I was looking at google streetview for one thing, and saw something that made me laugh. What I saw was this at 8th and D.
People may not recall, but there used to be bike parking at this spot and in 2014 DDOT removed it at the request of the Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association to preserve the view shed. Then-DDOT Director Matthew T. Brown claimed they were able to find "places to make up for the lost bicycle parking nearby".
What made me laugh was that this comment has stuck in my head ever since then.
You're going to lose it to a delivery truck whose driver will totally ignore whatever signage you put up.
Which is, at least in this shot (and this one), exactly what happened.
Meanwhile, there's still a shortage of bike parking in that area. For example, we clearly need a rack in front of Teaism.
Whenever I see a "third place" shop (coffee, tea, bakery cafe) without bicycle parking, it kind of freaks me out. Why work so hard to run a business and then tell an entire segment of your potential customer base to go eff themselves? I just don't get it.
Posted by: Jonathan Krall | October 30, 2018 at 12:37 PM
They don't have perfect control over bike parking in front. They need permission to install one. But Teaism could probably ask the downtown BID for a rack and have one within a year (?) so I don't know why they haven't done that, of if they have why they don't have one.
Posted by: washcycle | October 30, 2018 at 12:49 PM
They've probably never even thought of it. Fortunately I can walk there from work, but otherwise, it might have cost them my business.
I won't say that I won't patronize places without bike parking because that would be unrealistic and unfair, but I have made either/or decisions based on it before. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I didn't stop at Heritage Brewery in Arlington because I could find nowhere to lock up, but I did go to New District instead, where I knew there was a rack out front.
Posted by: huskerdont | October 30, 2018 at 01:03 PM
Or they could go the Filter route and install their own themed back racks on the sidewalk in front of their doors. Certainly made me a fan of filter. Not that I need too much encouragement to drink coffee but it makes the Dupont pricing surcharge a bit easier to swallow.
Posted by: Riley | October 30, 2018 at 01:37 PM
Who fights bike parking?
Posted by: Crickey | October 30, 2018 at 02:32 PM
I've approached businesses before and asked if they'd request bicycle parking from DDOT. Several have seemed enthusiastic and said they followed up but nothing ever happened. There should be an easier way to get the city to put bicycle parking where it is clearly needed--like in front of restaurants and cafes.
Posted by: Bill | October 30, 2018 at 02:40 PM
Ticket and tow the fed ex van for blocking the crosswalk. Then shift the crosswalk to line up with the actual path down to the memorial and put the bike rack where the current crosswalk is.
Boom, new bike rack, no viewshed impacts, and a cross walk that aligns with the path that most people will take.
Posted by: drumz | October 30, 2018 at 03:56 PM
Re: Asking BID
My building asked for bike parking years ago and we still don’t have it. Though, as far as I know, we have not repeatedly followed up on the request.
Posted by: Jeffb | October 31, 2018 at 09:06 AM
Re: Who fights bike parking?
We have residents who think it looks junky, particularly when, inevitably, parts of a bike get stolen and the carcass is left there for months.
Posted by: Jeffb | October 31, 2018 at 09:09 AM
Was that the downtown BID? Also I've had some luck with 311 and bike racks, but it takes years.
Posted by: washcycle | October 31, 2018 at 09:43 AM
Yes, we are in the Downtown BID. But, TBH, it was discussed but, now that I think further, I don’t know if the property manager followed through.
Posted by: Jeffb | October 31, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Years ago BPAC pushed like crazy to get a bike parking corral installed on King St at the waterfront. Actual quote from a member of the Waterfront Commission at the time: "Bike parking corral? That sounds ugly." They tried to locate it behind a building, where no one would have to look at it, but didn't succeed.
They did succeed in keeping grounds of the tourist-attracting Torpedo Factory from being begrimed by a CaBi station. That station was relocated to Prince and Union streets.
Posted by: Jonathan Krall | October 31, 2018 at 01:06 PM
Lack of bike parking? Right next door to that Teaism is BASIS DC School. That could be a contributory factor...
Posted by: Scooter DC | November 01, 2018 at 03:48 PM