Mayor will cut ribbon on 1st Street NE cycletrack tomorrow

On bike to work day tomorrow, the NoMa BID will operate a pit stop from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on the grassy lot at Pierce and First Streets, NE, just across from the new cycle track.

Immediately following (and weather permitting) at the same location, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Executive Director Lionell Thomas, and other dignitaries will enjoy cake, champagne and a brief ceremony at 10 AM, and cut the ribbon on the new First Street, NE project. At 10:30 AM, Mayor Gray will walk north to 1200 First Street, NE and cut a ribbon on a new sculpture.

Comments

[DaveS]

Would that be an inappropriate time to ask when it'll actually be finished at Union Station?

[washcycle]

DDOT has answered that question already. Why would you ask it again.

http://www.waba.org/blog/2014/05/curbs-coming-to-dcs-cycle-tracks/

[DaveS]

I had to read that three times to find the reference - surprised it didn't include "weather permitting" along with "should begin soon". In any case, it's fundamentally unfinished until that artificial "Phase 2" is done, and that's when I'd applaud cutting the ribbon.

Even then:

Arriving at Columbus Circle via the soon-to-be completed 1st St NE. cycletrack, the dream ends. There's no supported connection at all, in any direction. The importance of that gap is multiplied by how many other decent facilities and important routes are thisclose to Columbus Circle, with no way to get to them.

If you take the bus or train to Union Station because you've heard biking in DC is great, you can rent a bike or get a bikeshare right there (or maybe you can bring your own), but if you aren't already comfortable riding in some of the densest DC traffic offers outside downtown you have nowhere to go.

I assume the ribbon cutting didn't actually happen. I was at the NoMa pit stop around 8:15-8:30 and saw no signs of action on the 1st St. cycletrack - has it been rescheduled?

[washcycle]

That stretch of 1st doesn't get a lot of traffic. It's not so bad to ride on.

The ribbon cutting was postponed, but I'm not sure when it was rescheduled.