Ten for Tuesday - Bad News first

1. This is awkward. So remember when I said that DC's portion of the Met Branch was under construction? And remember how I had photos and everything? It turns out I was wrong. It seems there's still some legal wrangling over land swaps and property rights - and from what I hear there is no real end in sight. I think DDOT is hoping to finish the next section in spring of 2007.

2. The CCT may need to be closed for a while. I mentioned that there was some damage on the CCT from where water, flowing down the streets in the Palisades neighborhood, overwhelms the drainage going under the trail and so instead flows over it and erodes the rail bed. (see poorly taken photos). Well, the National Park Service said that even if DC came up with the money ($140K), which they probably can, they may not have the manpower to manage the project. If they did, they might have to close a section of the trail between the "secret" Norton Street access and the Arizona Ave Bridge, for as long as 6 months (Though it's possible a temporary detour could be put in place). The trail needs to be repaired in two places and could wash away in as little as 3 years under normal weather - sooner with a hurricane. If they do do the work, they might build a staircase down to chain bridge too.

3. Sierra Club activist reviews the Montgomery County "in the 21st" century plan.

The urbanized centers would benefit not just their inhabitants, but also the people who live in the traditional suburban neighborhoods around them. We would be able to access many of our needs by foot or bicycle. More of us would have access to good public transport. Children could walk to school again!

4. Patuxent River Rural Legacy Ride on June 10th

5. The CSC Clarendon Bike Race is June 3rd.

The CSC Invitational, the region's premier professional bike race, is in its 9th year. This exciting event offers race fans a great opportunity to see the world's best cyclists compete on a very spectator friendly course 1 km in length, located at the Clarendon Metro stop in Arlington, VA. The 100 lap Men's Pro race begins at noon.

6. If we can celebrate MLK's birthday in April then we can celebrate the opening of the XCT twice.

The trail stitches together a series of existing trails in the 399-square-mile county, allowing bikers, walkers and joggers to traverse Fairfax from the Occoquan River in the south to the Potomac River in the north, crossing the greenways of Difficult Run, Accotink Creek and Pohick Creek. Although some segments of the trail run along busy roads, long stretches of it are in surprisingly secluded stream valleys and woods. Despite the heavy development of recent decades, Fairfax still has 23,000 acres of parkland.

7. More about Bike Month.

8.The Outside Line writes about biking and upcoming rides.

So I found myself last weekend in western Montgomery County, wending through the back roads around Poolesville, cruising by farms and fields, with no more company than the occasional horse I'd pass in a pasture.

9. Here's a good article in the Gazette about trail biking - something I'd like to do more of.

The Oxon Hill club holds rides twice a week during the summer and once a week during the winter. In fact, there’s only one time of year they truly stop — hunting season.

‘‘Hunters and mountain bikers do not mix,” Howard said.

10. The Georgetown Boathouse Environment Assessment is out. Comment period lasts until June 15th. The boathouse would be build at the southern trailhead of the CCT.

The start of the Capital Crescent Trail, at K Street, will be constricted by a construction and maintenance access road; bikers, hikers, and baby strollers will tangle with heavy equipment.

And from the EA

Along the CCT, visitors would be directly affected by construction of the boathouse because of its proximity to the trail. Once the boathouse is constructed, views from the CCT will be obstructed when biking or walking along the trail adjacent to the new building. While a similar condition exists as the CCT passes the WCC, under Alternatives A,B or C visitors would experience a two story building in an area where they currently experience a natural environment. Further, while visitor use of the trail would continue similar to existing conditions, there would be occasional periods when movement is restricted due to a trailer, or service vehicle, turning into or out of the turnaround area.

Dalecarlia Parkway Trail

One of the numerous projects contained within DC's Bike Plan is the Dalecarlia Parkway Trail (see bike plan map here). This trail would run from Westmoreland Circle (Mass Ave on the DC-Maryland line) to Loughboro Road NW and could serve as a connection between the Friendship Heights Metro and the Capitol Crescent Trail. DDOT has the money to do the trail planning this fiscal year and is looking at where to run the trail.

One question is, "on which side of Dalecarlia Parkway will the trail pass?" Since the eastern side provides a flatter topography and two opportunities to connect to neighborhood streets it seems DDOT is inclined to build on the eastern side (though the western side might be more scenic - this a transportation project, not a parks project).

Originally the plan was that the trail would then travel along Loughboro St. across MacArthur Avenue onto Norton and then down the "Secret Norton Avenue Trail" to the Capitol Crescent Trail; but Sibley Hospital is undergoing a facilities master planning process and is interested in including trail access through their property. Despite it's proximity to MacArthur Avenue and the CCT, few Sibley employees bike to work and they'd like to change that. In addition to getting the trail off the road and integrating the trail into a large area employer, the Sibley alignment also takes advantage of more gentle topography. The only downside is that it may make for a less desirable crossing of MacArthur.

The district has the right to build a sidepath along Norton but probably won't since the street has very little traffic and as for the "Secret Norton Avenue Trail," it will remain unsigned and unimproved. Not because the district hasn't the money or will to improve it, but because local residents don't want anyone to know about it, lest they begin parking in their neighborhood. They should be glad they don't live in Logan Circle.

Millennium Trail Opens May 6th

So we hear about the "Bicycle Beltway" in DC - which really only surrounds the wealthy neighborhoods (How did I get outside the beltway) - but Rockville actually built one.

The Millennium Trail is a 10-foot wide shared use path that follows a 10.8-mile loop around Rockville.  The Trail is within two miles (typical bicycling distance) of all neighborhoods in the City.

Tomorrow there will be a trail dedication and fun run/ride (this link is to a list of Bike Month activities).

Celebrate the completion of Rockville’s 10.6-mile Millennium Trail. Events start at Fallsgrove Clubhouse. Millennium Trail dedication at 10 a.m. Groundbreaking for future Rockville Bike/ Pedestrian Bridge follows at 10:30 a.m. at site near Maryland Route 28. All events FREE

The groundbreaking is for the just approved bike/ped trail over I-270 (the artistic elements and decorative lighting were removed from the plan. The new design also removed one bridge, creating an upgraded, street-level crossing of the two access ramps on the eastside of I-270.) The project should take 18 months. With an election coming up the Ehrlich administration wants to get their props for contributing (It's odd Flanagan should mention the ICC when the bike trail on that project was removed).

The trail looks good and they actually have a trail map already on their website (unlike let's say the Custis, Four Mile Run, Bluemont Junction etc...).

Note: when I first posted this I said the ICC trail had been restored. WTOP's website is goofy so an article from 2005 appeared to be from today. Sorry.

Just as good as bikechecks

Earlier in the week I wrote about the Solving DC Problems contest and that someone had an idea for Bikechecks, that work like metro checks for bikes (based on the number of positive comments, I'm not alone in liking the idea).

When I saw this article about the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, I wondered if it were the same thing

NIH employees also have an option called transhare. In exchange for their parking permits, they receive $105 a month to use for public transportation, and about 33 percent of the staff is expected to participate in the program this summer.

If the system works like this, get a parking permit or get $105 - that's great. If it works like this, get a parking permit or $105 in metro fares - it's only good. The second system would do what my economist friend calls "picking a winner" and it's bad. Why not let people choose how to get to work instead of pushing them onto a crowded metro system (I love metro, but we're using it at near capacity).  The article mentions car poolers, segway users and bike commuters but I don't think they get any money. Does anyone know how the system works?

The parking spaces aren't cheap, according to The High Cost of Free Parking, parking spaces are worth more than the cars parked in them. Why should NIH care how they get emptied, as long as they're empty? In fact if they prefer anything it should be walking and biking since it will keep their health costs down, and promote public health through cleaner air - something I would expect NIH to care about if no one else. My work place has a federal mandate to have 5% of employees get to work by something other than car. Sadly they have never met the mandate. Offering people $105 a month would probably do the trick.

Never mind the bicycles, here come the segways

Segways were supposed to “profoundly affect our environment and the way people live worldwide”, and they haven't quite done that yet; but they are making inroads. If you hang out downtown in the summer you're likely to see a group of helmeted tourists riding them around town. (Would you be surprised to find out it's the same group of tourists every day, just riding around and around?)

The segway was never meant to replace the car.

Instead, Segway is intended to fill the gap between pedestrian travel and car travel; its niche is for those trips that are inconveniently far to walk but annoyingly close to drive.

So, it was meant to compete with the bicycle. And in at least one field, it’s doing so effectively – law enforcement. The University of Maryland Police department purchased six new i180 Police model Segways at just under $5,000 each.

"Police departments all over the state are getting them," said Police Capt. John Brandt. "BWI, Bell Air, Annapolis, Washington D.C., we're just basically going with other police departments and looking into them."

And it’s more than just following the crowd

According to a Segway case study at Duke University, Segways are used for special events because "officers can move around much easier in the congestion than they can in a cruiser or on a bike."

The case study said that a chief benefit of the Segway is that it raises officers off the ground, making them more visible in crowds.

Brandt agreed. He also said Segways are more useful than bike patrol in a dense area.

"[The Segways] are not much bigger or wider than a human standing and the maneuvering is much better than a bike," Brandt said. "An officer can also carry 30 pounds of gear like first aid and CPR kits on a Segway, which makes a big difference at large campus and athletic events."

UMD students are none too pleased if you read the school paper. Such as this

I would hope students would contact Police Chief Ken Krouse and express their dissatisfaction with the decision. Suggest bicycles: They are cheaper, faster, use less energy, can go over more terrain and provide officers with some exercise.

And this one

Less than half the cost of a Segway could have afforded a high-tech ultra-light mountain bike capable of handling stairs and rough terrain. Bicycle technology has made remarkable advances to the point where bikes rarely electrocute a rider while being used in the rain, and a bottle of Gatorade is a much easier and faster way to refuel than parking a Segway for 12 hours atop a battery charger. Even the chunkiest member of the pork patrol can easily overtake most of the Terrapin track team whilst atop a bike, and repair and upkeep are negligible as the university’s own Outdoor Recreation Center houses a repair shop for bicycles.

I think the Police's arguments make sense and that there's room for both bikes and segways in law enforcement. Police officers on bikes didn't get rid of police officers in patrol cars or on horseback, and segways won't spell the end of any of these either.

I will say this, a TV show about Segway equipped police officers ("Gyroscopic Blue") will never be a hit - unless the cops are all female and wear skimpy outfits. 

Ten for Tuesday - Bike Month

1. It's Bike Month. Did you remember to get your spouse a gift? Perhaps a nice bottle of Chamois Butt'r? The offcial Bike Month website is kind of a dud (There's also Bike-to-Work Week from May 15-19 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 19) listing only one event for the whole region - Bike to Work Day - and it's only listed under DC. Maryland and Virginia got nothing. Come on suburbs, get with it.

2. Speaking of BTWD, Prince George's County has completed a rather cool mid-county bike map and will be giving it out free at all rest stops that day.

The map will convey the" Kelly Code Color Standards" of Green Roads for "On-Road-Biking", Brown "Off-Road-Biking", Yellow  "Caution-On-Road Routes" and Red "No Go-Bike Routes".

I do love standards, and it'll be interesting to see if this will take off. I remember when DC made their bike map they decided not to use the Kelly system because they thought it was counter-intuitive. Of course I have a bike map too, but it's still a work in progress.

3. The March to Rebuild Route 1 was held in College Park, seeking support for a project that

features a design that calls for an expansion of Route 1 that would add bike lanes, the construction of a tree-lined median and pedestrian crossings.

Tammy Hnarakis, who is leader of the North College Park Business Association, said in an interview that the association supports funding for pedestrian crossings, but opposes the project because of the impact caused by the addition of bike lanes next to businesses near the Capital Beltway.

Hnarakis displayed stacks of letters — an estimated 2,700, she said — signed by patrons and residents five years ago voicing opposition to the bike lanes. Additionally, Hnarakis said deliveries to some businesses would be impossible if medians were constructed.

“You don’t need to put people out of business and waste taxpayer money to increase pedestrian safety and bike safety,” Hnarakis said.

4. Not official bike month ride #1 - Ride for Rockville, May 28, Rockville, 240-314-8620

http://www.rockvillemd.gov

Take a 10- or 25-mile bike ride through the neighborhoods and parks of Rockville and support bicycle and pedestrian safety programs. 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Fee charged.

5. Not official bike month ride #2 - Bike around Lake Elkhorn, Columbia, 410-715-3103

columbia.archives.@columbiaassociation.com

http://www.columbiaassociation.com

The self-guided, individually paced 15-mile bike tour highlights Columbia's network of paths, beginning at Lake Elkhorn. Sponsored by the Columbia Association, the tour is held every spring. This year's event is May 6. Free.

6. Hyattsville received $50,000 that will be used towards public safety improvements to Hamilton Street and add bike lanes, bus shelters and increase lighting to make the street much safer.

‘‘It’s wonderful,” said Councilwoman Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5.)

‘‘Hamilton Street for so many years has just been a mess. It always had big potholes and needed re-paving and lights. In other words, it needed all the things we’ll be getting.”

The improvements will also mean the end of double parking, which had become a major problem along the street, Frazier said.

7. WABA has free Confident Cycling Classes, so that you can get off the sidewalk.

Confident City Cycling Classes FREE!

Want to use your bike to go where you need to go? Learn to safely share the
road with cars, other bikes, and pedestrians.

Washington Area Bicyclist Association, with the support of the DC
Departments of Transportation and Recreation, presents a choice of six free
classes in 2006 for cyclists 16 and over. Each class will be held for three
hours on a Saturday morning. Topics include:

Rules of the Road: Knowing is half the battle! Did you know that you have to
adhere to the same rules of the road as a car or truck does? Did you know
that you have the same rights that the operator of a car or truck does? Well
its true- you do! Our course offers some great tips and tricks for safely
and legally using our roadways.
Avoiding the Common Causes of Crashes: Believe it or not, most crashes are
avoidable. Learn what to do if a car turns suddenly in front of you, if you
have to stop suddenly, what to do to avoid the dreaded car door and much
more!
Lane Positioning: Do you ever feel like cars are passing you too closely or
running you into the gutter? Learn proper lane positioning to encourage
drivers to pass you at a safe distance. Also learn how to safely cross lanes
of traffic in order to made turns or avoid obstacles in the road.
Improving Pedaling Efficiency: Bicycling shouldn't be backbreaking work! The
bicycle is one of the most efficient inventions of all time- make the most
of it! Learn how to shift gears in anticipation of a hill, achieve a good
cadence, and minimize the wear and tear on your knees.
Useful Accessory Equipment: We all know you need a helmet, but learn some
other helpful and handy equipment to make your ride more enjoyable.
Basic Bike Maintenance and Repair: Everyone who rides a bike should know
some basic repair and maintenance skills. Learn how to change a flat tire
and other emergency repair tips.

WABA asks that cyclists who plan to join the on-road sessions afterwards
bring a bike, helmet, water, and a lock.

REGISTER NOW!  Please provide safetyed@waba.org with your name, email, and
phone number for last-minute contact or call the WABA office at
202-628-2500.

Sat, 5/13, 10am-1pm Sherwood Recreation Center, DC
  10th and G St., NE, DC 20002
Sat, 5/20, 10am-1pm Arlington Central Library, VA
  1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201
Sat, 6/17, 10am-1pm Watts Branch Recreation Center
  6201 Banks St., NE, DC 20019
Sat, 7/15, 10am-1pm Turkey Thicket Recreation Center
  1100 Michigan Ave., NE, DC 20017
Sat, 9/30, 1pm-4pm Chevy Chase Recreation Center
  5601 Connecticut Ave., NW, DC 20015
Sat, 10/14, 10am-1pm Fort Stevens Recreation Center
  1327 Van Buren St., NW, DC 20011

8. Bikes are a great way to deal with rising fuel costs.

9. National Trails Day, which is not part of Bike Month (where would it find room?) is June 3rd and you can ride with

MDOT Secretary of Transportation Robert Flanagan and Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson. State, county and city officials will celebrate the benefits of trails in a program that starts at 9:30 am at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park. After a few speeches, trail users can go on one of several planned bike rides on the Anacostia Trails.

10. George Bush never has to send his bike UPS (see photo).

Bikes - The solution to, and cause of, all of life's problems

Solving DC Problems, a project of DC Appleseed, is offering real prize money ($5000 for first) for the best ideas to solve problems in DC. Entries are due by May 5th so if you have a million dollar idea, well you should keep that to yourself, but if you a five thousand dollar idea, enter it. If your idea involves hitting box blockers with eggs, it's taken. Several ideas involve cycling which I've listed here, some go too far and others are just crazy (though I do like the idea of High School Cycling teams).

1. Funding bike lanes and racks with red light cameras 
2. Transform DC's car culture with bikes
3. Zipbike and again and bike trailers- readers of this site know it's already being worked on
4. Rush Hour Bike License for metro - I don't understand what the license is for, just let bikes on
5. More policing of cyclist - though they want to "get rid of people" I don't think they actually want to deport them
6. Bike thoroughfares and again
7. Bikechecks - my favorite of the bike ideas
8. Highline walkway/bikeway - would be great, if DC had abandoned highlines (NYC broke ground on theirs - pictured - April 10th BTW).
9. Bike Routes - I'm going to disagree with this one, biking in DC is fun.

There are a lot of other good ideas, and, IMO, some terrible ones (parking garage under the mall or a highway under rock creek). If nothing else it gives one a good idea of what their neighbors think is a good idea.