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Posts Tagged ‘DC’

This bike box could be yours to borrow.

Whether you have been a WABA member for years or just joined, you benefit in countless ways—like access to an array of enticing member benefits. To ensure that you don’t miss out on these awesome benefits, we wanted to remind you that as a WABA member you get:

• Discounts on parts, accessories, and/or bikes at over 50 area bike shops in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia
• Use of one of our  bike “boxes” (i.e. bike carrying case) for bike travel by plane or train (pictured)
• Four issues of RideOn, WABA’s quarterly newsletter
• Discounts on all WABA rides (including Vasa and 50 States) and at all WABA events (including Bike Prom, BikeFest, and the WABA holiday party)
• Savings on all WABA merchandise
• Ability to obtain Maryland “Share the Road” License Plates if you are a Maryland resident

You also get discounts from our community business partners (when you present a current membership card or discount code). Those include:

• Annie’s Ace Hardware: 5% off one item under $50
• Bike and Roll: $10 off bike rentals and/or bike tours
• Bike Escapades: $150 off bike touring trips (plus $150 donated to WABA)
• Brighter Days Collective Dog Walking & Pet Sitting: Get the cost of your WABA membership taken off your dog-walking or pet-sitting bill
• Car2Go: Free Car2Go membership, plus 30 minutes of free drive time. Contact membership@waba.org for discount code
• Czech Active Tours: $50 off bike rentals
• Embody Pure Fitness: 15% off personal training packages, plus a free fitness evaluation
• Flow Yoga: 15% discount on all yoga classes
• Gottaswing: 20% off beginner dance classes at D.C. locations (for first-time students)
• Lunar Massage: Free membership to Lunar Massage
• Rentabikenow.com: Save $5 on a bike reservation. Contact membership@waba.org for discount code.
• Results Gym: Discounted gym enrollment
• Tranquil Space: Receive unlimited 15% discount on 1-,6-, or 10-class yoga passes
• YMCA: Reduced enrollment and 10% off monthly dues at D.C., MD, and VA locations. Discount does not apply at the new 14th & W NW location
• Zipcar: Half off first year annual fee ($30). Contact membership@waba.org for discount code.

Are you a business interested in offering a benefit to WABA members? Contact our Membership Coordinator Megan Van de Mark at membership@waba.org or call 202.518.0524 x203.

Saturday’s Idea Exchange was the beginning of DDOT’s MoveDC project, a long-term planning process that will determine the future of transportation in D.C. for at least the next 25 years. The event combined public input, appearances by D.C. politicians, and a panel of local urbanist thinkers.

Mayor Vince Gray was vocal in his desires for reduced use of cars in the District, stating that he wished to see 75 percent of trips to be made by bike, mass transit, or on foot. Tommy Wells and Mary Cheh reiterated this commitment to non-car transit modes; Wells especially emphasized the need for better land-use planning in D.C. And in a panel moderated by MoveDC’s Veronica Davis, Brookings Institute’s Chris Leinberger, PolicyLink’s Anita Hairston, and Slate’s Matt Yglesias provided insight to what D.C.’s built environment might look like in the future.

The WeMove team put considerable effort into making the Idea Exchange a fun way to spend a Saturday: Attendees had the opportunity to write down their desires for transportation in D.C. and pin them up, play with street designs, map their commutes on a communal map, and take photobooth pictures to remember the whole thing. Check out the hashtag feed of “ideasmovedc” for Twitter updates from the day, and read Greater Greater Washington’s recap.

No dates for forthcoming public meetings were announced, but once they’re available, we’ll let you know. It’s critical that you stay engaged throughout MoveDC’s planning process. Your presence at public meetings is the single most important way to ensure that the voices of cyclists in D.C. are heard.

Follow MoveDC on Twitter and Facebook, and continue to check its website for updates. See more photos from the event in the MoveDC Flickr pool.

 Photo by thisisbossi from the MoveDC Flickr Pool

The L Street protected bike lane has been open for a few months now. But its unique design–on the left side of L Street’s car lanes—is still causing confusion. And some drivers continue to disregard the lane’s numerous “no parking” signs.

D.C. bike ambassadors have teamed up with the city’s traffic control officers to educate drivers and cyclists the proper use of L Street’s facilities. Next Tuesday, we will be out on L Street, raising awareness about safety and enforcement issues related to the bike lane.

The L Street protected bike lane is a mile long and runs from New Hampshire Avenue to 12th Street NW. It’s a different design from other dedicated bike lanes in the city, so WABA and the D.C. bike ambassadors are making an effort to educate drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians on how to use the new facility safely and lawfully.

The Bike Ambassador program is a group of bike-loving volunteers who are dedicated to educating and encouraging people of the district to get on bikes. To learn more about the Bike Ambassador Program and volunteer outreach opportunities like this one, sign-up for a new bike ambassador orientation.

For questions, please contact the Bike Ambassador Program Coordinator, Megan McCarty, by email (megan.mccarty@waba.org) or by phone (202.518.0524 ext. 200).

Last month, we—and many others—expressed concerns about DDOT’s plans for the South Capitol Bridge after the agency released a video rendering of the project. In response to our concerns, the DDOT Anacostia Watershed Initiative team asked to meet to go over some of the details that were not included in the rendering and to hear our concerns. The team’s message was clear: Designs are still in the early stage and can be improved.

Last night, at a joint meeting of the Bicycle Advisory Council and Pedestrian Advisory Council (with Councilmember and Transportation Committee Chair Mary Cheh in attendance), DDOT’s bike/ped team and the project’s consultants, from CH2M Hill, presented and sought feedback on their lastest ideas, many of which have been developed or improved since WABA met with DDOT on this project in January.

Most notable, given the project’s scale, is the changed alignment of the bridge from the version included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. That alignment was offset from the current bridge to allow space for the current bridge to open during construction in order to allow tall ships. But the lack of any actual tall ship traffic in recent years means there’s really no need for the bridge to open during construction. So the alignment currently under consideration is parallel to the existing bridge on the downstream side. While this alignment change has little impact on bicyclists on the bridge itself, it does allow for an altered configuration to existing roadways and changes connections, especially on the bridge’s eastern end.

Unfortunately, the connections at each end are similar to what we have seen before: They appear to provide space for monuments rather than to efficiently move urban traffic. There are still large ovals surrounded by more lanes than are probably necessary, even for the anticipated traffic volumes. However, the connections to the ovals have been reimagined, and DDOT has indicated that some sort of bicyclist and pedestrian facilities and connections will be included in the ovals.

We don’t believe that these ovals are the best options, but DDOT seems unwilling to undertake changes that would require a new EIS–especially given that the federal planning and aesthetic interests that pushed the ovals would be present in a repeat process. (The already-completed FEIS is not yet finalized, but should be soon.)

The DDOT team has made great strides with bike facilities and connectivity since our meeting in January. On the bridge, DDOT is planning 16-foot bike/ped pathways on both sides, with horizontal separation of markings or signage to show that one portion is primarily for pedestrians and one is primarily for bicyclists. There is not a change of elevation from the walking portion to the biking portion, allowing for flexible space to handle peak traffic of either bike or pedestrian during busy periods, like  ballpark events or morning commutes.

Most importantly, that 16-foot bike/ped pathway will be present around the western oval, with eight feet marked for bicycle use. This commitment from DDOT to ensuring safe space for bicyclists to get around the oval is a significant step, and we look forward to seeing detailed designs and better understanding the signal interactions that will allow cyclists to safely reach either side of the bridge and all connections to the oval.And for those who would prefer to avoid the oval, the new configuration leaves a relatively easy connection along Half Street SW to the bridge.

We’re awaiting further clarification that the connections on the east side of the Anacostia will have similar upgrades, and we look forward to seeing these broad ideas for bicycle safety and access fully designed. In the meantime, we want to commend DDOT for progressing on issues of bicycle connectivity and design in a relatively short time. What we were shown last night, while not perfect, is far better for bicyclists.

See a PDF of the slideshow from last night’s meeting below:

South Capital Street Corridor Project by

It feels like we’ve been talking about our Women & Bicycles program forever. We’re preparing to finally, finally launch it officially in March—and we’ve got a lot to do before then. We sent out the first Women & Bicycles Bulletin to those who signed up for our email list today, and we’re reposting the information here. If you’d like to receive these updates (they’re bi-weekly notices about what’s going on in the program) in your inbox, sign up here if you haven’t already. Otherwise, read on!

A brief review of the Women & Bicycles philosophy: This program is designed to create opportunities for helpful exchanges between two different groups, women who already bicycle and women who are interested in bicycling. To do this, we’re sponsoring a season of workshops, rides, and meetups, all of which will encourage skillsharing. This type of community-based guidance has worked for ages, but it’s a new approach to getting more people on bicycles; WABA’s program is the first of its kind in the country.

Here’s some news and ways you can get involved:

Become a Roll Model
We are looking for 10 women to serve as the program’s bicycling mentors, known as Roll Models. For more information on the role of Roll Models, expectations, time commitments, and the many benefits of getting involved, click here to visit our Roll Model Application. Take a look, pass it along, and apply! (Please submit by Friday, Feb. 22nd.)

Our Logo
We released our logo a few weeks ago. Some people love it, some don’t heart the hearts, and some have questioned the utility of the logo-bike’s wheels. We appreciate the feedback! Women & Bicycles is intended to initiate a regional discussion about perceptions of gender and bicycling. We’re keeping the logo: It originated from a doodle that program coordinator Nelle has drawn on notebooks, dry-erase boards, and thank-you notes since she started biking.

Interact With Us
We’ve set up a Facebook page that we hope will become a consistent resource for all women who bike. It will serve as a place to ask questions, post ideas, upcoming events, new discoveries, and share general bicycling cheer. Click here to join. It’s a private group, but we encourage you to invite your friends.

And we’re on Instagram! Check us out, follow our account (“womenandbicycles”), and tag your women-and-bikey photos with #womenbikeDC. Your photos will be posted directly to our website to show the program in action.

Women & Bicycles Launch Party, Presented by the League of American Bicyclists
We’re throwing a party with Women Bike, the League of American Bicyclists’ National women’s outreach program. It’s also the kick-off to the second annual National Women’s Cycling Forum, part of the National Bike Summit. Join us for drinks, hear updates on the program, learn about what the League’s doing, and interact with women from all across the U.S. who bike for transportation. Click here to learn more and register for the Launch Party.

Register for the National Women’s Bicycling Forum
The day after the launch party is the National Women’s Bicycling Forum, the opening event of the National Bike Summit. The Forum hosts groups and individuals who work throughout the country to get more women on bikes. Check out the program and you’ll notice there are many D.C.-area bike advocacy stars in the line-up. Click here to learn more and register for the Women’s Bicycling forum.

We hope to see you online and in real life soon!

With the start of a new year, many of us make fitness-related resolutions. Whether we hope to lose weight, eat better, or simply feel better in our bodies, the beginning of the year is a great time to start a new fitness routine. However, the chillier temperatures can sometimes dissuade us from wanting to hop on our bikes to achieve those goals. Luckily for members, some of WABA’s discount partners offer indoor exercise opportunities.

As a WABA member, you receive discounts at Results Gym, Embody Pure Fitness, and the YMCA.

• Results Gym offers discounted enrollment at its Capitol Hill and downtown locations. It provides personal training, nutrition services, rock climbing, hydroworx training pool, cardio theater, a variety of classes (yoga, cycling, abs, karate, dance, etc.), massage, squash and basketball courts, and more.
• Embody Pure Fitness, located in Adams Morgan, offers a 15 percent discount on any personal trainer package. It specializes in boot camp workouts, kettlebells, TRX, nutrition, and rehabilitation services.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, at its D.C., Maryland, and Virginia locations, offers reduced enrollment and 10% off monthly dues. It offers aquatics, youth and adults sports, fitness, yoga, dance, childcare, and more. This discount does not apply at the new 14th & W NW location in D.C.

Spend more time improving your health, but save money while doing so.

Now that’s a member benefit!

Recently, we introduced the businesses that helped WABA launch our Business Membership program. Today, we welcome our newest business members! Here’s a little bit about what they have to offer and what they do to encourage cycling.

Capitol Hill Bikes is a full-service, women-owned bike shop in Capitol Hill. Since 2000, it has been working to provide a warm, welcoming environment for cyclists of all ages and skill levels to shop, learn, and experience the joy of cycling. Committed to educating cyclists, Capitol Hill Bikes offers fix-a-flat classes on the first and third Saturday of the month.

Qualia Coffee is a D.C. coffee shop and home of Fresh Off the Roast, a small-batch coffee roasting company. Qualia is bike-friendly: In 2011, it worked with WABA and DDOT to get bike racks installed out front of its Georgia Avenue location, ensuring that bicycle parking was available for their customers. Qualia also provided the initial home and incubation space for The Bike House, a community-based bike cooperative.

The Strong Law Firm is a Falls Church-based law firm that specializes in mortgage, traffic, personal injury, and bankruptcy clients. It is dedicated to defending the rights of all road users, including bike riders and pedestrians who are often given the short end of the legal stick.

A big welcome and thanks to our newest business members! If you’re interested in becoming a business member, learn more about the program here.

Last week we announced WABA’s new Business Membership program, and mentioned the first five businesses to get involved. Today, let us give you a more in-depth look at what the businesses that have joined up with us have to offer.

VeloCity Bicycle Cooperative is a non-profit, volunteer-run, do-it-yourself bicycle workshop in Alexandria. It offers trainings, rides, and events to empower and educate area bicyclists through building, maintaining, and embracing the fun of riding a bike. VeloCity actively sought us out for a business membership and quickly became our first member.

Bike and Roll is a bike rental, repair, and touring company with locations in D.C. and Alexandria. It provides hourly and full-day bike rentals, guided bike tours, and bicycle repair and maintenance. A long time supporter of WABA, Bike and Roll has frequently donated its bikes for use at WABA events and classes.

Ecoprint is an environmentally responsible printing company in Silver Spring that uses a 100 percent carbon-neutral printing processes—Ecoprint was “eco” before it was cool. The company has printed WABA’s newsletter and direct mailings for many years and has helped us raise awareness of bicycling issues in an environmentally friendly manner.

KGP Design Studios, LLC is a design firm providing architecture, urban design, and transit planning services. It has been a leader in the livable cities movement, designing premier bicycle facilities including the Union Station Bicycle Transit Center (which is operated by Bike and Roll).

The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company that provides financial solutions for all kinds of investors. Committed to cultivating bicycling as a viable transportation option for its staff, The Motley Fool brought in WABA for an employee-based bike commuter seminar in 2011.

A big welcome and thanks to our business members for making our business membership program successful! If you’re interested in becoming a business member, learn more about the program here.

“Membership with Benefits” is a blog series in which we highlight a different WABA member benefit each month. Last month we featured Lunar Massage, a D.C.-based massage studio. This month we’re featuring Tranquil Space and Flow Yoga, two Washington-area yoga studios.

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, are you feeling stressed? Did you resolve to be healthier in 2013? Have the marginally chillier temperatures left you craving an indoor exercise outlet? Time on the yoga mat is a great way to reduce stress, get healthy, and move your body. And a WABA membership can help you stretch out at a discount!

As a WABA member, you receive discounts on classes at two area yoga studios. Flow Yoga, on P Street NW near Whole Foods, offers 15 percent off all yoga classes in their eco-friendly studio. Tranquil Space, with locations in D.C. and Arlington, offers 15 percent off one-, six-, and ten-class yoga passes.

Spend more time improving your downward-facing dog, but don’t spend a lot of money to do so. Let us help you get back in the flow of things and find your tranquil space.

The final span of the bridge on the east side of the Anacostia River as construction has stopped.

In April 2012, Mayor Gray cut the ribbon for the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail bridge on the river’s west side. This was the first of two riverwalk trail bridges planned to pass over the CSX tracks. The second bridge, on the east side of the river, should have been completed this past July. But in January 2013, we still don’t have a finished bridge.

According to the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, the contractor for the project struck an underground object and needs to move or redesign the final few supporting structures. The project is stalled while DDOT and the contractor hash out who pays for the changes. The AWI team says a completed bridge is months away, if not longer.

Completing this bridge will link the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail from the Frederick Douglas Bridge to Benning Road. In 2014, when the Kenilworth Garden trail section is complete, the Riverwalk Trail will link D.C. to Maryland’s Anacostia Tributary Trail System, which is over 50 miles.

We hope DDOT will find a solution soon to complete the bridge.