Biking in the Suburbs

In general I try to focus these posts on areas within the metro area (Prince Georges, Montgomery, Arlington and Fairfax Counties, Fairfax, Falls Church, Alexandria and DC) covered by WMATA, but this article (Manassas Gears Up To Extend Bike Trails) from Prince William County reminded me that the new push in cycling transportation goes beyond the urban core.

The county has some 75 miles of bike trails and, as mandated by the Virginia Department of Transportation, all future highway construction requires separate bike lanes along roadways.

But traffic-choked city thoroughfares such as Manassas's Sudley Road offer little protection to cyclists. The issue has vexed the city for years, and Manassas's plan for a safer urban cyclescape has been implemented, albeit in low gear. The Manassas Bike Trail Committee first published its master plan in 1993, but to date, the city has only about six or seven miles of bike trails.

An update to the master plan probably will be released this fall, and central to it is a $350,000 extension of the Winter Branch Bike Trail to Runaldue Road.

"We're trying to connect the different trails so that people can ride throughout the city to the train depot, parks and all the landmarks," said Higgs, who said she's hopeful that with increased energy costs, there will be a greater interest in pedal power.

"With prices of gas going higher, people are looking for alternatives to get around, and bicycles are a good way," she said.

Since the Bike Trail Master Plan was created, Manassas has completed two major projects: the Winter Branch Trail and the Fairview/Richmond Trail, a bike path that parallels Fairview and Richmond avenues and passes by Metz Junior High School. More than 10 other proposed bike lane projects exist merely as dotted lines on planning maps.

The city's strategy involves a variety of configurations designed to improve cyclists' safety and riding experience. In addition to building standalone bike paths, the pavement along the shoulders of roadways can be extended to allow for bicycle traffic. Better signage and roadway markings are also key to reducing accidents, planners say.

Williams's father, Ben Williams Sr., agrees. He said that the signs are a reminder to drivers that they're legally obligated to share the road with bicycles and that bike trails aren't a fix-all because cyclists still need to use roadways. The key, he said, is greater respect from drivers.

"People will scream at me and tell me to ride on the sidewalk," said Ben Williams Jr., 63. "But the sidewalks are for pedestrians and for kids. We're vehicles, and we have the right to be on the road."

Williams, who has been riding in the area for 30 years -- "before there were any shoulders on [Route] 234" -- said he had learned to simply ignore abusive drivers.

"Even Lance Armstrong gets yelled at," he said.

It sounds like the city is taking cycling seriously. They're treating it like a transportation option, not just a recreational opportunity. Still, if you go to PW County's website, there is little to no mention of bicycle planning - even on their Transportation page (which does have a whole section on commuter parking). I couldn't find anything online about the Winter Branch Trail. I couldn't find a bike map for the town or the county. So building facilities is nice, but alone it's not enough. Unless you're Ben Williams Jr., you might have trouble figuring out how to use your bike as your second car in Manassas.

Ten for Tuesday - No pain in the posterior

1. Daniel Prieto holds out bike trails as an example of luxurious spending.

Surely $3 billion to protect subway riders against terrorists can't be too much to ask when last year's transportation bill contained up to $3 billion for bicycle and walking trails.

Not that I'm against protecting subway riders, but what's he trying to say?

2. The Gazette ran a story on Nick Bax, a local teen who made the U.S Junior duathlon team and rides competitively for a national team.

‘‘Cycling is something that I’m good at,” he said. ‘‘It satisfies that craving for competition, and the chance you have to see if you can push yourself past the other people [in a race]. There is a real sense of accomplishment.”

3. One of my co-workers got himself in this Post article about recumbent bikes.

"The seat on my recumbent bike is as comfortable as the bucket seat in my car," says Greg Greer of Silver Spring. "It's like sitting in a chair, feet propped up in front. There's no strain on the back, neck, shoulders or wrists. No numb hands. No pain in the posterior."

I've never ridden a recumbent and it never occurred to me they'd be hard to take uphill, but it makes sense.

4. RPUS does a roundup of bike stories. I'll answer his first question - since I'm thinking about getting a folding bike.

why not just buy two bikes--one to ride to the station and one to ride from the station--as that would often still be less expensive than a folding bike?

I wouldn't want to leave a bike or two locked up at a station unless it was in a bike box. Bike boxes rent for $25 a month. For two that's $50 or $600 a year. Bicycle lockers are available for $70 for one year plus a $10 key deposit. For two that's $140 a year. I'd get a folding bike. Not sure what I'd do.

He also has a link to the Journal of World Transport and Policy's bicycling special. One paper was on whether helmet laws were good or not. It questions the benefits of helmets

"The proportions of head injuries did not change over the period despite helmet use in the USA increasing from 18% of cyclists in 1991 to 50% in 2000. However, cycle use during the period fell by 21%. Thus those who continued to cycle were 40% more likely to suffer head injury by
2001 than in 1991."

And claims that cycling without a helmet is better for you than not cycling at all. Since helmet laws discourage cycling, they conclude, they are bad for society.

The whole paper is pretty good and an interesting read. Still I feel naked without my helmet (and my girlfriend yells at me when I don't wear it). I'll keep it on.

 

The post also reminds me that I need to read Effective Cycling.

5. This seems like piling it on, because Brown probably isn't going to win anyway, but he seems to have riled up couriers at the Environmental Forum.

ATTENTION ALL DC BIKE MESSENGERS!!!

Do NOT pick up or deliver packages for Michael A. Brown--DC Candidate for Mayor.

Last night at the DC Environmental Network Mayoral Candidate Forum, Michael A. Brown announced that if elected mayor, he plans to enforce traffic laws, specifically by ticketing couriers.  He made false accusations about every single one of us and greatly misrepresented a hard working group of people--most of us residents of the District.

6. This is pretty scary, and a reminder to keep your radar up.  This was on the Four Mile Run trail, which the article oddly doesn't mention.

Police are investigating an apparent attempted rape on an Arlington bike trail, authorities said.  At about 6:20 p.m. Sunday, a woman walking on a bike trail between South Walter Reed and South George Mason drives was attacked from behind by a man, police said. He allegedly pulled her into nearby bushes and assaulted her.

7. Both the Post and Examiner covered the Georgetown Waterfront Park groundbreaking.

Bikers and joggers will be able to travel unimpeded from Mt. Vernon, Va. to Cumberland, Md.

8. A couple more things about local bike racing. Prince William County is trying to get professional BMX racing to return to the track at the G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium Complex in Woodbridge

With BMX (bicycle motocross) racing set to be an Olympic sport for the first time in 2008, it would seem that there is no better time for Prince William -- home to the only BMX track in Northern Virginia -- to try to host a pro race or even an Olympic qualifying event. The sport's popularity is likely to rise in the coming years.

And Silver Spring hosted the second annual Martens Volvo Grand Prix.

Also happy were the event’s organizers, including Susan Hoffman, marketing and special events manager for downtown Silver Spring. The second year of the event drew larger crowds than the year before, and the hope exists that the Grand Prix of Silver Spring will become a permanent fixture of the summer.

‘‘It brings people downtown, which is exactly what we want to do,” Hoffman said. ‘‘We’re ready for primetime, and we want people from outside the area to come here.”

9. The CCCT is looking for volunteers to help count Capital Crescent Trail users.

The CCCT is performing a trail traffic survey in cooperation with the Montgomery County Parks Department. Documenting the heavy use of the CCT by the public is an effective way to convince public officials to protect the trail. Trail use data will also help the Parks Department justify giving the CCT a higher priority for repair and maintenance. The last trail use survey was taken in 2000. We need a new survey that shows the growth in trail use.

CCCT needs volunteers to count trail traffic for one hour periods in September. CCCT will provide trail traffic survey forms and instructions to volunteers, and each volunteer can independately perform the one hour traffic count on a day in September that is convenient. Traffic counts are needed at four locations - near the Bethesda trailhead, near Brookeway Drive at milepost 5.5, near Kentbury Drive at milepost 2.5, and near Grubb Road at approx. mile 0.8. Traffic counts are needed for weekday, evening, and weekend time periods.

CCCT needs approx. 80 hours of total volunteer time to complete the systematic group of traffic counts. Each hour you can volunteer will be appreciated. If you can give more than one hour, great! Please contact us at survey@cctrail.org to volunteer.  Give us any preferences you have for survey location and time periods.

10. And finally, another reason bikes are awesome.

A scheme under which gunmen in the Democratic Republic of Congo are given bicycles in exchange for their weapons is being extended due to its success.

A BBC correspondent says it has proved more successful than the UN disarmament exercise, following a five-year war.

The BBC's Jonathan Kacelewa in Bukavu says a bicycle, worth about $50, makes a big difference to the lives of local people.

Ten for Tuesday - Thor is 83rd

1. I went on a ride around the Anacostia recently, to see where the Riverwalk would go in. One part of the Riverwalk will go along the Navy Yard Promenade.  I took this photo of one end of the promenade (under the 11th Street Bridge). It'll be a real miracle if this opens to bike/ped uses. Since 9/11 everything has been closing (I used to run around the portico at the Capitol), and this will be first thing I can think of to really buck the trend.

2. DC is continuing its Street Smart campaign. This article (Taking Steps to a Pedestrian-Friendly D.C.) focused mostly on pedestrian issues, but it also discusses cycling safety.

Two years ago, the city launched Street Smart for Kids, which uses volunteers from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association to train schoolchildren in pedestrian and bicycle safety. Part of the training is done at intersections and sidewalks near schools, Branyan said.

3. This article (Rock Creek's Scenic Drive Battered) about how the July 3rd flooding impacted Rock Creek Park, features a quote from frequent Wash Cycle commenter - and fellow bike blogger - Joel Gwadz.

"Euphoric" is how Joel Gwadz described his Beach Drive bike commute this week. Gwadz, 39, lives in Mount Pleasant and works in the computer department at CBS News at 20th and M streets NW. The prospect of Beach Drive being closed to traffic was so alluring that he went north -- in the opposition direction of his downtown job -- to spend additional time on the road.

"Everyone was smiling and grinning," Gwadz recalled. "People were waving to each other. Everyone was really enjoying it."

The closure of the road offered a glimpse of what would happen if the National Park Service shut down segments of Beach Drive during off-peak weekday travel periods, as the Washington Area Bicyclist Association has been lobbying for it to do for years.

"I know the people who drive that road have been really ticked off, but I've loved it," said Samantha Smith, 38, who rode her bike this week between her Adams Morgan home and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, where she works as a psychologist.

"It's like a dream come true," she said, describing the joy of rolling down an empty exit ramp onto a vacant Beach Drive. "It is really like my fantasy world. No cars, no noise."

I was surprised to find that Gwadz could talk in normal sentences instead of his signature, stream-of-conciousness writing style.

4. Did you know that a bike trail caused Howard Dean to change religions?

In 1980, Dean, then a practicing doctor in Burlington, caught wind that a local real estate developer was planning to build a pair of high-rise condominiums on the shore of the lake. Along with a Burlington lawyer named Rick Sharp, Dean began to campaign against the project, proposing in its place a scenic nine-mile bike trail. "He became a crusader," says Sharp. Dean went door to door with leaflets; he stood in the street with petitions; he cleared brush and laid bricks. Then, the hard part began: getting the land for the bike trail--a fight that ultimately wound its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Part of the struggle involved convincing the local Episcopal diocese to cede ownership of a stretch of old railroad tracks that ran across their property. When the church first resisted, threatening to join a lawsuit, "Howard went to talk to them into it," says Sharp. Thanks to Dean's persistence, the Episcopalians eventually succumbed. But their initial resistance left a bad taste in Dean's mouth.

As Dean has described it in recent months, the dispute over the bike path caused him to break with the Episcopal Church and become a Congregationalist. It's hard to imagine this story will resonate with religious voters, because very few people would untether themselves from their spiritual home over a bike path. Indeed, when Dean first explained his denominational switch on ABC's "This Week," George Stephanopoulos was incredulous: "Over the bike path?"

5. For it's road trip feature, the post has been branching out from driving (maybe they saw An Inconvienent Truth) promoting bike rides, scooter trips, hikes and the like. Two weeks ago they did one entitled Bike the Mount Vernon Trail. It's a great ride, and once you get south of the Wilson Bridge the crowds thin out.

6. Everyone is crazy about pedicabs, from DCist to the Times.

7. Richard Layman makes the point that "bikes are better."

People would send me stuff about scooters, Segways, etc. and I would always respond, "a bike is better." Sure, a bike is better than a scooter or a Segway for most settings, but that isn't the point.

In a city, for a lot of things, a bike is better than a car. And, now that you can take a bike on buses, and on the subway except for certain times of the day, you get further enhanced mobility that is relatively time-efficient.

There is some discussion about the Smart Car, and the response from some is "a bike is better." But the Smart Car isn't about bicyclists. It's about people who already have cars.

Then he lists transportation options from best to worst (?) - if so, I'd move some things around.

walking
bicycling
Segways?
scooters/Vespas
transit
- bus
- rapid bus
- light rail/streetcar
- subway
driving
- car (usually big)
- cars (usually many in a household)
- shared cars
- Motorcycles
railroad

I've always recognized that not everyone is going to bike - just like not everyone is going to watch "Lost" - even though most should. A city full of smart cars would probably be good for cyclists. I mean, would they even knock you over if they hit you?

8. I went for a ride out the W&OD trail on June 9th, and was pleasantly surprised to see that in less than a week they had built a temporary bridge to serve as a bypass for the bridge damaged in the flood.

9. Maryland has free bike maps of the state. You can order them here.

10. The Tour de France is going on and my favorite, Thor Hushovd, is in a disappointing 83rd. (I have to root for someone named Thor). Lance Armstrong's old team is still sponsored by Discovery Channel, HQed in Maryland. In an article, Cycling Magnate, in the Post, they profile Discovery Networks president Billy Campbell.

What's it like riding with a cycling icon?

Well, it's humbling. . . . It is almost like I'm riding a tricycle and he's riding a bike. About a year ago in Austin, he took me out riding and we were coming down a hill, and I realized this might be my only time to ever pass Lance Armstrong. So he was kind of relaxing and I kind of zoomed by him. And within two cycle spins, he came up behind me, grabbed me by the jersey and said, "What do you think you're doing?" He showed me how quickly he could go right by me.

Also, I was curious as to why there was no "Women's Tour de France." The race does so much for tourism why not expand it? I found this.

The high cost of driving

Recently AAA put out it's annual report on the cost of owning and operating an automobile. It costs $150 a week they figure or 52.2 cents a mile on average. Of course a lot of that is just the cost of ownership. Still,  8.2 to 9.5 cents of that is fuel. 0.7 cents is for tires. Maintenance is 4.9 cents. They don't figure depreciation the way I'd like to see it (Namely, how much is year to year depreciation - if you just left it in the garage and how much is based on increased mileage). Let's call it 15 cents per mile. I know I operate my bike for less than that. My biggest expense in bike commuting it probably the snickers bar I eat when I get to work. Fuel can be yummy.

Someone else did an EXTENSIVE break down of costs (more than mine from last fall) and if you have a lot of time you can look at it. It includes all the social costs like land use and air quality effects - things covered in The High Cost of Free Parking. He figures you make about $12.80 an hour biking (at his expected 2002 cost of gas of $3.03 a gallon) as opposed to driving - if you don't buy a car.

Most of the costs of an automobile are fixed, indirect, societal, or hidden; the immediately apparent expense (mainly the cost of gasoline) is less than the cost of riding a bike, which is exactly why so many see the bike as being more expensive and which is exactly why I wrote this article. The primary individual benefit for the person who prefers to pay for the car but take the bike anyway lies in the health benefit. However, there would be eventual hard-to-estimate financial benefits from the car lasting longer. My old van survived for 24 years because I used it rarely. Many cyclists have saved major costs by letting the bike be the second vehicle in their family. Another way to save is by living car-free and using mass transit, car-sharing, taking a cab, walking or even renting a car on those occasions when a bike is not adequate.

This statement - about using the bike as a second vehicle reminded me of this excellent article I read recently about bike commuting in LA.

When Ziegler and his wife got rid of one of their vehicles and became a one-car household in the mid '90s they invested the $500 per month earmarked for insurance and an auto payment into real estate.

They now own multiple rental properties in Monrovia.

The article goes on to discuss all of the other reasons to bike instead of drive including the high price of gas, fun, time savings, health, the recapture of youth, and politics:

putting two wheels to pavement to get to work is "probably the most patriotic thing that anybody can do at this point and time."

And then there is this - which I'd never noticed but absolutely agree with

To Auerbach, what stands out are "the smells of the city and how that makes the whole world into a total sensory picnic." Her favorites: air fresheners coming from open car windows, taco trucks, hamburger stands (though she doesn't eat burgers), perfume on pedestrians, Latino church sidewalk buffets, car brakes, exhaust and jasmine.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Two items from Bicycling Magazine

There were two good items in the January/February issue of Bicycling Magazine. Unfortunately, neither is available online. The first was about local mechanic Santiago "Pinky" Gonzalez and the second about bike commuting.

Gonzalez is one of the founders of Revolution Cycles and runs the tech center at the 11,000 square foot Clarendon store. The article mentions how he's built bikes for the Secret Service, National Park Police, Lance Armstrong and Presidents Clinton and Bush. He points out that Secret Service agents ride their bikes hard (our tax dollars at work) and have ruined numerous rims and cracked a few frames.

The second article is about the value of bike commuting. A 29 mile bike commute (the amount the average American commutes each day) would save $12, reduce auto emissions by 24 pounds and burn 1315 calories. Then they have advice: get a comfortable bike, put slick tires and lights on it, use a backpack or seat post pack instead of a messenger bag (it can hurt your back), go slow if you have no shower, turn your commute into a workout (mine already is) by doing intervals at traffic lights, map several routes - some that are direct and some that are pleasant, and finally some stuff about rolling over storm grates. Of course I've had that "is biking cheaper?" argument and while I'm sure it is, people who I respect are adamant that it isn't.

Biking to school becoming rare

It's not really news, because I've been hearing about it for years now, but the Examiner reported that

Nationwide, the number of kids who ride their bike or  walk to school has fallen dramatically since the 1970s.

“Thirty years ago, 66 percent of children walked or biked to school,” said Sharon Roerty of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking. “Today, 13 percent walk or bike to school.”

The article talks about the rise in childhood obesity, and (for reasons I'm not sure about) the number of children taking medication for attention deficit disorder and depression rising and also about the Safe Routes program. From what I've seen, a lot needs to be done to improve school accessibility. Magnolia Elementary School in Lanham has a path that connects it to a nearby apartment complex, which is good; but poles were inserted into the trail at the fence line that make it impossible to bike through. I have no idea why this was done, but that's the kind of thing that needs to be corrected.

One issue they fail to address is the cost of busing and driving 83% of students to school. On RPUS this issue is addressed in reference to an article about the shortage of bus drivers in Northern Virginia.

Fairfax, which has more than 165,000 students, is short about 180 bus drivers, and in Prince William, with about 66,200 students, needs about 60 drivers, officials said.

Since 2004, Loudoun County has been short 30 to 40 bus drivers despite advertising the jobs as far away as Winchester, Va., and West Virginia, school officials said.

And RPUS

...school campuses on the edges of towns require a massive school bus infrastructure (comparable to the deleterious impact of the replacement of streetcar transit systems with buses) requiring drivers, fuel, maintenance, and frequent replacement of buses. Not to mention the number of accidents involving school buses.

If 60% of students again started biking and walking, what impact would that have on traffic, air quality, health, school budgets, community? I used to bike to school and after school I would often go with my friends to the park to play football or basketball - instead of going straight home to watch TV and play video games. That seems like a better way for kids to spend their free time to me.

MoCo's Framework

Montgomery County is preparing to become Montgomery City. The county is working on a new general plan for the county to replace the one it original wrote in 1964 - and refined in 1993. The new plan, the "Framework for Planning in the Future," promotes urbanized centers as opposed to auto-friendly suburbs. Of course, urban usually means less cars, more pedestrians and more bicycles - which requires changing roads.

In addition to promoting development of urbanized "centers," the draft document envisions turning some of the county's big roads into "boulevards" that would be more appealing to pedestrians and less like highways.[Planning Board Chairman Derick] Berlage cited Rockville Pike, Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard as roads that could be redesigned to include bus lanes, bicycle paths, better landscaping and wider sidewalks.

I think it's wise for MoCo to prepare for the inevitable population increases they're going to continue to see. (I think they ought to rethink the ICC before it's too late. A real urban area would not build a highway, but rather a rail corridor). The plan has as one goal to

Better connect the surrounding neighborhoods to retail, public buildings and transit by foot or bicycle, reducing the need to drive to the center.

They have some good ideas about how to do that, like

Creating more street connections from surrounding neighborhoods, so that people don’t use the major arterials and highways for local trips, and more trips are made by bicycle and on foot. (See this post on RPUS about how important connections are. Though he doesn't mention bikes, I know which neighborhood I'd rather ride in).

and

Providing pedestrian and bicycle amenities such as bike racks and lockers, special pavement and lighting so that non-motorized people know they are welcome.

And they recognize that "narrow sidewalks are not bicycle friendly" - true, bikes do not belong on sidewalks. It's dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians - so they talk about bicycle sidepaths (which I don't care for unless there really is no other option) and bike lanes. But they're still missing critical elements.

They need to start from the bottom up. They need to make sure they don't force out small neighborhood bike shops with big box retailers. They need to provide not just parking, but shower facilities, bike maps, and bike related signage. They need to think about bike rentals. If they build bike lanes - they need to be wide with room in the door zone. And they need to integrate bikes into rail and bus transit as well as roads. They're plan is still too road centered in my opinion. But it's a good point to start from.

What else did I miss?

MoCo's Framework

Montgomery County is preparing to become Montgomery City. The county is working on a new general plan for the county to replace the one it original wrote in 1964 - and refined in 1993. The new plan, the "Framework for Planning in the Future," promotes urbanized centers as opposed to auto-friendly suburbs. Of course, urban usually means less cars, more pedestrians and more bicycles - which requires changing roads.

In addition to promoting development of urbanized "centers," the draft document envisions turning some of the county's big roads into "boulevards" that would be more appealing to pedestrians and less like highways.[Planning Board Chairman Derick] Berlage cited Rockville Pike, Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard as roads that could be redesigned to include bus lanes, bicycle paths, better landscaping and wider sidewalks.

I think it's wise for MoCo to prepare for the inevitable population increases they're going to continue to see. (I think they ought to rethink the ICC before it's too late. A real urban area would not build a highway, but rather a rail corridor). The plan has as one goal to

Better connect the surrounding neighborhoods to retail, public buildings and transit by foot or bicycle, reducing the need to drive to the center.

They have some good ideas about how to do that, like

Creating more street connections from surrounding neighborhoods, so that people don’t use the major arterials and highways for local trips, and more trips are made by bicycle and on foot. (See this post on RPUS about how important connections are. Though he doesn't mention bikes, I know which neighborhood I'd rather ride in).

and

Providing pedestrian and bicycle amenities such as bike racks and lockers, special pavement and lighting so that non-motorized people know they are welcome.

And they recognize that "narrow sidewalks are not bicycle friendly" - true, bikes do not belong on sidewalks. It's dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians - so they talk about bicycle sidepaths (which I don't care for unless there really is no other option) and bike lanes. But they're still missing critical elements.

They need to start from the bottom up. They need to make sure they don't force out small neighborhood bike shops with big box retailers. They need to provide not just parking, but shower facilities, bike maps, and bike related signage. They need to think about bike rentals. If they build bike lanes - they need to be wide with room in the door zone. And they need to integrate bikes into rail and bus transit as well as roads. They're plan is still too road centered in my opinion. But it's a good point to start from.

What else did I miss?

Bikes are not the problem.

This article in the Washington Times was supposed to be clever, but the title is a bit annoying. It's short so here it is.

  A gentleman riding a bicycle, briefcase in its basket, huffed and puffed while pedaling up the right-hand lane of 18th Street Northwest near the White House, the gradual incline making his commute home rather difficult, while causing cars directly behind him to creep along in the evening rush.
    We're not certain whether those drivers who sounded their horns were sending a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to the cyclist after reading what was printed on the back of his shirt: "One Less Car."

Above it is written "Buy a Hybrid." Yes. It's bikes that make the evening commute so bad. It's bikes that cause cars to creep along in rush hour traffic. Bikes are the problem, not all the people driving cars by themselves, but bikes. If we could just somehow convince these bike commuters to drive a hybrid we could fix the whole thing.

OT:So I grab a lot of my photos off of flickr. I learned that people leave photos for DCist on flickr labeled "DCist." That got my wheels spinning. If you'd like to have a photo on TheWashCycle, just put it on flickr with the label "washcycle."

Cyclists avoid the strike

During the transit strike of Dec 20-22, 2005 the city of New York's Department of Transportation kept track of the numbers of people entering the city grouped by means. Here were their findings as related to cyclist.

The number of pedestrians entering Manhattan skyrocketed during the walkout; bicycles and ferries were not used as much as officials had expected.

On average, 11,717 bicycles crossed the East River bridges each day of the strike. From 6 to 10 a.m., the number of bicyclists on the bridges was 4,892, a 44 percent drop from 8,762 riders in 1980.

The city has far more bicycle lanes and paths than it did in 1980, but Ms. Weinshall said bicycling was a less-attractive option because of the cold weather. The 1980 strike began on April 1 and lasted 11 days.

It makes sense to me that in the middle of winter in NYC (where the wind is notoriously strong) people would rather walk than bike, so this report is sort of useless. They're not comparing apples to apples. Do they not have statistics on the number of cyclists who normally cross the East River bridges in December? That's the comparison I'd like to see.

This is all interesting since bicycles play a roll in the cities evacuation plans. And getting people in is similar to getting people out.