Pedicabs in DC II

So for a minute I thought my prediction that pedicabs would be plying the streets of DC had come true earlier than expected. I was riding last week when I saw one moving up Massachusetts Avenue. Turns out it was just for a promotion at the convention center (I wish I had my camera so I could prove it - though I did find a recent photo of this segway pedicab). The bike and driver were plastered with Vegas ads and the passenger said she was riding for free, so I'm not sure what it was all about, but the driver said that anyone interested in starting a franchise should contact Main Street Pedicabs which has a pretty slick website. It identifies 2 cities in Virginia (Cape Charles and Va. Beach) 2 cities in Maryland (Baltimore and Solomons) and Rehobeth, DE that have Main Street customers.

In addition, the Post ran an article about bicycle rickshaws in Dewey Beach. It seems you can make good money:

Shea Lindale, who snagged a $100 tip, made the most: $495. Masten made a weak $175.

And fringe benefits if you're into such things.

"There are the older chicks who rip your shirt off and beat you with it," said Josh Sharp, 23. "Some have goals to hook up with a bike guy."

I'm putting the over/under for a DC pedicab company at fall of 2008.

Ten for Tuesday - Your obsession with cycling borders on the interesting.

1. I just recently watched this from May 5th because my tivo is a little backed up. Well known bicycle enthusiast Rep. Earl Blumenauer was on the Colbert Report and he placed his bike in the background of the shot. In the photo at the left, Colbert sports a bicycle lapel pin.

2. I can tell from the comments posted here that some of you know your way around Lexus and Westlaw better than me. So when can DC count on a site like this?

3. Mainstream media coverage of the planning board's recommendation on the Met Branch Trail.

‘If it’s only about the money, then you’ve got to fight for the money,” [Commissioner Meredith K. Wellington] said.

4. Bicycling magazine gave out bikes in Baltimore as part of bike town. As a Bike Town alumnus myself (I got a free bike last year in DC) I think it's a great program. I saw two people at BTWD on their bikes from last year.

Courtney Matthews, a Bicycling spokeswoman, said the magazine has kept in touch with past recipients of free two-wheelers and 86 percent respond they are happier three months after they started riding again.

5. The Post had a good run down of Montgomery County bicycling.

Other projects include the Matthew Henson Trail, which would run through Aspen Hill, past Connecticut Avenue and Georgia Avenue, all the way past Layhill Road. The North Bethesda Trolley Trail, which runs along the old trolley tracks between Old Georgetown Road and Rockville Pike, is to be extended north to the Twinbrook Metro stop and south to the National Institutes of Health campus.

6. Another "Gas gets people out of their cars" story.

"People are starting to look for fundamentally different ways to travel," said Bill Wilkinson, executive director of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking in Bethesda, Md. The soaring price of fuel "prompts people to really think about where they live and how they get around."

7. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed Transaction 2030.

On the top of the list are transit projects and pedestrian and bike travel. An estimated $16.6 billion would be needed over the next 25 years to fund the projects.

The plan features more Metrorail stations and light rail or rapid bus service in some high-traffic corridors, including Route 7, Route 28 and Columbia Pike. It also includes about 600 miles of new trails and an 8-percent increase in highway capacity.

8. Bike to Work Day was a success in Baltimore and Washington.

Chapman brought along Terri Broemm, a nursing teacher at Harford Tech who was riding to work for the first time and was nervous about the limited space for cyclists on the shoulders of some commuter routes.

Although some noted that the crowd lacked diversity.

9. For those looking for a bike vacation, a new rail trail opens in West Virginia.

It's called the Cranberry Tri-Rivers Rail-Trail, and Richwood city officials believe the 16.5-mile path will cement their town's growing reputation as a recreation destination.

10. Registration is open for the Indian Head 100 on Saturday, September 10, 2006.

Cycle through scenic and historic Southern Maryland. Relax at a rest stop at the Mattawoman Creek Art Center. See bald eagles and blue herons as you pedal through hundreds of acres of gently rolling forested hills and tidal bottomlands to the panoramic vista of the Potomac River at Riverside. Enjoy a rest stop high above the Port Tobacco River with a spectacular view of the Potomac and Port Tobacco rivers.

The Purple Line Elevator

Though the Dulles line seems to be the big Metro story of late, for this week at least the Purple Line is getting the headlines. On May 9th, the Montgomery County Council voted to spend $5 million to study the addition of a south entrance to the Bethesda Metro Stop.

The Bethesda south entrance will be a bank of elevators going down from the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Elm Street to the back end of the Metro station. The Purple Line (also  known as Bi-County Transitway) will have its Bethesda terminus in the tunnel that goes under Wisconsin Avenue at this intersection.

The Capital Crescent Trail now uses that tunnel, but if the Purple Line is built the tunnel would house both the trail and the Bethesda stop.

The new elevators are expected to cost $50 million and will increase ridership - even if the purple line is never built.

it would help boost Metro ridership from residential areas by 3.2 percent and increase commuter ridership at the station by 7.5 percent, according to a Metro analysis.

The Station Access Demand Analysis considered three options: no build, a two-stop system (metro platform and street level), and a three-stop system (with an additional stop in the tunnel - with access to the CCT).  The CCCT is taking no position on whether or not the elevator should be built, but is taking one on what kind of elevator is built

If the county and WMATA decide to go ahead with the project, [Ernie Brooks, chairman of the Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail] said, the coalition wants a stop at the trail level included.

 

‘‘We strongly recommend that they put the elevator stop in at the trail level,” Brooks said. ‘‘A lot of the traffic, not just car and bike traffic, but people traffic, is based around that intersection of Bethesda and Woodmont avenues. It makes sense to have an entrance there.”

I absolutely agree. It seems the added cost of a third stop is small compared to the benefit. One would have a quick, seamless transition between the trail and metro - unlike anywhere else in the system. Even at New York Avenue - which was built with the Met Branch trail - riders have to go down and into the station and then back up to the platform.

In addition to all of this, there are planned rallies in support of the Purple Line and informational open houses. I'm all for the Purple Line - as long as they keep their promise to enhance and expand the CCT.

When the light rail line is built, the paved trail will extend east from Wisconsin Ave. as far as the Silver Spring Metro station, running alongside the new tracks.  The old  railroad right-of-way is 60 - 100 ft. wide in Chevy Chase, leaving room for two tracks, a trail, and a vegetated buffer between the transportation facilities and adjoining houses.  The extension of the paved trail will replace a shorter interim gravel trail, called the Georgetown Branch Trail, which now goes part way to Silver Spring.  Instead of stopping to walk across busy highways, trail users will cross Connecticut Avenue on a bridge and go under Jones Mill Road through a tunnel.

GW Parkway Bridge Widening

I guess I haven't been on the GW Parkway or the Mt. Vernon trail for a while, because I haven't noticed the construction going on there just north of the airport. Officially the project includes

Bridge widening and deck replacement for GWMP bridge over North Access Ramp to Reagan National Airport. The bridge widening is to provide trail access over the bridge, separated from traffic. Currently, the trail crosses the bridge along the shoulder. Only 4-inch high mountable curb separate pedestrians and traffic. Work will also include painting of steel members and repair to bridge lighting underneath.

Work began Sept. 22 and should be completed by the end of this year.

Neither the trail through the airport nor the connection to Crystal City is supposed to be affected. Perhaps the separated bridge and trail will mean that cyclists won't feel they have to bike on the Parkway.

This past weekend I nearly ran into a bycyclist[sic] who was riding his bike on the GW Parkway. I know the Mt. Vernon trail gets a bit crowded on weekends, but riding your bike on the parkway can't possibly be legal can it?

Dr. Gridlock flubbed the answer, but someone corrected him

From byways.org, website of the National Scenic Byways Program (part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration) re the GW Parkway: "Non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles are prohibited from the roadway."

Addendum: Based on comments on this post, I'm no longer sure that bikes are prohibited from the GW Parkway, and suspect they're allowed. Use your own judgement.

Bike are also prohibited from the interstates, in case you were confused.

Then there's this letter and response from the Examiner.

A few friends and I regularly make weekday exercise runs between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the multiuse Mount Vernon Trail along the Potomac between Rosslyn and National Airport. With the arrival of warmer weather, we are experiencing the return of a recurring problem: unsafe bike riders. I’m not talking about the occasional individual out for a fun riding excursion, but rather the serious, well-equipped riders who use the trails as if they were the only ones there. Many cruise along at excessive or unsafe speeds, fail to announce their passing, and refuse to obey signs that require they dismount and walk through narrow underpasses or across roadways. On more than a few occasions, we have been nearly run over when moving through the narrow pathway under the Memorial Bridge.

Steve Elkridge:

Look, I know that a crash with a 3,000-pound vehicle is more likely to be fatal than one involving a jogger and a bike, but the point is the same: Show some respect for those with whom you share the road (or the trail) and obey the posted rules.

My main issue with this article was the inane title "Do unsafe bike riders pose a danger on the roads?" Of course. As 'unsafe' bike riders, they're dangerous by definition. And the article doesn't deal with bikes on the road, but on a trail. As for the letter itself, people should announce their passing (though on a busy trail it really stinks) and bike safely around pedestrians, but I repeatedly ignore "dismount and walk" signs. Some trail designers are overzealous in their use of these. If a narrow area is crowded, I'll do it. But if no one else is coming the other way, I just bike through slowly. And I almost never do it to cross a street. A better question is "Can you disobey "dismount and walk" signs and still be a safe bike rider?"

The Bicycle Commuters Benefit Act of 2006

Another one of the speakers at Bike to Work Day was Oregon Senator Ron Wyden. He, along with Senator Cantwell of Washington and Maine's two Senators - Snowe and Collins, introduced the Bicycle Commuters Benefit Act of 2006. This is the Senate version of the bill; Rep. Earl Blumenauer, also of Oregon introduced the House version. The bill extends the transportation fringe benefit available to those who take mass transit to bicycle commuters. I wish I'd listened to Senator Wyden on BTWD but I got distracted. But I hope the speech sounded a lot like his Statement of Introduction for the bill:

According to recent Census reports, more than 500,000 people throughout the United States commute to work by bicycle. Yet, they are commuting by bicycle at their own expense. Their fellow employees who take mass transit to and from work have an incentive created in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century that enables their employers to pay for their bus or subway ride. This incentive is great for mass transit commuters but it discourages people from riding their bikes to and from their jobs. The Bicycle Commuters Benefits Act of 2006 will eliminate this discrimination against bicycle commuters.

The bill extends the fringe benefit that employers can offer their employees for commuting by public transit, to those who ride their bicycles to and from their jobs. Employers can deduct the cost of their benefit payments from their taxable income. This reduces the taxes that they pay to the federal government. And, in turn, employees will receive anywhere from $40 - $100 per month as a non-taxable benefit, to help them pay for the costs of riding their bikes.

This is not unlike one of the Solving DC Problems entries - and one of the best received, even if it didn't make it to the top 20. There is a lot of evidence that the metrochecks program is, in part, responsible for the boom in metro ridership lately, and I think this bill could result in an equal boom in bike commuting (along with $4 gas). (Later in the speech Sen. Wyden sends a nice shout-out to WABA, but doesn't mention Cycle Oregon - take that Rose City).

I already think biking is significantly cheaper, but for those of you who disagree or are unconvinced, I think $40 -$100 per month should take care of it. My employer doesn't offer metrochecks, so they probably won't offer this benefit either - but I hope to garner free rider benefits as all that money pumps into local bike shops and more people get on their bikes and get involved.

The disappointing thing is that not one Senator, Representative or non-voting Delegate from Virginia, Maryland or DC has signed on as a co-sponsor (though the website warns that Cosponsorship information sometimes is out of date.). With an election season upon us, I think it's fair to go to a meet and greet and ask your local representation to co-sponsor the bill. (Pictured is John Kerry at the National Bike Summit - he also hasn't signed on)

Forbes has a great write up about the bill out today.

Employers can currently offer employees tax-free reimbursement for up to $205 a month for parking and $105 a month for using mass transit. So the cyclists want a similar benefit of maybe $40 to $100 for employees who bicycle to work.

The four co-sponsoring senators sent out a "Dear Colleague" letter earlier this month asking for others to sign on, but they've gotten only a few takers.

Discovery Communications, owned in part by Discovery Holding (nasdaq: DISCA - news - people ), reimburses employees $350 for a bike, and it designed its three offices in the Washington, D.C., area as "bicyclist friendly," with secure bike racks, day lockers and showers.

The article talks about how no one wants to cut taxes right now. Ok, fair enough. Why not cut the parking benefit (to $190 or something) to pay for the biking benefit?

Ten for Tuesday - Gas is Expensive $2.50 Edition

1. There were a lot of articles last week about high gas prices and biking to work, including this AP story

About 20 million bikes were sold in the United States in 2005, one of the industry's best years ever, and retailers are optimistic that escalating gas prices will lead to record bike sales this year

Unlike most countries, the vast majority of bikes sold in the United States are used for recreation rather than transportation. About 550,000 Americans - less than 1 percent of U.S. workers - bike to work regularly, according to Blumenthal. "You don't feel the love in a lot of places when you're riding your bike,"

The $286 billion federal transportation bill signed last year will double the amount of money available for bike and pedestrian facilities to about $4 billion.

2. The National Park Service is guiding free bike rides almost every weekend this summer. Check out this flyer (pdf) For Example:

Off the Beaten Path – Discover Lonely Landmarks

You may have seen them on a map, driven past them hundreds of times, or even walked up to one of them out of curiosity. What are they, who are they, and more importantly, why are they here? This is the story of Washington DC’s lonely landmarks. These statues, urns, and symbolic gestures of friendship and remembrance can be found all over DC. Find out the stories of these lonely landmarks from our Rangers.

3. The Virginia IMBA mountain bike festival is this weekend. So is the Arlington Community Bike Ride.

4. The Montgomery County Council authorized $200K to repair the interim CCT.

5. The 20 finalists for the Solving DC Problems contest have been announced. One is bicycling related.

The city could purchase a fleet of (ugly, theft-resistant) bikes and set up secure racks for them across downtown DC. For a reasonable membership fee, residents get a pass that allows them to pick up a bike, ride it to where they need to go, and drop it off at any official bike sharing rack (not just the one they took it from).

It's kind of weak that they chose an idea that's already in the works.

6. Gas prices are pushing cops out of cruisers and onto bikes and foot patrols. It will be interesting to see if this impacts crime (either reduces or increases).

7. One less place to rent bikes in the area.

‘‘When I was in high school, we would have almost 200 kids a day that would come in and out of there and go out in canoes or take bicycles out,” Swain said.

Deciding to shut down the lockhouse's boat and bicycle rentals and concession stand was a ‘‘tremendously difficult decision,” Swain said.

8. Adults ride bikes, but kids are so darn photogenic

My main concern is that the pictures suggest that bicycles are children’s toys. Bicycles are vehicles covered under Maryland’s Uniform Vehicle Code. The Gazette missed an opportunity to reflect a main purpose of the Millennium Trail — to make Rockville more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

9. Metro is going to add hundreds of bike racks.

"At some stations people weren't even using the older racks," says Metro spokeswoman Candace Smith. "They were opting to lock their bikes to trees, to light poles, because the old racks were missing pieces or they had a loose installation, or sometimes they were even just stripped down."

I do hate the old metro bike racks. I feel the same the way about them that I do gray hairs. I'd rather not have them, but they're better than nothing.

10. How I often feel

By using mass transit or riding my bike whenever possible, I may not be able to influence greenhouse-gas emissions standards or reduce mass global addiction to fossil fuels one iota.The question, however, is not "What can't I do?" but rather, "What can I do?"

The answer: next to nothing.

Upcoming Bike Lane projects

The District has a goal of getting 50 miles of bike lanes by 2009. They were up to 17 miles in September, 2005. So they'll need to add about 11 miles a year to make it. Rather than running around putting in bike lanes where they're most needed, they wait for a street to be resurfaced or reconstructed and then add the bike lanes in with that construction. It's cheaper and has less impact on traffic.  It's a policy of patience and considering the limited funds I'm OK with taking the low hanging fruit.

There are about 13 miles of bike-lane-ready-street scheduled for work in 2006. The whole list in rather long, but here are some of the longer sections:

21st NW between Virginia and Florida
22nd NW between Virginia and Massachusetts
11th NW between Penn and Rhode Island; and between Clifton and Park
East Capitol between Burns and Southern
Warder/7th NW between Columbia and Upshur
E NW between 2nd and 13th
6th NE between C and Florida
14th NW between Thomas Circle and U
Tilden NW between Connecticut and Shoemaker
Q NW between 14th and New Jersey

Of course some places where bike lanes were to be added have been sacrificed. One result of the Logan Circle church parking issue is that some area streets are getting back-in parking to increase the number of available spaces. Where is that extra parking space coming from? That's right - bike lanes. So for a few hours of parking on Sunday, bike lanes will be removed 24-7. It's going to be tough to get to 50 miles if bike lanes are seen as expendable.

BTWD 2006

The weather really cooperated for Bike to Work Day today, and people came out in large numbers. It's the largest group I've seen at Freedom Plaza for BTWD. The time may be coming, if it's not already here, when Freedom Plaza is too small to handle the crowd. There were lines for everything and hardly room to move around. Several of the freebies ran out - including power bars given out by the new downtown transportation site goDCgo. Not to complain about free stuff - but I couldn't find anything (cream cheese or peanut butter) to put on my bagel. That made me sad. I did get coffee before it ran out.

Many groups set up tables there. The Park Service was giving out trail maps for area national parks. WABA was encouraging people to sign postcards to push DC to finish the Met Branch Trail - part of their "Where's Our Trail" campaign. Bike the sites had the 7 person funcycle there. ZipCar, Rails to Trails, the DC BAC and City Bikes were also there.

I didn't catch all the speakers but the local politicians I saw were mayoral candidates Marie Johns and Linda Cropp. If you saw other candidates please mention it in the comments. Marie Johns needed a bicycling consultant to tell her not to mention that she enjoys "spinning."  You could sense a collective eye roll. The crowd was so large you couldn't hear most speakers, but Linda Cropp - that woman knows how to project.

If someone (like me) told you that you could get a T-shirt even if you didn't register in time, they were wrong. Sorry.

All in all it was a success, even if I didn't get a free bike.

Streetcars, NOVA style

DC plans to build several streetcar (or light rail) lines in the city, the first in Anacostia. The city is also going to lay down track on H Street NE in preparation for a streetcar to run on that road. Not to be outdone, Arlington and Fairfax have decided to build their own streetcar on Columbia Pike. I've discussed some of the issues with streetcars, as they pertain to bikes, before. Despite desires by some to see other methods of transit or elevated systems, it doesn't seem any jurisdiction in the area has an interest in using an untested technology.

The Columbia Pike line could be a real benefit. It would intersect with the W&OD and Four Mile Run Trails at Four Mile Run and the new Route 50 Trail. Thus, it could provide a way - other than driving - for casual users to get to the trails. But only if space is provided on the cars for bikes - which is often not, but not always. [it would be especially great if a grade separated crossing at W&OD and Columbia Pike could come out of this project]

On the other hand, Columbia Pike is a critical bike access route and tracks in the road could preclude its use.

I generally tend to think that the "Share the Road" philosophy is a two-way street such that cyclists need to be willing to share the road too - and the pike transit plan does involve bike lanes along most of Columbia Pike (except in "activity centers" where high pedestrian activity should slow traffic enough to make bike lanes unnecessary) so it might be a net win for cyclists. [The picture shows the streetcar with a bike lane on the outside and a bike path farther out]
 
I think rather than fighting streetcars (a losing fight, IMO), bike advocates should fight for streetcars, and streets, that are safe for and welcoming of, bikes.

Planning Board Recommends Met Branch Trail Option 1

I was prepared for the Montgomery County Planning Board to go with the "modified" Option 5 recommended by DPWT or possibly the cheaper "regular" Option 5, but I'm pleased to say that they recommended Option 1 which includes the bridge over Georgia Avenue and the tunnel under East-West Highway.

There was some concern early on about impacts the trail will have on Shepherd's Table (at Progress Place) - a community center for people in need - but the point was made that those impacts are more likely to be caused by the Ripley Place development than the trail.

Wendy Perdue started asking questions about the existing bridge (pictured) and made the point that the bridge could move so few bikes that "if it is heavily used, it will be unused" and that people would bike some other way - or not at all.

Then Meredith Wellington spoke passionately about how we need to think big. We need to think about the future and how things will look in the future. (had I gone, I listened live online, this would have been my point. Was any celebrated structure or public space in the world the "cheapest option"?) She pointed out that the county was spending hundreds of millions redeveloping downtown Silver Spring and that private investors were putting in even more. So we shouldn't cheap out on something this important. Not if we want it to be like the Capitol Crescent Trail. We shouldn't build interim because interim is 20 years.

She asked DPWT the Planning Board Staff questions about the tunnel and they said some people were concerned about security issues. Wellington pointed out that if the trail were built right, it would be packed and no one would dare mug someone there. Someone pointed out that the same concerns were raised about the tunnel under Wisconsin on the CCT.

The board asked DPWT the Planning Board Staff if money were not an option which would they chose and, without hesitation, they said Option 1. The board then decided to unanimously recommend Option 1.

One of the other members, not sure who, then asked about expanding the existing pedestrian bridge from 6 feet wide to 12 feet and he was told that the bridge is eligible for historic designation. Since it's only eligible (and since historic structures can be modified) then DPWT should study this option as it may be cheaper than the $2 million bridge planned - and the money saved could be used to build the tunnel. The only other reason DPWT had for not expanding the existing bridge was that CSX may not allow the expansion (Oh CSX, how you trouble us).

All in all though it was a very positive development.

Addendum: The County Council will be considering the proposal some time in late June. I've heard they're not expected to approve Option 1.

Bus/Bike Lane Enforcement

A friend and I were discussing what the markings [in the bus/bike lanes] meant. She said it meant that only buses and bikes can be in that lane. I said that buses and bikes must use that lane, but passenger cars can use it as well. Who's right?

When the new circulator buses went in downtown, they included a few blocks of bike/bus only lanes, but since then there's been some confusion about what the lanes are and what the laws are.

And casual observers aren't the only ones confused and concerned. WABA would like to see the lane's usage restrictions enforced, especially since the bus/bike lanes are planned for other parts of the circulator route. The lanes could be enforced under general bike lane laws, but the Bicycle Advisory Committee is still going to look into creating a more explicit law to cover these.

Here's what bicyclinginfo.org says about their design:

A growing number of communities are using shared bus and bike lanes to give preferential treatment to both bikes and public transport. Examples currently include Tucson, Ariz.; Madison, Wis.; Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, BC; and Philadelphia, Pa. Often the lanes are also able to be used by taxis and right-turning vehicles. Because buses and bikes will pass each other in these lanes, lane width is an important issue. The city of Madison likes to use 16 foot lanes to allow a clear three feet of separation between the bicyclist and a passing bus, but if either bus or bike traffic is light and space is limited the width of a shared lane might be 14 feet or even less.

And the answer to the question asked in the intro:

Technically, neither one of you. The lane is reserved for bikes and buses, but all vehicles may use it when making a turn.

Also, there's a Moonlight Memorial Ride scheduled for this Saturday night. Sign up here.

Throw out that free bell

 <p>So those <a href="http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2006/04/10_for_tuesday_.html">free bells</a> the CCCT were giving away are not only not required by law anymore, but also deemed<a href="http://www.examiner.com/a-81030~Cyclists_gain_small_victory_in_Annapolis.html"> unsafe</a>. </p><blockquote><p>bells have been deemed unsafe by cycling advocates because riders must

move their hands off the brakes to use the bell. They recommend simply

shouting out, “On your left” or “On your right.”</p></blockquote><p>Really this article is about the small legislative win cyclists were able to secure with the passage of the amended Senate Bill 846 </p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 0.8em;">The bill as passed with the amendments makes a bell optional equipment and not required equipment, 

quantifies the braking requirement for bicycles, and allows a rear red 

or flashing amber light that acts as a reflector to be used instead of 

the required rear reflector at night.</span></p></blockquote><p>Those are cosmetic changes since they're only selectively enforced anyway (same as bike registration in DC I suspect). The meat of the bill, and another, did not pass. </p><blockquote><p>One bill would have removed language in the Maryland State Highway

guidelines requiring cyclists to always remain in the far right

shoulder or bike lane — with the exception of a left turn. Cyclists, complaining of potholes, car doors, broken glass, pedestrians

and other hazards, sought the right to ride in the near traffic lane

when they deemed it safer.</p></blockquote><p><a href="http://washcycle.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/girl_on_a_bike.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=349,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img width="333" height="232" border="0" alt="Girl_on_a_bike" title="Girl_on_a_bike" src="https://washcycle.typepad.com/home/images/girl_on_a_bike.jpg" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;" /></a>

And </p><blockquote><p>Bicycling and pedestrian advocates also were pushing for tougher laws

on automobile drivers found guilty of hitting pedestrians and cyclists.

The state must now prove gross negligence to convict a driver of

vehicular homicide rather than simple negligence. In 2004, 665 Maryland cyclists were injured in collisions with cars and

12 riders were killed, according to the state Highway department.</p></blockquote><p>What they don't mention was how many of those 12 were hit and run accidents. It seems whenever I read of a cyclist being killed, the driver doesn't stick around to learn that the state needs to prove gross negligence...like <a href="http://www.examiner.com/a-100205~Hit_and_run_victim_identified.html">this recent case</a>.</p><blockquote><p>David Allen Overmiller, 58, of Jessup, was riding his bike southbound

on Route 1 when a southbound vehicle struck him, said Officer Jennifer

Reidy of the Howard County Police Department.</p>

<p>Between 1998 and 2002, Maryland spent less than 1 percent of its

federal safety funds on bike and pedestrian safety, despite bikes and

pedestrians making up 16.8 percent of traffic deaths, he said.</p></blockquote><p>Going back to the bells/shouting issue. I always ring my bell or say &quot;on your left&quot; when I pass, though I worry people think I'm being rude. Some people scramble out of the way, like I shouted &quot;make a hole&quot; and really I'm just saying &quot;hey, I'm passing you so don't freak out.&quot; I feel we need two calls &quot;on your left&quot; for normal passing and &quot;on your left, idiot&quot; for people walking 6 abreast.</p>

Ten for Tuesday - Total Recall

1. NBC 4 is all over the bicycle gear recalls - both Schwinn bicycle child carriers and Trek helmets.

2. The Ride of Silence is tomorrow.

On May 17 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

There are rides in Maryland (including Frederick) and Virginia, but oddly, not DC.

3. Met Branch Trail through Silver Spring to be debated on Thursday.

On May 18th (at 2:00 pm) the Montgomery County Planning Board will debate the routing of the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Silver Spring. This segment of the trail will connect an existing part of the trail at Montgomery County College with the future Silver Spring Transit Center. Your input is needed to ensure the best trail possible.

4. Soldier Ride 2006 on it's way to Camp Lejeune.

an effort to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that assists servicemembers injured in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots around the world.

5. The 20th annual Chesapeake Bay Asthma Bike Tour is scheduled for the weekend of June 3-4.

6. While the Met Branch founders, the Millennium Trail officially opened.

After the opening ceremony near the Fallsgrove Clubhouse at 400 Casey Lane, the festivities moved to a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of the bike⁄pedestrian bridge that will cross Interstate 270 along Route 28. The last link in the 45-mile network, the $4.2 million bridge project was awarded [recently].

7. Bike lane partially removed for "safety"

But the new road configuration is ‘‘anything but” safe, according to Rockville resident Tim Coulson. ‘‘Now, the biker has to shift in and out from bike lane to road, from bike lane to road,” he said. ‘‘It confuses the drivers, it confuses the cyclists, it confuses everybody.”

8. What I always suspected about education majors is true...

Jenna Schultz, a freshman education major, does not need to think at all.

“I’m glad I don’t have a license,” she said. “I’ll bike!”

9. CapTrack hasn't been updated since January (at least none of the bikeways projects). This is disappointing. It has no real value if it isn't updated regularly (at least quarterly).

10. It's good to be the President.

For the second year in a row, the president got a fancy mountain bike from John Burke, president of Trek Bicycle Corp. in Waterloo, Wisc., this one worth $5,474. Last year's model was worth nearly $3,000 less. The president, who is an avid biker, also received a $1,700 indoor cycling trainer from Saris Cycling Group President Chris Fortune and $515 in cycling shoes from Trek Nike Cycling Division.

Let's just hope he didn't get a Trek Helmet.

Meet Alexandria's new pedestrian and bicycle coordinator

It seems that getting a bicycle coordinator for a locality is the first step in improving bicycle transportation in the area. Fairfax recently got funding for a bicycle coordinator, and WABA is working to get one assigned to Prince George's County. Alexandria has had one but now they have a new one, Yon Lambert (see Photo).

One of [his] new initiatives is studying ways to improve pedestrian access to transit facilities. “The city got a grant from VDOT to look at how we can improve access to transit facilities for pedestrians in general and persons with mobility challenges specifically,” Lambert said.

He is also planning improvements to the website. “We need to keep people better informed about bicycle and pedestrian improvements,” Lambert said.

Sounds like they could take a page from Arlington.

Bike to Work Day this Friday

This Friday is National Bike to Work Day. There are celebrations all over the DC area and Baltimore too. It's officially too late to sign up for a free T-Shirt (Note: I've never seen them turn anyone away for not being registered - but don't hold me to that if you go and leave empty handed), but you can still sign up to win free bikes and other stuff. And everyone gets a free breakfast (at least they have in the past). We can only hope that the weather is better than it was last year. 

Whenever gas prices rise, it seems editors tell some reporter to write the standard, "People are abandoning their cars" article. And I've seen a lot of these lately, but this article deals specifically with BTWD and is a good read.

‘‘Some people ride all the way in [to the District], but most people would probably ride to the Metro,” DeNardo said. ‘‘That’s a more feasible option for people, since there are lockers to secure your bike and the train can get you where you have to go.”

A major bicycle thoroughfare between Bowie and Annapolis could be established once a bridge is constructed over the Patuxent River connecting the WB&A trail, which would likely encourage more cycling commuters, DeNardo said.

The Bike to Work Day event will also help solve that problem. During the event, WABA will host commuter convoys where cyclists follow experienced riders as they show them safe routes, Gilliland said.

Another obstacle is not lack of bike lanes or adequate facilities, but making that first push, event planners say. Cycling is a good form of cardiovascular exercise, and just commuting twice a week via bikes can save money on gas, DeNardo said.

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.