC.

Its hard to have much sympathy for people who decided to pay their taxes and vote somewhere else, but want special free parking.

[UrbanEngineer]

"I'm tired of hearing about the church" says a cyclist as he stands up and approaches the church representative speaking up front.

"If the kids went to church they wouldn't have asthma." says a church member after hearing a story about children in the hospital not being able to breathe the polluted air.

There was a lot of mumbling in the crowd. People commenting that there's more than one business on that street, that the church has been there for 100's of years, etc...

I'm glad I attended. It was an interesting scene.

[Fred]

Hard to feel much sympathy for those who do not bother to keep themselves informed and then whine that they did not know about the project.

[T]

I work across the street from them and I'm debating walking over and saying something.

Where do I begin? If they're worried about the cycletrack making things inconvenient then where is their venom for President Obama when the road is blocked off every other month as he hosts a fundraiser at the little hotel at 16th and M? Yes, it's fully blocked off.

Second, no cyclists, really? I don't typically go down M except maybe once or twice a month (walking to lunch is a different story), but I see people going down ALL THE TIME. For them to say otherwise is just a lie and they know it.

Third, their funeral processions wait on the SOUTHBOUND side of M St. Often this is a problem because drivers are trying to turn left into the parking garage sort of behind Carribou Coffee here.

Fourth, what angled parking?! There is no angled parking on M St where the church is. Perhaps they're doing this on weekends (I try to avoid the office on Sundays), but the parking is parralel here. Honestly, they could still have the parking on M outside of the bike lane WITHOUT A PROBLEM on weekends. It's not that busy in this stretch for vehicles because they would have to come off Thomas Circle to get here so more go down to K St I think.

Fifth, senior citizens crossing the road is a problem, really? The church is halfway down the block from 15th and up from 16th. So they're either saying that they're worried about jaywalking congregants or that miracously they have not been able to cross at crosswalks before. The easier solution that would appease them (not that they deserve it) is to simply put a crosswalk where their church is jutting across M (similar to the one in front of VA off 15th Cycletrack, I think it's technically called Vermont there).

Ok, I'm clearly ranting too much. Now I just need to debate if I say something to the church. It's frustrating being their neighbor and then hearing them indirectly trash me. Wish I had been there to say something.

[washcycle]

T, they are apparently allowed to use angled parking on Sundays.

[Crickey7]

I think the City should be able to design something that works for Sundays. I suspect Sundays mornings are one of the times the cycletrack is least used anyways. Throw them a bone here, and remove a major block of opponents.

[MB]

Nicely captured.

1) It's a truism that "nobody's ever heard about this!" if the speaker hasn't been personally served with a notice of a plan. At least twice.

2) You couldn't pay me enough to be the public face of DDOT (or any other DOT public hearing rep.). Sam did an admirable job and showed extraordinary restraint at times.

3) Yes, Crikey7, nobody tries to get around DC on Sundays. It's far more important that 30 people don't have to walk 30 more feet. Jesus forgives, but he sure doesn't walk.

[washcycle]

Crikey7, I think that's basically the plan and I can live with it. The fight over church parking has already been lost.

MB, I agree. It's got to be toughest part of the job. You have to remain polite and even deferential as people upset because they feel they've been treated unfairly and without respect, treat you unfairly and without respect.

[Crickey7]

It's called politics.

[T]

Interesting with the angled parking. I don't think i've ever been into work on Sunday mornings or at least the one or two times I did, I paid zero attention to the church.

And to the other point about Sundays--yah, there is basically no one on this section of M on Sundays. It's the church and people staying at the Madison or Westin that walk down M to Carribou.

[JeffB]

I expect most commuting cyclists wouldn't have any problem with the cycle track being used for parking on Sundays. Many bikes lanes around the city are currently used that way by other churches.

But how would DDOT handle the issue with the pylons? Perhaps they would not install them on the block at all?

We know that when there is no physical barrier to keep cars out of the track cars WILL use the track. So in order to facilitate Sunday parking we may end up crippling the track the other 6 days of the week.

Also keep in mind that many beginning cyclists* do not want to ride on the road ever. They want to ride on a path, sidewalk, maybe bike lane or cycle track. Furthermore many of these cyclists wont ride when traffic is heavy. Sunday would be the perfect time except ...

* for example- say you have an eight year old to whom you are introducing urban riding. The perfect time to do so would be Sunday mornings - except the very facilities you pay for have been re-purposed.

[Anne Berlin]

Thanks for this comprehensive summary; and thanks to the commentors who pointed out how well our DDOT reps kept their composure. It was an enfuriating spectacle, but it sounds like there is possible work-around with regards to the church parking. What's mroe troubling is the business sentiment that reduced lanes for parking and/or car traffic would be a "disaster" for the businesses on M street. Why on earth would you start a business on a major urban throughway within walking distance of a metro stop and then complain that you couldn't get enough business because of congestion and lack of parking? If I were a business owner on M st I'd be planning a major summer initiative welcoming bikers, and I'd be working to secure as much bike parking out front as possible because, as we've seen with the streetscaping on 18th street--when you take out parking and increase bike and pedestrian friendliness, businesses thrive.

[Brendan]

Finally! The strip clubs and churches find common ground. And we have the lowly bicycle to thank.

[T]

Your latest comment Jeff got me to thinking the solution if the church can't just put up with it (honestly, I think they're huffing and puffing over absolutely nothing--they're the only traffic on the road on Sundays), is perhaps to cut into the sidewalk some. It would drastically increase the price, but the sidewalks are exceedingly wide and probably don't need to be that wide. You could easily shave off two feet on the southbound (Church) side. In fact, I think this will solve the Church's problems, but probably infuriate them even more.

[Charlie]

I'm so sick of church goers feeling entitled to plentiful free parking on Sunday mornings. Just because you go to church doesn't mean you have the right to park for free on top of a bike facility. Your holiness does not trump the safety of others. Chuch goers should have to abide by the same rules as everyone else. What about the atheists? They want free parking too!

[MM]

""Is DC becoming a church-unfriendly place?" she asked."

If by "unfriendly" you mean "treated the same as everyone else", then I really hope so.

[Smedley Burkhart]

Wow, this has race, religion, class, city vs. suburb and and bike vs. car! Is there some way we can work guns, illegal immigrants, vaccines and autism in?

[JeffB]

^^^
If you can get all that in Smedley I'd like the option for the next Netflix series.

But work on the sex angle first!

[J.D. Hammond]

"When slaves built our church, they were not thinking about bike lanes" is how the first comment started.

I'm pretty sure they weren't thinking about cars, either.