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Prince George’s County Council voted unanimously to support becoming a more walkable and bikeable county this past week. Voting 9-0, Councilmembers passed the “Adequate Public Pedestrian and Bikeway Facilities in Centers and Corridors” Act (CB-2-2012) which requires developers to build bicycle and pedestrian connections from their new developments to nearby destinations. This bill seeks to begin fixing the years of allowing street designs that were inhospitable to pedestrians and bicyclists.

This is giant step forward for Prince George’s County. The County has one of the highest rates of pedestrian deaths in the Maryland and has recently been dangerous and deadly for bicyclists too. The County Council, under the leadership of Councilmembers Olsen and Franklin, has made a statement about a future vision for the county and has recognized the need to begin building safe, connected and protected places to walk and bike.

WABA staff testified several times in support of this initiative and we are pleased with the unanimous result.  We would like to thank the Prince George’s County Council for providing county residents with expanded transportation choices. We would also like to thank our friends at the Coalition for Smarter Growth for their dedication to this initiative and their work in Prince George’s County.

End of the Sidewalk by M.V. Jantzen, on Flickr

As you’re riding along a side path or walking along a sidewalk of a busy suburban road, the path mysteriously ends. There is nowhere to go except onto the busy street, a grassy shoulder, or a narrow dirt path. Suburban bicyclists and pedestrians know this situation all too well.

WABA testified in support of Prince George’s Co. Council Bill CB-2-2012 titled “Adequate Public Pedestrian and Bikeway Facilities in Centers and Corridors” at the February 15th, 2012 meeting of the Planning, Zoning, Economic and Development Committee. Co-sponsored by Eric Olson (District 3) and Mel Franklin (District 9), CB-2-2012 would require new developments to fill in the missing links in walking and biking facilities from the neighborhoods to the new development.

WABA strongly supports this bill and the leadership of Councilmembers Olson and Franklin in creating safe bicycling and pedestrian connections in Prince George’s Co. During the hearing there was discussion about the proposed financial limits for developers, the maximum required distances of the connection and how “adequate” connections should be measured. We believe these are important points of discussion but should be made in the regulation process and not through legislation. The full text of the bill can be downloaded here.

Join staff from WABA and Rails-to-Trail Conservancy for Meet & Greet on February 1st, 2012 at 6:00 pm at the Rails-to-Trails Offices. This event is open to all interested in participating in the Climate Ride NYC-DC, May 19-23, 2012. Past Climate Riders, members of the 2012 Team WABA and Climate Ride staff will provide an introduction to the Climate Ride including tips on fundraiser and advice on training. This is an opportunity to have all of your questions answered. Light food (pizza) and drinks (beer) will be provided!

Event Time: February 1st, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Event Location:
Rails-to-Trail Conservancy
The Duke Ellington Building
2121 Ward Ct., NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20037
See on Google Maps

Please RSVP for the meeting (not mandatory, we just don’t want to run out of pizza)!

Learn more about the 2012 Climate Ride and Team WABA

On Monday, WABA advocates spent the morning touring (read: cold-weather bicycle ride) the many bicycle connections between Virginia and DC through National Park Service lands. The goal of the outing was to continue, and hopefully energize, the conversation about  improving access for bicyclists through the various parks. With the National Mall bringing Capital Bikeshare to the park in 2012, there is a greater need for the long-awaited upgrades to the connections between DC and Virginia.

The ride included representatives from the National Park Service’s George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), National Mall, and the National Capital Regional Offices.

While there are a multitude of details to be addressed, we are focusing attention on improving major safety and connectivity  issues that cyclists in the Washington region face daily.

WABA would like to express our thanks to Representative Connolly’s (D-VA) office for its leadership in organizing this meeting with NPS. We would also like to thank the staff of Representatives Moran (D-VA) and Blumenauer (D-OR) for joining us early on a cold Monday bike ride.

2011 was not the year for bike lanes in the District.  Since 2006, DDOT has  installed on-street bike lanes at a rate of four to eight additional miles per year. Less than one mile of new bike lanes was installed in 2011.

As DDOT nears the end of the timeframe laid out in 2005′s Bicycle Master Plan, the target for miles of bike lanes installed per year gets fuzzy. On average, the Master Plan calls for 10 miles of new bike lanes per year. The more recently adopted 2010 DDOT Action Agenda sets a goal of 80 miles, total, of bike lanes and protected cycle tracks by 2012.  As of today, the District has about 50.

DDOT had planned to install about 6.5 miles in 2011.  Of that 6.5 miles, approximately 4.25 miles are studied, designed and ready for installation.  But these have not been installed due to internal delays at DDOT.  The bike planners seemingly have done their part, but 2011 will end without these lanes installed, as it is now too cold for road striping.

The other 2.25 miles of that 6.5 that were slated for installation but have been put on hold for various reasons including a lack of ANC approval or a delay in necessary roadwork and signal work.

The map below shows on-street bike projects we expect in the next year.

• Red indicates projects slated for 2011 that are planned, designed, and ready–but not installed.
• Orange indicates projects slated for 2011 but pending additional work (ANC approval / additional roadwork) before they are ready for installation.
• Purple highlights projects slated for 2012.

After installing less than a mile of bike lanes in 2011, DDOT needs to dramatically improve its performance just to meet the 10 mile per year average of the Bike Master Plan, much less the 80 mile goal of the Action Agenda.  This year’s performance is unacceptable, and signifies broken promises to the District’s cycling community.

Director Bellamy and, ultimately, Mayor Gray need to recognize that this year’s performance is unacceptable, and that major improvements are needed in 2012.

Building on the success of Capital Bikeshare in DC and Arlington County, Montgomery County is preparing to summit a grant application to Maryland DOT to incorporate bikesharing in the lower county region.  The plan for 400 bicycles at 50 stations was presented last night a public meeting at the County Executive offices in Rockville.

County planning and transportation officials presented proposed station plans for the urban areas of the county (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Friendship Heights) and north along the legs of Red Line.  The additional stations will provide connections between those activity centers and DC.  A side note, in planning talks DDOT has agreed to expand bikeshare stations north between the system core and the new clusters in Bethesda, Silver Spring & Takoma Park to help connect the entire system.

Montgomery County DOT Director Art Holmes spoke briefly about the expansion of bikeshare to the county.  In his remarks, he told attendees, “we are very committed to this program”.  Officials cautioned that the bikesharing program is contingent on the awarding of the state grants and may need to be built in phases.  However, they feel very confident in their grant application.  The Maryland grants are through Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds with a local match of 20% required.

Attendees were asked to give ideas (put stickers on a map) for possible station locations.  Consultant to the county, Paul DeMaio of MetroBike, explained the siting requirements for a station including access to direct sun, enough space, ownership, access to the station, proximity to bicycle infrastructure, etc.   Those not at the meeting are invited to submit their ideas on the Capital Bikeshare Crowdsourcing Map.

WABA is excited to see bikesharing grow and promote bicycle transportation in the region.  We hope to see the needed infrastructure improvements, education offerings and necessary enforcement to make the system a success in the county as we have seen in DC and Arlington.

Tell the Senate bicyclists should have the freedom to choose the sidepath or roadway in Rock Creek Park. Photo Credit: MV Jantzen

For decades, cyclists have cherished their beautiful morning commutes and family bike rides through Rock Creek Park. Both the road and trail through the park provide two options for different types of cyclists.  Children and adults, less experienced riders, and those looking for a gentle and slow ride, all enjoy the multi-use path (which is in need of much improvement: read more here).  The roadway provides a space for bicyclists to travel faster (above 15 mph) to achieve a solid workout or arrive at their destination more quickly.  If the Senate passes the current draft transportation authorization bill in its current form, all bicyclists will be REQUIRED to use the Rock Creek Trail and all other sidepaths (within 100 yards) on Federal land roads with speed limits over 30 mph.

This is bad policy! Sign the petition, make your voice heard.

From the League of American Bicyclists:

“The draft of the Senate’s transportation authorization bill, S. 1813 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, includes language that would introduce a mandatory sidepath law on roads in our National Parks and other Federal lands. It requires cyclists on Federal lands to use a path or trail, instead of roads, if the speed limit is over 30 MPH and a trail exists within 100 yards, regardless of its condition or utility of the path. The provision sets a terrible precedent. Passing it would send the wrong message to transportation agencies that these policies are acceptable. Laws like this have been taken off the books in states over the past 30 years. This takes us in the wrong direction.”

Take a minute and sign the petition now to tell the Senate to remove the provision requiring bikes to use sidepaths!

District of Columbia Residents: Please note this petition is targeted at the entire Senate and not Senator specific.  Please sign!

WABA’s upcoming Regional Call to Action Summit on November 3rd is going to be an exciting day for bicycle advocacy in the Washington region.  Over the last two months, WABA has held five of the six local stakeholder meetings in Maryland, Virginia and DC (the sixth and final meeting is next Monday, 10/17 in Fairfax Co.) to listen to members, supporters, advocates, bike shop owners and other community members about what is needed to improve bicycling in the region.  With this feedback in mind, WABA staff and board are creating a Regional Call to Action document to help prioritize the next five years of bicycle advocacy.   The November 3rd Regional Call to Action Summit will present this document along with others speakers and panels related to the report.  Below is the schedule for the speakers and panel.  Learn more about the Summit at waba.org/events/summit.php.  Please join us on November 3rd and please RSVP.

8:30 am – Gathering & Coffee

9:30 am – Welcome

9:45 am – Tools for Planning Healthy Communities - Gina Arlotto (WABA’s Safe Routes to School Network Coordinator)

10:15 am – Crashed! Your Legal Rights In A Bicycle Accident – Bruce Deming, Lawyer

11:00 am – Panel: Regional Bikesharing – Speakers TBA

12:00 pm – Lunch Break (1 1/2 hour)

1:30pm – Panel: Planning Bicycle & Pedestrian Access to Metro – Nat Bottigheimer (WMATA Assistant General Manager), Patrick Schmitt (WMATA Parking Manager), Kristin Haldeman (WMATA Manager of Access Planning & Policy Analysis), Justin Antos (WMATA Transportation Analyst)

2:30 – Panel: The Role of Bicycle Businesses in Advocacy – Jakob Wolf-Barnett (Chief Operating Officer, Revolutions Cycles), Erik Kugler (Owner, BicycleSPACE), Stephen Marks (Managing Partner, Bike the Sites), Debora Hardng (CEO, City Bikes), Anne Mader (Owner, The Bike Lane)

3:30 pm - WABA’s Presentation of Regional Call to Action

4:30 pm – Summit End

Street striping plans for the Columbia Rd., NW bike lanes (click to download PDF version)

Bike lanes connecting the Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan and Dupont neighborhoods on Columbia Rd., NW are an important missing connection in the bicycle network. DDOT officials have confirmed they have received the appropriate approval of ANC 1C   and the lanes will be installed by Thanksgiving.  Community members’ concerns centered on the need to remove paid parking spots to accommodate expansion of commercial loading zones.

Currently, incomplete and disconnected bike lanes exist on Columbia Rd., NW on the parts of the 1600, 1700, and 1800 blocks.  When complete, the Columbia Rd NW bike lanes will connect with bike lanes on Euclid St., NW, bike lanes on Adams Mill Rd. / Calvert St., and the shared lanes on 18th St., NW (under construction, to be complete by May 2012).

Got any bright ideas? Of course you do, and now you can suggest trail and bicycle transportation research ideas to the the US Department of Transportation.  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking public input for potential areas of bicycle and pedestrian transportation research.

Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)  is a program of the current transportation re-authorization bill, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). SAFETEA-LU is charged with improving our understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning and the environment (FHWA). This is a great opportunity for some detailed research of trail and bicycle programs.

Summit your ideas online