DDOT is considering a road diet for Alabama Avenue SE that might include bike lanes from MLK Avenue to the Maryland boundary at Southern Avenue and the final engagement meeting on that project is scheduled for the end of next week.
Three alternatives have been proposed and one has no bike lanes. As WABA described them:
- Alternative 1 would install a center median with a travel lane and buffered bike lane on each side. This option would require removing parking on both sides of the street, but does not physically prevent parking in the bike lane. This alternative should be improved by adding flex-posts, curbs or other vertical barriers to the buffer area to protect bicyclists and keep cars out .
- Alternative 2 would add bike lanes in each direction, separated from the travel lane by a narrow 1 foot painted buffer. This option would retain parking on one side of the road, but require drivers to cross the bike lane to park. This design should be improved to better protect bicyclists by adding vertical barriers. More importantly, the bike lane should be positioned between the parking lane and the curb, so that the bike lane is protected by a row of parked cars and cars don’t have to cross the bike lane to park, similar to the design on 15th Street NW.
- Alternative 3 would make the curbside lanes full-time parking and add bulb-outs at intersections. This alternative does not include any dedicated space for people on bikes, encourages riding in the “door zone” and increases likelihood of harassment and driver frustration towards cyclists who ride in the shared lane.
The meeting is on Saturday. I ride Alabama every day to and from work, (but I won't be able to attend this meeting) and bike lanes would be most welcome. I get a lot of close passing and having to get around the one parked car is actually harder then full curb-side parking.
Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 10:30am to 1:00pmLocation: 1535 Alabama Avenue SEBuilding: Giant at the Shops at Park Village
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