Ten for Tuesday - I'd rather get a lower price than free stuff.

1. The 11th Street Bridge EIS is still in it's public comment period. About 20 feet will be set aside for bikes/peds. Right now there's about 6 feet on the southbound side and 4 on the northbound (the north side involves carrying your bike up/down stairs). The new bridge plans include either a 14 ft northbound - 6 ft southbound mix or a 12ft/8ft mix. It seems that capacity increases immensely at 12 feet and drops at 10 feet. So why not add 2 feet for a 12ft/10ft mix?

2. This Wednesday

the Transportation and the Environment Committee of the Montgomery County Council will review the recommendations and give design guidance to the Department of Public Works and Transportation on their preferred option [for the Met Branch Trail].

WABA wants you to support Option 1.

3. The Marvin Gaye Park Trail groundbreaking is this Saturday.

Kick-off Parade: 10:30 am

Beginning at Watts Branch Recreation Center

6201 Banks St., NE

 

Groundbreaking Ceremony: 12:00 noon

Heritage Green

(Corner of Division Ave. NE and Foote St. NE)

 

For more information, please call Washington Parks and People at (202) 462-7275.

4. The 2006 Itz fair is this Thursday.

Zipcar, North America’s largest Carsharing company is bringing together public and private transportation organizations from around Metro Washington D.C. for the second annual ITZ! Innovation In Transportation Fair on June 22nd from 3-8 PM on 8th St. between D and E Streets, NW. From the GM Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle to GEM electric cars to displays from local transportation leaders, the event will provide local businesses and residents with a fun and exciting opportunity to learn more about cost-effective, viable transportation alternatives, and experience first-hand the newest and most innovative ways to get around.

• Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) and Capitol Hill Bikes will have bikes at the event to promote bicycling as an alternative way to get around town.

5. Bush went on a bike ride with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

"He's very fast," Anders Fogh Rasmussen observed afterward. "I consider myself a skilled mountain biker, but it was challenging."

And it was covered here too.

6. Bicycling magazine's website gets an upgrade, including a new Mountain Bike section.

7. Former Virginia Lt. Governor Don Beyer - now a car dealer - is offering a free bike, free dogwood tree and 2 tickets to "An Inconvenient Truth" to anyone who buys a new car.

"Simply a car, a tree and a bike don't add up to zero . . . but at least it's moving in the right direction," Beyer said.

Of course the deal is good on an SUV too and not everyone is impressed.

Christopher C. Horner, senior fellow and counsel to the Cooler Heads Coalition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says: "If only we all drove Volvos, apparently. Somehow, I don't think Don Beyer has seen the movie."

8. Britain is in the middle of a cycling boom.

The growth has been led by London, where the July 7 bomb attacks generated a 20 per cent increase in cycling as commuters abandoned the Tube.

That "spike" has turned out to be a temporary blip, with most returning to public transport. But it has been replaced by a steady growth after investment in cycling increased from £5.5m in 2000 to £24m in 2006-07. The projected budget for 2009-2010 is £30m, by which time there will be 560 miles of dedicated cycle paths across the capital, compared to 310 miles currently.

9. The Lincoln Memorial traffic project that has created so many detours for cyclists is almost complete.

Once $5 million in improvements to the grounds are complete, park service officials say, it will be easier for people to get to the memorial on foot or by bicycle or bus.

10. Yoram Kaufman's obituary ran in the Post recently

He was seriously injured May 26 when he was struck by an automobile while riding his bicycle near the Goddard center's campus in Greenbelt. He died one day before his 58th birthday.

The American Meteorological Society selected Dr. Kaufman to receive its prestigious Verner E. Suomi Award for achievement in atmospheric sciences days before his fatal accident. He did not learn of the award before his death.

DC Starts Using Safe Routes Money

DC received $5 million to start enacting the Safe Routes to School program over the next five years. This federal program was one of the biggest national advocacy wins for the Bikes Belong Coalition last year. It was a response to, among other things, the falling number of children who bike or walk to school.  In addition to health, environmental and quality of life issues, there doesn't seem to be any indication that it's safer. On RPUS, Richard Laymen points to, in a post entitled "Kids Are Made for Driving Around," a study showing that more children die as automobile passengers than as bicyclist or pedestrians (though these numbers don't take into account accidents per mile traveled which would be more useful).

DC is focusing its attention on middle school children. Elementary schools are so close that walking makes more sense. High Schools are farther away, plus kids at that age are more image conscious and eager to drive. So far they've been focusing on two projects; Bicycle & Pedestrian safety - which I believe they've contracted with WABA to provide, and bicycle parking. Last word I had they had added parking to the following schools.

1) Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School, 659 G St NE, 3 racks installed on 2/15/06

2)Brent Elementary School, 330 3rd St SE, 3 racks installed on 2/15/06

3)Capital City Public Charter School (Pre-K thru 8), 3047 15th St NW, 2 racks installed on 7/21/05

4)Watkins School (Elementary), 420 12th St SE, 2 racks installed on 9/22/05

5) Peabody Early Childhood Center (Pre-K thru K), 425 C St NE, 3 racks installed on 9/22/05

6) Stuart Hobson Middle School, 410 E St NE, 5 racks installed on 9/22/05

7) Public Schools Department, 825 North Capitol St, 2 racks installed in 2002

8) Takoma Children's School (Pre-K), 6925 Willow St NW, 2 racks installed in 2003

9) F.S. Key Elementary School, 5001 Dana Pl, NW, 4 racks installed in 2003

Total racks installed = 26

They've chosen schools from each ward to focus on and have the advantage of not having to compete with other cities (like Maryland and Virginia communities do) for funding. This reminds me of a story someone told me once. They rode their bike to a PTA meeting at a local school and had to lock their bike to a fence. When they came out after the meeting a school board member was there unlocking their bike from the same fence. They asked the school board member "why do we have to lock our bikes to this fence" and the school board member said, matter-of-factly, "well, there are no bike racks." to which he said, "exactly."  It looks like, at least that's changing.

They should start working now to celebrate International Bike and Walk to School day - like Bike to Work day - this year (October 4th, 2006), if only at the schools in the pilot program.

Baltimore Bike Plan

Baltimore recently completed its first bike plan in 20 years.

The plan, if approved, will allocate $3.5 million over the next three years as part of the introductory phase of the long-term project, and connect 150 miles of city streets, bike lanes, paths, trails and assigned routes.

The Examiner is all for it and challenged employers to subsidize bike commuters.

Some employers already subsidize employee transportation. Why don’t downtown employers help employees kick the car habit by purchasing bike racks and seeking company discounts for bikes?

I'm sure there will be some employers who, because of dedicated leadership or an eye toward their image, will do something like this, like Discovery Communication does; but the bulk of employers are going to need some encouragement from the government - like taxing parking spaces - to make that kind of change. That's my opinion at least.

DC has a bike plan they finished in April of 2005. Unfortunately, they're already behind their goals. For example

Goal by the end of 2005                   Reality (as of 9/7/05)

50 miles of bike route signs          10 miles

20 miles of bike lane                    17 miles

Met Branch trail 50% complete     Design/build contract not yet started

Anacostia Trail Design complete    50% complete

500 racks in place                              305 racks

Street Smart program                        Ran in June 2005 and again right now

Some of the other goals are a little harder to define. I learned last week (as part of my training) that a study was done of over 800 Pentagon projects. Any project behind schedule 15% of the way in would always finish behind schedule at the end. DC is 10% of the way in and I'm not sure they can catch up.

You're Next Chicago!

I just got this press release today. I don't know if it's officially out yet (I've trimmed it back a little to make it less like an ad).

Canton, MA  June 14, 2006 - Kryptonite today announced the return of its popular Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft.

Kryptonite uses its own proprietary data to create the Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft. This is the eighth time the company has published the list, which is compiled by theft data that Kryptonite has accumulated over three decades.

With the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report (2004) showing a property crime every 3.1 seconds, Kryptonite warns cyclists everywhere to always lock their bicycle when not in use especially in the following areas:

Kryptonite's Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft

1.  New York, NY             
2.  San Francisco, CA               
3.  Chicago, IL               
4.  Washington, DC                  
5.  Boston, MA
6.  Eugene, OR
7.  Philadelphia, PA
8.  Oakland, CA
9.  Seattle, WA            
10.  Miami, FL

"The summer of 2006 has the potential to have a record number of bicycle thefts due to even more people riding their bicycles in an effort to combat rising gas prices," continued Clifford. 

A sample of proper lock up tips from Kryptonite include:

always lock your bike, especially when at home
two types of locks used at the same time are better than one
lock to a fixed, immovable object; one that can not be easily cut, broken or removed
lock in a visible, well-lit area
lock in a location where there are other bikes (editor: especially bikes that are more expensive than yours)

Kryptonite's entire list of proper lock-up tips are located on its website at www.kryptonitelock.com in the product section.

Kryptonite also supports over 100 grassroots events and initiatives each
year, including in the cities on this list.  Just a few examples of these
are:  Bay Area Bike to Work Day, Bike to Work DC, Bike to Work New England,
Blue Hills Mountain Bike Day, Moonlight Classic, North America Cycle
Courier Championships, ROAR!  Ride on for Autism Research and Trips for
Kids.

Things, I'm sad to say are getting worse here in DC. Here's the 2002 list:

1.  New York, NY      
2.  Chicago, IL      
3.  Miami, FL         
4. San Francisco 
5.  Washington, DC
6.  Boston, MA
7.  Austin, TX
8.  Philadelphia
9.  Minneapolis      
10.  Honolulu, HI

And in '99 DC was only 6th

1. New York
2. Phoenix
3. San Francisco
4. Chicago
5. Philadelphia
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Boston
8. Austin
9. Portland
10. Miami

In a way this can viewed as a victory I suppose. As the DC area becomes more bicycle friendly and more people ride, there are more bikes to sell and a larger market for stolen bikes. Still, I had a bike stolen last September and it didn't feel like a victory.

One idea I want to shamelessly steal from BikePortland is a stolen bike listings. I have a lot of other projects to finish first (like the bike map and an integrated cycling calendar) but it's on the list.

The police were little help when my bike was stolen, and so I recommend registering your bike on the National Bike Registry. It's pretty cheap, especially if you own multiple bikes. Legally you're required to register your bike with DC (though this is something the BAC is working to change), but I haven't done that.

Ten for Tuesday - Who's counting

1. Operation Lifesaver has good advice for cyclists:

In the wake of the controversy surrounding bicyclists who cycled around railroad crossing gates to cross in front of a train during the Paris- Roubaix cycling race, Operation Lifesaver (OL), urges bicyclists to ride safely when at railroad crossings or near train tracks

-- Bicycle wheels can get caught in rails. To minimize catching wheels in the rails, always try to cross at a 90 degree angle to the tracks, and if your approach is at less than a 45 degree angle, dismount and walk your bike across.

-- You should not rely on your own senses to second-guess warning signals. It is a misconception to believe track vibration or train noise will warn of a train's approach. And beware -- one train may have passed but another could be behind it, or coming from the opposite direction on the next track.

-- You can't accurately gauge the speed of a moving train. An optical illusion makes trains appear to be farther away and slower-moving than they are.

-- Trains are wider than their tracks. To ensure safety and to ensure that you are not struck by anything hanging from the train (or dragged by anything hanging from you), keep yourself and your bike at least 15 feet from the tracks and behind any gates or "stop lines" marked on the pavement.

-- It is not only dangerous, it is illegal in the United States to go around railroad crossing arms, whether on foot, in a car, or on a bicycle. It is also dangerous and illegal to bicycle on railroad tracks and on most gravel or green space beside railroad tracks.

2. Great letter about Metro Parking, but I really do believe this is going to get better.

I had navigated rush-hour traffic and reached the Vienna Metro station at 8 a.m., confident that I'd find parking. Not so: In the small space allotted, every spot was taken. The parking facility provided was old, and apparently some people had abandoned their vehicles. I parked in an unapproved, probably illegal spot and hoped for the best.

The twist? I'm describing the rusty bicycle racks on the south side of the Vienna station.

BTW, if you ever see a group of 4ft x 7ft x 3ft boxes near a metro entrance, those are bike lockers and you can rent them for $70 a year, as available.

3. Chain Reaction Bike Shop reopened June 1st at their new location at 1416 North Capitol Street NW (between O and P). They're asking for volunteers to complete work on the new shop.

4. The President goes biking with his new ambassador to Sweden, who promptly broke his collarbone. Boy, that has got to look bad in front of your boss.

5. Here's a disturbingly effective German ad for wearing your bicycle helmet. "Be careful when transporting fragile goods."

6. This sounds crazy, but few things can make one insane with rage like having a bike stolen (or the more perplexing front wheel theft). It's enough to turn anyone into a vigilante.

Chevy Chase resident Evan McAnney ran across an article about a man who installed a tiny radio transmitter into a bicycle and then, with the help of police, left it unattended and unlocked in order to entice a thief.

It sounded like a worthy strategy to McAnney, who's had five bicycles stolen in three years of living in the District. “I will never be able to afford a car. A bike is my only personal means of transport, and an important element in maintaining morale,”

7. The Gazette covered the Ride of Silence in Frederick.

According to the Frederick Police Department 2005 Accident Analysis, Frederick city saw 13 bicycle accidents last year.  In 10 of the 13 accidents, the bicyclists were at fault for not following traffic signs and signals, said Lt. Kevin Grubb.

8. Taipei, Amsterdam of the east?

Taiwan is planning to construct 2,600km of bicycle lanes by 2011 to help promote the use of bicycles rather than motor vehicles.

9. B.I.K.E at Silverdocs Saturday Night at 10:15. Who wants to go and report on it? I'll be out of town.

The New York City chapter of Black Label Bicycle Club is a surly but lovable crew of punks, artists and activists. Fighting capitalism, dumpster-diving, sitting drunkenly atop six-foot bicycles with big sticks-these are high-intensity guys (and occasionally gals) that drink hard and playfully joust each other and rival gangs, but still hug and cook each other vegan food.

10. Oh no he didn't!

Mark Rabinowitz notes many environmental groups were fooled into focusing on proposed bike paths to accompany these highways while ignoring the majority of the funding was going for the roads. A Washington, D.C.-area bicycle group, for example, is urging its members to demand inclusion of a bicycle path with the $3 billion Inter County Connector superhighway in Maryland. This flies in the face of other environmental groups there who have spent years fighting this highly destructive project.

Them's fighting words. I'd like to point out that WABA is technically not an environmental group (though biking has environmental benefits) and that trying to stop a project that is unstoppable is not always the best policy. Sometimes you have to take what you can get. There's nothing wrong with saying, "You shouldn't build this, but if you do, you should do it right."

11. There's a WABA gear swap this Saturday, so stop by before going to the film festival (Seriously, if you go, I'll post your review of the movie).

9am-2pm, Parking lot behind the Bicycle Place at 8313 Grubb Road in Silver Spring, MD. Have breakfast, coffee or lunch at Parkway Delicatessen or Red Dog Café and talk shop with some of the most knowledgeable cyclists in the Washington region.

12. Baltimore almost ready to formally present its Eastern Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan.

The Planning Department hopes to formally present its 68-page proposal to the Baltimore County Council in the fall for a vote, making the document officially part of the county’s master plan for development. The plan addresses hundreds of specific problems, large and small, that community activists and the Planning Department have identified as hindrances to increasing pedestrian and bicycle activity.

13. Finally, DCist followed around a bike messenger all day.

I soon begin to marvel at the subtle efficiency employed by Ian and other messengers. Locks, phones, and radios are all attached to a shoulder strap for easy access while playing in traffic. Keys are worn around the wrist, identification badges are clipped in visible holsters -- nearly everything has a specific place. I begin to wonder how much of an idiot I look like, fumbling around in my shoulder bag for my keys and ID. I finally resolve to keep my lock on my belt instead of in my bag

New Section of Bethesda Trolley Trail Complete

No, the title doesn't refer to the new Wilson bridge, but rather the latest piece of the North Bethesda Trail (NBT). While I was gone last week (yes, work dropped some serious coin to send me all the way to northern Bethesda - I'll never get used to the accent) I wound up riding past a new piece of the NBT.  It runs along the old trolley line ROW just east of Fleming Avenue, from Grosvenor Blvd to the Beltway. I didn't have a camera with me, but here's a photo of the same area last fall when it was flagged for construction.
 
Another bit of construction began recently on the Mount Vernon Trail just south of Dangerfield Island. Here the trail is being moved away from a wetland portion and raised up, ostensibly to avoid an area that is often wet. No word on whether or not the new trail portion will be graded so that the center is higher than the edges for good drainage. This (I forget the technical term for it [crowning]) is almost never done on trails (though always on roads) so probably not.

The point of all of this is that I couldn't find anything about either project anywhere. No reporting in the media. No news on the NPS website for the GW Parkway. When I started this blog I asked the bike coordinators of DC, MoCo, PG County, Alexandria and Arlington to put me on their regular mailing lists. I get occasional emails from Jim Sebastian at DDOT. That's it. I get regular, unsolicited letters from Eleanor Holmes Norton where her office tells me all about the things she's doing to make my life awesome.  Sometimes bureaucrats need to behave more like politicians.  How hard is it to get a small periodic update together and send it out? Certainly easier than updating a website (which is also rarely done). What I'm talking about is open government and asking bureaucrats to promote themselves and the work they've done.

I do get emails (again unsolicited but welcome) from Alexa Viets with NPS's National Capitol Region Office for example one that told me that starting today NPS will begin to add a cofferdam at Outlet Bridge.

Pedestrian and bicycle access will be detoured to the northbound sidewalk of East Basin Drive during this brief closure. The planned completion date for all work is November 2007

How hard is that?

Inverted U's needed

At one bike to work day a few years ago I remember DDOT had a survey form that it asked participants to fill out. One of the questions asked where bicycle parking was needed. I remember thinking that it would be easy enough to walk or ride around town and find places where numerous bicycles were locked to street signs and parking meters. Those were places where bicycle parking is needed. I saw one such place recently and took a photo (outside of the World Bank). Also here's a similar photo on RPUS

The next photo is from the Mall during the Darfur rally. I've also suggested that the Park Service needs massive amounts of moveable, temporary bike parking that it can locate and relocate for rallies, functions, Screen on the Green etc...The valet parking for the Cherry Blossum Festival was nice, but can't be sustained all summer. Perhaps providing adequate parking could be required of permit seekers.

This Berlin site shows some innovative parking structures that use advertising, on street bike parking and "Bike Huts."

In other parking news, I can't wait for metro parking to improve. I parked my bike at Grosvenor today - what a mess (Especially compared to something like this). It was hard to find space and several of the metro racks were broken.