DDOT is planning to rehabilitate the stretch of Massachusetts Avenue NW from 20th Street, around Sheridan Circle and to Waterside Drive on the east side of Rock Creek Park. At a public meeting in October they presented some of the ideas and concepts to come out of the 30% design, which does not add bike lanes to Massachusetts, but does repave the surface, redesign some intersections and create wide outside lanes.
The only bike lanes in the area are on Q and R Streets to the east of Massachusetts and this project won't change that, but it will replace the pavement, much of which is rated as "poor". According to other data presented, there have been 194 collisions on this stretch between 2013 and 2015 with 9 of them involving cyclists.
Currently the 50' ROW has 4x12.5' lanes, but after considering a new design with a center median, they're looking at outside lanes of 14' wide and inside lanes that are 11' wide.
Many intersections will get ADA ramps, improved lighting and drainage and some other improvements, including more bike parking.
One of the biggest changes will be at the intersection of Massachusetts and Q. Large bumpouts will be used to change this from one odd diagonal intersection into two 90 deg intersections. It will also have two new marked crosswalks that go straight across instead of diagonally.
The intersection at 20th and Mass will be changed slightly, with the taper on Mass west of 20th giving way to a wider, uniform sidewalk.
While this isn't explicitly a bike project, there are a lot of cyclist that ride here and so these changes matter. The road has curbside parking, but not during rush hour, which always makes it difficult to add in a bike lane.
They're currently working on the 65% design with a 2nd meeting planned for this month.
I'm glad to see the changes to Mass and Q. I used to ride on Q for my commute, and the intersection was terribly wide what with the angle. I would start with the green light, and by the time I was 3/4 of the way across, the light would turn and the cars on Mass Ave would get the light and be driving towards me.
Posted by: jmarcusse | February 06, 2018 at 07:58 PM
I ride Mass from Observatory to 13th every day and this section is so very much overdue just for repaving. All the other goodies are fine, but they can't resurface this soon enough.
Posted by: David | February 06, 2018 at 08:16 PM
Seconding both of you guys. I ride this stretch as well. The crosswalks at Q are really bad, and many pedestrians simply ignore them. This design should work better. And has anyone else experienced an overwhelming smell of basil just West of the RCP bridge? It's been there for years, and I cannot figure out what it is.
Posted by: Crickey | February 07, 2018 at 08:28 AM
The biggest problem I have with the Q Street intersection is the number of vehicles in the left lane that turn right onto Massachusetts. Then there's the outbound traffic on Massachusetts that backs up from the Florida Avenue intersection and blocks the Q Street intersection well after the lights have changed.
Posted by: DCAKen | February 07, 2018 at 11:17 AM
Also, it's interesting that the 20th Street picture was taken on a Farmer's Market day. Otherwise you'd have the impression 20th Street just . .. ended.
Posted by: Crickey | February 07, 2018 at 02:45 PM