Someday on MARC, Amtrak, VRE and Metro

Here's something interesting

MBTA officials unveiled yesterday a commuter rail coach equipped with 39 bike racks that will make two round trips from Boston to Rockport on Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays.

Half of the coach's seats were removed to make way for the racks, leaving 42 seats.

The new coach will begin running Sunday during the 47th Annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic race, hosted by the Fitchburg Cycling Club.

``We wanted something to serve the bike community," said Will Shannon , deputy chief mechanical officer for the T.

T General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas said that while bikes are allowed on the commuter rail, riders often have trouble getting them on and off.

So they already allow bikes on board, they're just trying to accommodate cyclists. What a crazy idea.

Ten for Tuesday - Who's counting

1. Operation Lifesaver has good advice for cyclists:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Taipei, Amsterdam of the east?

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

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

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

10. Oh no he didn't!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inverted U's needed

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

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

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

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

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.

Ten for Tuesday - Nice Rack

1. Some projects restored to the Montgomery County Budget - $145k has been added to repair the E/W highway trail and $160k added to the overall bikeways budge and other projects proposed

• Repair and resurfacing of .5 miles of the Capital Crescent Trail
• Adding One Half of a Full Time Staffer to MNCPPC
• Increased funding for bikeways maintenance, including snow removal
• Adding One Full Time Staff to DPTW Bikeways Program
• Installation of Bikeway Signage

2. Silver Spring Transit Center does not properly address bike access issues. It has inadequate bike racks and lockers, poor connections to streets and no bike station.

3. Fairfax County is considering funding several major bicycle initiatives in its upcoming budget.

• Hiring a full-time bicycle coordinator.
• Producing a county-wide bicycle map.
• Creating on-road bike routes.
• A bicycle pilot program. 

4. Abandoned parking meter poles turned into bike racks in Arlington.

5. The Nation's Triathlon is coming this fall. DC finally gets its own triathlon (if they can get permission to swim in the Potomac, otherwise it will be a duathlon).

6. Local Eagle Scout is collecting bikes for Pedals for Progress (similar to Bike for the World) May 6 and 7. It's a good cause.

7. I couldn't find anything else about this beyond the email (couldn't find Joe Goddard or his thesis, but it's interesting)

I looked into comparative bicycle usage since 1945 in the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark in a 1995 Masters' thesis. At the time my naïve hope was that if bicycle infrastructure was provided, people would ride. By the time I had completed it seemed a reasonable proposition that researchers would have to look beyond structural explanations for why people choose certain modes of transport. Broadly comparable cities within and between the countries studied exhibited increasingly different transport mixes during the half-century to 1995, even where their cycle infrastructures (bike-paths, lights etc), topography, size, and climatic conditions were similar and governments often supportive. Consequently,cultural factors would have to be factored in. Moreover, countries and cities with still-high levels of bike usage may well show internal differences in transport choices among and between different demographic groups.

Joe Goddard
University of Copenhagen

8. A couple dozen injured veterans are scheduled to make a 110-mile bike ride from Gettysburg, Pa., to Washington April 29 and 30th. For a $75 entry fee and a minimum fundraising effort of $600, you can join them.

9. Is Chicago a bicycling haven? This article covers a lot about what they're doing there and includes good photos of the bike station, a bicycle trough and a trail that has the right of way over a road.

10. There was a ribbon cutting at Tryst this past Saturday to celebrate the installation of over 40 bike racks in Adams Morgan. I had intended to go and provide photos, but...you saw the weather.

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?

Metro needs to continue Great Society

A recent book  The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro recently came out as reported by DCist and Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space. (RPUS has a link to the NPR interview with the author, which is pretty interesting). I also recently read this article DART may Become Bike Friendly for Commute and this article (again thanks to RPUS) Silver Spring's Plans For Transit Center Move to Final Stages. All of which got me to thinking that while Metro has done some admirable things (bikes on bus, removing the need for a license to take your bike on metro) when it comes to being bike friendly, I'd like to see it do more.  In the first article I read that

Cyclists have criticized the agency for not allowing bikes on trains or buses before 9 a.m. and between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays.  "All the literature we're reading indicates that if an agency is bicycle-friendly, ridership will grow," Mr. Mendoza said.

"The biggest complaint they have is that bicyclists tend to work the same hours we do," he said.    

The revised policy would allow bicycle commuters to board the last train car at any time, but only if space is available. If the train is crowded, transit authorities could have a bicyclist wait for the next train.

Yes. Yes. A commonsense approach. This allows cyclist to reverse commute, it allows them to ride empty trains. The rule in place now is poorly designed and as I've pointed out before, discriminatory. They don't limit people with luggage. I like that someone realized that bike commuters work a normal work day. There are no restrictions on taking bikes on New York's Subway other than that you be safe and courteous. In San Francisco a few stations are off limits during rush hour, but not THE ENTIRE SYSTEM as is true here. If all of these cities - and Dallas is not some transit heaven like Portland - can trust bike commuters to use common sense, why can't Metro?

The second article is noteworthy for what is not mentioned. Bikes. Silver Spring was originally suppose to be a bicycle transit hub with a bike station and connections to the CCT, Green Trail and Met Branch trail; but now they really downplay it. I doubt it will be anything like what it was originally planned to be. 

Here is my short list of Metro's necessary improvements re:bikes. (also included other rail systems)

1. Replace rush hour restriction with common sense "no bikes on crowded trains" rule.
2. New station entrances (like at Ballston and the new Silver Spring) should include stairs with bicycle channels so that cyclist aren't forced to use the elevators. Similar stairs inside stations should be pursued as well, especially on the new Dulles line.
3. Stations should provide cheap, safe parking facilities - like bike boxes or, where possible, bike stations.
4. Bikes on VRE, Amtrak and Marc trains.
5. Bike maps at each station that show the area, similar to the ones there now, but with an emphasis on bikeable roads, shops, trails etc...
6. Future projects, like the pedestrian tunnels and streetcars, should provide adequate accommodations for bike commuters as well.
7. When new metro cars are ordered they should have racks inside the cars (see photo for Minneapolis's bike rack)

Two small items from Virginia

Arlington County approved a new building called the Fairview, that will include a new western entrance to the Ballston Metro. Not sure what form this entrance will take, but it would be great if it included one set of stairs instead of three escalators. The advantage being, besides cost, that stairs could accommodate bicycle channels to allow cyclists to bring their bikes in the front door and leave the elevators for people who truly need them. 

The other item is that Arlington has plans to build the Washington Boulevard Trail and phase I should begin this spring or summer.

A shared use path will be constructed on the west side of Washington Boulevard generally between Walter Reed Drive and Rolfe Street S. The path will pass through Towers Park and connect the Arlington Boulevard Trail with Columbia Pike.

As one who bikes around there often, this will be a nice improvement.

McBAG meeting minutes

DC, Arlington, Montgomery County and PG County all have citizen advisory boards for bicycling issues. If Alexandria has one they keep it a secret. I'm not sure if the PG County board - the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Group (BTAG) - still meets as they haven't updated their site in over a year. DC and Arlington call theirs the BAC - Bicycle Advisory Committee/Council. Montgomery County calls theirs the McBAG which sounds like the McDonald's Happy Meal for adults, but isn't.
The McBAG's last meeting for which notes are up was in January. They talked about priorities for the next year, the state bicycle symposium and Metro station design rules. Metro needs a lot of work to make the subway more bike friendly (the buses are fine except for the drivers). Covered parking, which McBAG mentions is one part - bike stations at most major stops would be great. Better security is needed - Metro stations are one of the most common places from which bikes are stolen. Even where bike stations are impractical, cameras would be useful. Improved access and design is key as well. It would be nice if stations had a way for bikes to get in other than elevators. On BART, some stations have stairs (They're like escalators, but they don't move) with stair channels to allow cyclists to wheel their bikes up and down. We need those where possible.