TheWashCycle

Meeting tonight on Union Station expansion project

The FRA is hosting a meeting this evening on the Union Station expansion project which, when built, will change the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the Union Station bike station (as well as impact bike parking in and around the building).

FRA will hold a public scoping meeting on December 7^th, 2015 from 4:00PM to 8:00PM in Washington Union Station’s Presidential Room. The Meeting will be an open house format for discussions with the Project Team.  Two short identical presentations will be given at 4:30 and 7:00 p.m. to provide a project description. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting to learn about the Project and provide input on the purpose and need of the Project, concepts for alternatives that may be considered in the EIS, and the scope of the environmental issues and analyses to be included in the EIS.

The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) in coordination with Amtrak is proposing to expand and modernize Washington Union Station, the National Capital Region’s principal intermodal transportation hub, in order to provide a positive customer experience; support current and future rail service and operational needs; facilitate intermodal transportation; preserve and maintain the historic station and its features; sustain the economic viability of Washington Union Station; and integrate with the adjacent neighborhoods, businesses, and planned development.

Any EIS should take bike transportation to/from the facility into account

The FRA website will be updated periodically with project milestones, information about additional public meetings, and other pertinent project information. Comments may be submitted through this website by visiting the comments section and/or by email to info@wusstationexpansion.com. 

Alternatives considered in the EIS may involve Columbus Circle and other properties adjacent to Washington Union Station.

Washington Union Station is not integrated with its surrounding neighbors and land uses. The station limits movement and flow among neighborhoods and between neighborhoods and destinations.

Job: DC Bicycle Advisory Council Program/Administrative Services

Location: Washington, DC

Level of Effort: Estimated average of 8 hr/wk

Hourly Rate: $20/hr

Services to be provided:

The DC Bicycle Advisory Council seeks editing, research and administrative support services (see Council description below). The point of contact on the BAC will be the Treasurer, with whom all work will be coordinated and accounted for on an ongoing basis. The support services provider will be available to all BAC members based on available funding and BAC priorities.

Services include:

• BAC meetings

◦Attend all full BAC meetings (in odd months), and committee meetings (up to 3 in even months).

◦Assist the BAC chair and committee chairs in preparing a monthly meeting agenda and circulating it at least 3 days prior to the meeting; Assist BAC Secretary and committee chairs in preparing accurate meeting minutes within a week of each meeting as requested.

• Drafting letters and testimony, and research

◦Help BAC members to prepare correspondence and testimony. This may include drafting text based on bullet points, researching relevant data, or editing and circulating letters drafted by BAC members.

◦Find, summarize and make available to BAC members existing research, data and writings on specific policy topics including

◦Work with BAC members to get the most out of our work by editing and repackaging it for different audiences.

• Website and general administration

◦Maintain and promote the website (http://dcbac.blogspot.com/) such as posting meeting announcements and minutes, and working with BAC members to draft blog updates for the site;

◦Arrange space for and publicize bimonthly BAC meetings (first Wednesday of the month from 6:00-8:00).

◦Maintain and circulate (whenever revised) a complete roster of all BAC members including, phone numbers, email addresses and which Council member they represent;

◦Maintain the Google group email list;

◦Maintain and improve resources such as BAC letterhead used for correspondence, testimony and media releases;

• Work Plan and Task Follow-up

◦Work with the BAC Chair and Committee Chairs to draft an annual BAC Work Plan and then monitor and report on its progress to the BAC, potentially including tracking and follow-up of tasks discussed at full BAC meetings and committee meetings.

Requirements/Skills:

• Preference will be given to DC residents
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Website managements skills
• Ability to work well with others, meet deadlines, and contribute ideas on how the work of the Council can be most effective
• Flexibility to work independently and attend evening and weekend meetings
• Interest in urban planning/transportation issues, especially bicycling and walking.
• Work references
• Legal U.S. resident able to provide social security number

The DC Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) is a group appointed by the DC Council to advise District government on bicycling issues. It consists of 13 appointed community members (one appointed by each Councilmember), and four government representatives for DDOT, OP, MPD, and DPR. The BAC has three standing committees: 1) the facilities committee, 2) the legislative committee, and 3) the safety, education and enforcement committee. BAC general meetings are held on the first Wednesday of odd numbered months from 6-8pm at One Judiciary Square (441 4th Street NW) and are open to the public. BAC committees meet during the even-numbered months on a varying schedule.

Applying:

Please send a resume and cover letter to Jeff Johnson (BAC Secretary/Treasurer) at jjohnsondc@earthlink.net. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Hubert Humphrey could've biked to work

When he was Vice-President, Hubert H. Humphrey lived right where the Georgetown Branch and Rock Creek Park Trails intersect in this house at 3216 Coquelin Terrace, Chevy Chase, but alas, there were no bike trails then. Poor HHH. 

Anyway, that was the first time that a VP had a local address that was outside of DC - for those who are intrigued by such things. 

Bikes vs Cars Documentary opens today. One showing in DC area.

The documentary Bikes vs. Cars is opening in theaters today and there is at least one local showing scheduled in the area. The Old Greenbelt Theater is going to show it, one day only, at 1pm on Sunday.

BIKES vs CARS, a new documentary film by Fredrik Gertten (BANANAS, Big Boys Gone Bananas) that advocates for bike-friendly cities in the 21st century, will be released in theaters nationwide this week. The film, and a related app, has been inspiring a new approach to urban planning that could lead to better designs, smarter political decisions and reduced CO2 emissions.

The film is expected to have a strong theatrical release by connecting the bicyclist community and people who are interested in progressive urban planning, as well as general audiences.

Bikes vs Cars is a documentary about the bicycle and what an amazing tool for change it can be. It highlights a growing conflict in city planning between the bicycle, which supports a diverse city with a human scale, and the car, which engenders urban sprawl and reliance on fossil fuels.

From Copenhagen to Los Angeles via Sao Paulo, director Fredrik Gertten explores the ongoing efforts of bicycle activists, who are fighting for their right to ride on city streets against the combined forces of multi-billion dollar auto, oil, and construction lobbies, who are determined to keep our cities car dependent. BIKES vs CARS is a crie de coeur that will have audiences reaching for their bikes instead of theircar keys. A companion app will help cyclists track how much they reduce their CO2 imprint and oil consumption for every mile they ride instead of drive. The app is a campaign tool to support activists and cities to work towards bike-friendlier cities. 

BIKES vs CARS is being released theatrically on Kino Lorber’s Alive Mind Cinema label. The theatrical campaign will be supported by a full-fledged community outreach campaign with an emphasis on engaging environmental and bike groups to see the film and support legislation that endorses bicycling.

“For those who already embrace bike culture, the film will confirm their convictions,” says Elizabeth Sheldon, SVP Kino Lorber. “And for those who prefer to drive, the documentary shows how more bike-friendly cities benefit everybody, not only cyclists.”

“Bikes vs Cars depicts a global crisis and how every person can contribute to the solution by riding their bike," said Fredrik Gertten, the film's director.

 

 

Bikes vs Cars Official Trailer from Zach Alexander on Vimeo.

For the record, my kids love to ride the bus (my dog, on the other hand, is scared of the sound the air brakes make).

Bike lanes are awesome

Eighteen months after bike lanes were installed on King Street, a report prepared by the Alexandria department of transportation and environmental services says the lanes have reduced vehicle speeds and crashes and have increased the number of bicyclists along the busy stretch of road. The bike lanes were fought against and heavily criticized by a handful of residents on the street who surely now that the data is in will come around and see the value in them, joining WABA and becoming spokespeople for the value of bike infrastructure, right?

According to the data in a November 16 memo from transportation director Yon Lambert, vehicular crashes are down from 12 in the 17 months before bike lanes were installed to eight over that same period after, while average speeds have dropped in both directions. Eastbound speeds on average reduced from 35.4 miles per hour to 34.9 miles per hour, while westbound speeds dropped from 32.7 miles per hour to 30.4 miles per hour. The report says that 14 bicyclists were counted at peak hours after the bike lanes’ installation, compared to 11 before.

Data was collected on the speed and volume of vehicles and the number of bicyclists between September 14 and September 22, with crashes involving pedestrians, vehicles and bicyclists compared 17 months before and after the bike lanes’ installation.

But alas,

Opponents of the bike lanes, however, remain unconvinced by their impact on vehicle speeds.

“Residents would like to see the chart and analyze it and have some assurance that the city has actually done a good measurement,” said Louise Welch, a nearby resident. “What were the measures of success and how did they meet these measures of success? The report itself does not prove that the bike lanes are successful.”

Slower speeds, more cyclists and fewer crashes I believe.

Neither Sanders nor the report specified where the eight vehicular crashes took place or what caused them. But she said that the downward trend shows that the area is becoming safer for use by bicyclists and pedestrians.

“At this stage, we’re more compiling data for numbers of projects to see the trends: crashes going down, crashes going up, that type of thing, and thankfully in this case and in other projects where we’ve done improvements in safety, we are seeing the reduction,” she said. “What we want to see is it go to zero. That would be the best outcome for everybody. There’s more work to be done to get us there, but I think we’re making progress.”

Welch instead believes that safety was undermined by the installation of the bike lanes, although she acknowledged that some changes have made the area much safer for pedestrians.

“They’ve narrowed the roadway and access to homes for residents and visitors and service people is now much less safe,” she said. “The city did, however, make some good pedestrian changes such as crosswalks and stoplights.”

By what metric is it "much less safe"?

Related articles

Make King Street Safer for Pedestrians & Bicyclists!

King Street Bike Lanes approved unanimously

Construction to start soon on new Riverdale Bridge over CSX, will include bike facilities and connect to Trolley Trail

Below is a new rendering of the bridge over the CSX tracks that will connect Riverdale Park Station and M square in Riverdale Park.

It looks to me like the bridge has bike lanes, but those might just be wide shoulders. At the very minimum it has wide sidewalks. The west side of the bridge (on the left) will end at a "Village Green" one block from the new section of the PG County Trolley Trail. On the east side it will end at Tuckerman (I think), about 4 blocks from the NE Branch Trail. In the plan below, it is on the right side, with trail near the middle.

The text that goes with the top rendering.

Closure of Parking Lot of Former ERCO Plant Between the Rivertech Court Cul-de-sac and Lafayette Avenue in Riverdale Park

Work will soon begin on the much awaited new CSX crossing at Riverdale Park Station. The bridge construction work is significant and requires the closing of the former ERCO plant parking lot between the Rivertech Court cul-de-sac and Lafayette Avenue. This route has been used for years as a “short cut” from Lafayette Avenue to M-Square. The closure will begin on or about December 14, 2015 and will continue until the new bridge is open – estimated to be in April 2017.

The initial construction activities include the relocation of existing electrical and gas utilities that run parallel to the CSX tracks. Utility relocations are necessary for the construction of the new bridge over the CSX railroad tracks

Velocity Bicycle Coop Alley Sale - Saturday 12/5

They write

We’re having a cleaning-house-alley sale on Saturday. We have to move storage units and would like to ditch a lot of excess bikes and parts. Come by between 9am and 1pm. All bikes are sold as-is and will require parts and/or labor to fix.

All bikes are as-is, starting around $30!

Jewett Street ROW probably won't work as a zoo bypass

Not so long ago, I suggested that DDOT look into using the old Jewett Street ROW from Connecticut Avenue to Klingle Road as a new trail. That trail would serve as a connection between Conn Ave and the under-construction Klingle Valley Trail. 

That idea took on more relevance when the Adams Morgan Vision Framework came out and more relevancy when the Zoo announced they would be closing their gates more often. But after some digging, I realize that this is going to be harder than I thought.

It's unclear to me when the road was closed, or it it was even ever opened. Some maps, especially those from before 1940, show the road, but the only USGS maps I could find it on were from 1932 or earlier, and then they show it only as a light dashed line or narrow line. It's also not clear that the road circled is Jewett Street, since one document from 1920 calls it the "unnamed street running parallel with Connecticut Avenue."

In the late 1990's - as part of the lead-up to building the Kennedy-Warren's south tower and parking garage in 2002-2004 - the Klingle Corporation offered to facilitate the "formal closure of the portion of Jewett Street between the Kennedy-Warren and the National Zoo." At the time it was described as "a partially built public street" or "unbuilt" and in the legislation to close it, there was the claim that the road "has never been built or used as a public street." Regardless of what it was called, whether it was ever a road or not and if so when it was removed, legislation to close it passed in 2004.

As a result of that formal closure the majority of land, approximately 42 feet in width, was transferred to the Zoo "to assure that the forest cover will be protected in this area." A minor portion of the Jewett Street right-of-way, the “Klingle Valley Rehabilitation Area”, was transferred to the National Park Service for the purpose of straightening out the Klingle Valley boundary. A permanent fence was then constructed along the new boundary. So most of the ROW now belongs to the Zoo as the "Tree Preservation Zone" and some of the rest to NPS. DC no longer owns the ROW - if they ever did.

But... the ROW was 50 feet wide and the zoning commission order doesn't say who the other 8 feet now belongs to. I suspect it is the Kennedy Warren. But even if it does belong to DC, that still isn't really wide enough for a formal MUT. There is plenty of space between the zoo and the Kennedy-Warren (in the Tree Preservation Zone) for a trail, but permission will be just the first issue in building one.

In addition to ownership issues and the fence, the main issue is the topography itself. I don't know if it was the construction of the Zoo parking lot or the Kennedy Warren expansion, but nothing remains of a graded connection from Conn Ave to Klingle Road - if ever there was one. 

These photos don't do it justice, but the transition from the Connecticut Avenue area down to the Klingle Valley Trail involves a pretty steep drop off.

Considering the topography and ownership issues, it MIGHT be possible to build a hiking trail through this area that connects Conn Avenue to Klingle Valley Trail - and even that would likely require moving the fence - but I think a bike trail is going to be too difficult at this point. 

Apex Building replacement project revealed last night. Must hurry for ideal purple line/Capital Crescent Trail

Bethesda Magazine's Aaron Kraut has coverage

The project’s location and size—at 250 to 290 feet, the three buildings could end up being the tallest in downtown Bethesda—would typically be enough to attract plenty of interest.

But many of the roughly 40 people at the meeting Monday were most concerned with the Bethesda Purple Line station set for the existing Capital Crescent Trail tunnel below the property.

Harris said the developer is working to get the Apex Building demolished in time for Purple Line construction, which, according to a County Council staff analyst in attendance Monday, could start as soon as late 2016 or early 2017 and last for five years.

Carr Properties will file a sketch plan and alternative concept plan with the county that assume the “optimal” Purple Line station design, which could also mean a new tunnel under Wisconsin Avenue for Capital Crescent Trail users that’s separate from the light-rail tunnel. It would also allow for easier access to a bank of high-speed elevators to Metro’s Red Line and more space for the light-rail station platform.

“It’s so much easier if it can be done in conjunction with the Purple Line,” Harris said. “It’s better for the building developer. It’s better for the Purple Line. It’s better for the [Capital Crescent] Trail.”

But challenges remain with timing, cost and the historic Community Paint and Hardware building at the southeast corner of the property.

Harris said Carr Properties hopes to appear before the Planning Board with the sketch plan by February and that, despite project approval processes that typically take at least a year, the board “understands the importance of a prompt decision” in this case.

The developer has also been in touch with the MTA. Last month, a spokesperson for the transit agency said the optimal Bethesda Purple Line station design is still possible even though the 16-mile light-rail project went out for bid with the “default” station design that includes only a 5-foot-wide walking path along the light-rail tracks.

Then, there’s the matter of who would pay for the separate Capital Crescent Trail tunnel. In 2013, MTA officials estimated the new tunnel could cost between $15 million and $30 million. At the time, it was assumed the county would pay for the tunnel.

Without the separate tunnel, bicyclists using the trail would likely have to cross Wisconsin Avenue at its intersection with Bethesda Avenue.

The county has already programmed almost $60 million in its capital budget for the bank of high-speed elevators to connect the Purple Line station to Metro’s Bethesda Red Line station about 100 feet below.

A county spokesperson said Monday that county officials hadn’t yet communicated with Carr Properties about the project.

Update: More here.

The Montgomery County Council approved a minor master plan amendment in February 2014 to facilitate potential redevelopment of the building, allow for a better Purple Line station beneath it, and to preserve space for a Capital Crescent Trail tunnel underneath Wisconsin Avenue.

Attorney Bob Harris, of Bethesda's Lerch, Early & Brewer, said last night that he believes two plans his client has developed will accomplish both of those goals.

A Capital Crescent Trail tunnel under Wisconsin was in both plans shown last night.

Glenn Orlin, Deputy Adminstrator for the County Council, was in attendance at the meeting, and assured residents that a 5' tunnel under Wisconsin will be part of the Purple Line facility regardless of whether or not the Apex Building is redeveloped. However, that tunnel has been strongly criticized by cycling advocates, as it would require cyclists to walk their bikes through the tunnel. Orlin said construction of the Purple Line station is anticipated to begin in December 2016.

[I have never criticized the tunnel. It was, after all, my idea (sort of)]

NOVA Regional Bikeway & Trail Study shows some progress and lots of demand.

VaDOT is working on an update to the 2003 NOVA Regional Bikeway and Trail Network Study, and they released a draft version of that update last month. After studying how much latent demand there was, what level of service cyclists were receiving and what the public expressed as priorities, they've created a draft of a new network that is " more extensive than that of 2003 and reflects the region’s progress in improving bicycle connectivity through on-road and off-road bicycle infrastructure."

20%  of the bike network (108 miles in total) identified in 2003 has since been added in the region. 

The 2015 Network includes 367 miles of off-road shared-use paths and trails, 61 miles of on-road bicycle lanes, 72 miles of “other notable existing” facilities, and 530 miles of proposed regional corridors.

Most of the places they've identified with latent demand are urban and already bike-friendly.

The study of bicycle level of service found that only 19% of Virginia's Regional Roadway Network was "generally considered comfortable bicycle facilities".

These comfortable cycling facilities are typically characterized by low-volume neighborhood streets or roadways with parallel shared use paths. Patrick Henry Drive (Arlington County), below, is a great example of a BLOS “A” facility, as it is predominately residential and equipped with bidirectional bicycle lanes.

58% is considered "tolerable" and the remaining 23% is "uncomfortable."

The study recommends 34 additions to the Regional Bikeway and Trails Network, with several of those being in the Alexandria and Arlington area. Many of these facilities already exist and are just being added to the map.

Alexandria

• In Alexandria, the study recommends adding facilities to Edsall Road between I-395 and Pickett Street and to Eisenhower Avenue from S. Van Dorn Street to Holmes Run as "proposed" in the 2015 Eisenhower West Small Area Plan.
• It also "adds" the existing sharrows on Braddock Road from W. Windsor Avenue (end of existing bike lanes) to King Street.
• On Janneys Lane / Seminary Road / N. Pickett Street / N. Pegram Road the study adds the existing bike lanes as "on-road" and the "proposed" ones from N. Quaker Road to N. Pickett Street and then continuing on N. Pickett and N. Pegram Road.; and then connecting this "proposed segment" with the existing bike lanes on N. Pegram Road, which ultimately connect to the Holmes Run Trail.
• On Braddock Road from Commonwealth Avenue to Mount Vernon Avenue it "adds" the existing sharrows.

Alexandria and Arlington

• Valley Drive/Preston Road/Martha Custis Drive - Add as "other notable existing" along W. Glebe Road, Valley Drive, and Preston Road. Existing shared lane markings. Also add "other notable existing" along Martha Custis Drive/ Shirlington Bridge/ Quincy Street to the Four Mile Run Trail

Arlington

• Army-Navy Driver from Memorial Drive to S. Glebe Drive at the Four Mile Run Trail - Add as "proposed", connecting the existing Army Navy Drive bike lanes to S. Glebe Drive via S. Adams Street and 26th Road
• Boundary Channel Drive from S. Washington Boulevard to the Mount Vernon Trail via LBJ Park - Add connection in Lady Bird Johnson Memorial Park as "other notable existing" and add connection from LBJ Park to S. Washington Boulevard as "proposed"
• Key Boulevard from N. Veitch Street to Kirkwood Road - Add as "other notable existing" since Key Boulevard operates as a bike boulevard, with various traffic calming measures (bulb outs, chokers, and traffic circles). Connect to Kirkwood Road on the west end via N. Jackson Street and 13th Street
• S. Washington Boulevard from US 50 (Arlington Boulevard) to Columbia Pike (Towers Park) - Add as "on-road, existing" from US 50 to S. Courthouse Road and as "proposed" from S. Courthouse Road to S. Quinn Street / Columbia Pike
• S. Abingdon Street/ 34th / S. Stafford / 33rd from 31st Street to N. Quaker Lane - Add as "on-road, existing" from 31st Street to N. Quaker Lane (existing bike lanes). Recommend that S. Wakefield Street become a signed bicycle route