D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The BAC Safety, Education, and Enforcment Committee met on Tuesday, December 13. Thanks to Ellen Jones, Lt. Nick Breul of MPD, and Daniel Hoagland of WABA for coming. I think it marks a productive beginning to a working relationship between BAC and MPD. 1) Street Smart Campaign Activities . Lt. Breul provided an overview of activities in the recent round of Street Smart Campaign enforcement. It covered enforcement against pedestrians endangering themselves, motorists endangering pedestrians (not respecting pedestrians in crosswalks with flashing lights) and bicyclists riding in an unsafe manner. The Street Smart Campaign is organized by Lt. Breul using officers being paid for working overtime. It is paid for with special funds from NHTSA. Several of the activities involve teams of officers, thus the type of activities which wouldn’t be happening normally. They also involve a lot of education. Dan Hoagland of WABA got all the numbers in his recap: http://www.waba.org/blog/2011/12/safety

Below are twitter updates from tonight's WABA Women's Bicycling Forum at the West End Public Library from 6p to 8p. WABA has asked that the public use the twitter tag #womanbikedc to convey your thoughts about the forum. The goal of this conversation is to produce executable recommendations that utilize WABA's reach and resources to put more women on bikes. The event is open to the public to observe the discussion. You can read more about the forum here . Responses no longer available.

Bikes cueing Photo by theDCeye The Sustainable DC Working group is an effort by the District government to make a city that makes better and lasting environmentally progressive decisions. The transportation group is meeting at 441 4th St, NW (One Judiciary Square), Room 1114 from 6p to 8p Thursday, December 15.

At the BAC Facilities meeting held Tuesday, December 6, District Department of Transportation staff introduced a proposed map of bike lanes to be added to the system in 2012. The following map contains proposed bike infrastructure  improvements / ideas that could be implemented  within the District some time in calendar year 2012.  The items in red are improvements proposed for 2011 but not completed. DDOT hopes to include those routes in 2012.   One of the proposed routes include L and M Streets between Pennsylvania Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue NW.  While these lanes were planned for some time, the bike community voiced concern when Terry Bellamy said during his confirmation hearing as director of the DDOT  that the dedicated lanes were "on hold" and at the risk of cancellation, as reported by Washington Examiner and other information outlets.  Also, you can overlay the current bike lanes on the map. Click the larger view of this map and then the traffic link a

The next Legislative Committee meting will be Wednesday, December 7 at 6:30pm . The location will be Teasim at 400 8th St NW . David Cranor (At-Large - Orange ) is the Committee Chair and will meet at a large table in the basement of the restaurant. The agenda for the meeting will be:  Review of letter seeking status of compliance with the Bicycle Safety Enhancement Act . Parking report - Now that we have it, we need to decide if there are any legislative actions. The report does not completely meet the requirements of the law - for example it was never made public and doesn't include an evaluation of routes to facilities.  What has long been cited as the law (and included in every iteration of the WABA / DDOT Pocket Guide) as 18 DCMR 1201.2--which states a presumption that the cyclist right to the right, but with a number of clearly defined exceptions--is not actually the law. This was changed in a piece of legislation from 2006 for Segways, to make them exempt from certai

In 1896, civic rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony made the following statement about bicycling : " Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood ." From a Black Women Bike Ride Photo by theDCeye Monday, December 12, 2011, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association will hold a forum that hopes to determine why over a hundred years after her statement, there are statistically fewer women bicycling when compared with men.  The Women's Bike Forum (registration is required, space is limited) will begin at 6:00p until 8:00p at the in the small meeting room in the West End Neighborhood Public Library , 1101 24th Street NW. The roundtable discussion will include a panel of women who are active in the local bicycling community and will sha

Below is a public notice regarding the Rock Creek Park Trail as sent to the DC Bicyclists and Pedestrians List by the DDOT Bicycle program manager, James Sebastian.  BAC encourages the public to comment on this public facility that serves thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists in the region and allows for the safe access of Rock Creek Park. Map from NP This is the second meeting regarding the rehabilitation of this section of the trail. The open house and subsequent presentation will be held Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus, Auditorium , 3101 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20010 from 6:00p to 8:00p. The rehabilitation project cover the main trail and at least two tributaries, from Broad Branch Road, NW to P Street, NW.  It also includes the addition of new connections to the trail from the surrounding communities. The National Park Service (NPS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and the District of Columbia Departmen

Picture This , a photo by uno000 on Flickr. Workers making repairs to the New York Avenue overpass at the Metropolitan Branch Trail the morning of December 1 at around 9:30a.

The next Safety, Education, and Enforcement Committee meeting will be Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 6:30pm. The location will be Teasim at 400 8th St  NW.  The committee will meet in the basement. The agenda for the meeting will be: - Report on MPD outreach and education campaign (Lt. Breul) - Follow-up on Police Complaints Board report and Council hearing to-do items (Jameel) - Safety at the tweed ride (Randall) - City budget development around safety programs For more information about the meeting, please contact Jameel Alsalam , committee chair and Ward 4 representative.

The Facilities Committee of the Bicycle Advisory Council will meet Tuesday, December 6, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 PM at RFD, 810 7th St. NW (near Gallery Place  Metro). This will be one of only two sit-down meetings during the calendar year. Topics on the agenda include: -2012 bike lanes -Bicycle parking -Effective means of communicating input from rolling meetings -Effective means of assuring DDOT designers involve bike/ped office in  planning -Budget issues including getting routine maintenance of all bike trails and bike lanes For more information about the meeting, please contact Jeanie Osburn Ward 5 Representative and Facilities Committee chair you plan to attend or if you have other topics that you'd like addressed.

The map below shows road-related fatalities in the Washington region for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and vehicle occupants. The data is provided by ITO World , a United Kingdom-based organization that produces mapping and visualisations that help people understand and analyze complex transportation data. According to the ITO World website, the map contains road fatality information from several countries, including the United States. The US map shows virtually every fatality that occurred on roads as a result of a collision involving a motor vehicle between between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2009. By using the zoom bar on the left of the map, the "key" button and the search bar on the right, basic details of each incident are available including the general location, person's age, sex and the year in which the crash took place. While the data does not allow for the separation of crashes by transportation mode in a particular area, it does provide

dcbac , a set on Flickr. These are pictures of the new commercial / residential development at the Rhode Island Ave - Brentwood Station. Although still under construction, there does not seem to be any area designated for bike parking.

The National Park Service  (NPS) requests public comment regarding the installation of Capital Bikeshare stations on the National Mall. This represents a change from the previous NPS policy, which did not allow bike stations on NPS land.  In an  article  published September 22, 2010 by  Lydia DePillis  of the Washington City Paper, the reason for Capital Bikeshare restrictions was based of partly on concession contracts with companies that had the right of first refusal for services.  This appears to have changed as a result of demise of the Tourmobile operator.  In addition, Six members of Congress recently sent a letter to NPS urging them to follow through on its plans to allow Capital Bikeshare stations on the Mall. In changing its position, the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment website further states that, " Participating in this bikeshare system would fulfill the goal of enhancing bicycle use at the park, as envisioned in NAMA's 2008 National Mall Visitor

Pennsylvania Avenue intersection via Mike Goodno (DDOT) Mike Goodno , Bicycle Program Specialist within the Policy, Planning and Sustainability Administration of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) would like to know what bicyclists think about the proposal to remove the flexible protective white posts (safety bollards) near the ends of each intersection along the bicycling lanes in the center of Pennsylvania Avenue during snow season. DDOT is planning a strategy to clear the bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue because the bollards ensure that cars do not encroach into the bike lanes, especially when making left turns. This information my also be considered useful as for other bike lanes and cycletracks.   Mr. Gooodno posted the following message on the BAC group page: ...with the flexible posts and the center traffic lights, there is not enough space for a snowplow. We are considering removing the posts within the next few weeks and re-installing them in the spri

As a public service, below are bicycle-related comments/questions issued to Robert Thomson on his Monday midday Dr. Gridlock chat on the Washington Post website, unedited. Sign in question via Washcycle, photo by xosfan This week, just one comment about bicycling this week, this time in Virginia -  " Angst because of a lack of enforcement of bikes restrictions on the GW Parkway south of the beltway ..." While the discussion is focused on the south of I495 section in Alexandria, VA, the National Park Service also restrict bicycle usage on a small portion on Clara Barton Parkway in the District. Feel free to post your thoughts.

2011 DC Tweed Ride , a group on Flickr. On a great fall day, Dandies and Quaintrelles hosted its annual Tweed Ride around the District, Sunday, November 13, 2011. Events like this show how excited people are about bicycling for fun and points to the future biking has in the District. If you took pictures, Dandies and Quaintrelles asks that you post them on their Flickr page .

Below is a letter sent by BAC member Jeanie Osburn (Ward 5) regarding concerns associated with bicycle accessibility near and within the consolidated Department of Homeland Security Headquarters (DHS) at St. Elizabeths - East Campus. 

Below is a letter sent by the BAC Safety, Education, and Enforcement Committee.  The letter addresses some of the areas of concern discussed in the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) report released September 29, 2011, " Improving the Safety of Bicyclists and Enhancing Their Interaction with Metropolitan Police Department Officers ".

We are making some minor changes to the site today, some items may not be available for viewing or not be formatted properly.

Below is video of last week's hearing on the Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety; and Bill 19-475, Assault of Bicyclists Prevention Act of 2011 , Public Oversight Hearing held November 2nd at 11:00am in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building. To see what people thought about the hearing, please see the twitter responses .

As a public service, below are bicycle-related comments/questions issued to Robert Thomson on his Monday midday Dr. Gridlock chat on the Washington Post website, unedited. This week, just one comment about bicycling this week -  " who is responsible for enforcement against parked cars in the bike lane ..."  Feel free to post your thoughts. Parking in Bike Lanes Question. Is there any effort to increase enforcement against cars double parking in bike lanes. I was riding up 14th street Saturday night and a couple of restaurants have decided that the bike lane is actually a valet parking waiting area. They had the lane occupied for a whole block with empty cars waiting to be parked. Something tells me that should be illegal. Answer. Robert Thomson . Yep. That would be illegal. Have you called the D.C. police about it? With regard to this question, Randall Myers, DCBAC representative will send the following message to Dr. Gridlock: Regarding the question about the Metr

Below are twitter updates from today's Committee on the Judiciary hearing on Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety regarding Bill 19-475, Assault on Bicyclists Prevention Act of 2011. Feel free to add to the conversation using the application below.

On Wednesday, November 2nd, DCBAC will have its general meeting which will be held on the 11th floor of the One Judiciary Square building, 441 4th Street NW, in room 1114 and begin around 6p and last until about 8p. As always, DCBAC meetings are open to the public and we invite you to participate in our discussion about the District's bicycling issues. The meeting will likely discuss information within BAC committee reports as well as discuss the DC Council Committee on the Judiciary hearing held earlier that day on the Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety . DDOT representatives will also be in attendance to answer bicycling-related questions. When entering the building, please make sure to bring government-issued identification and use the south elevators to get to the 11th floor conference room.  Bicycle parking is available at the building entrance. We look forward to seeing you.

DCBAC mem b er Jeanie Osburn (Ward 5 representative) was contacted by the public regarding the removal of bike parking racks throughout the District.  It appears that the rack removal is part of street and sidewalk reconstruction but according to the complains received, the racks are not being reinstalled. DCBAC would like the public to continue to let us know if bike racks are being removed for reconstruction and not replaced by leaving a comment in the section below or by sending an email to dcbac@dcbac.org . You can also Tweet @DCBAC or use the hash tag of #MissingRacksDC. If you notice a rack is missing, send a message with its location (nearest cross street) and if possible, please send a picture.  You can post your pictures on DCBAC's Facebook page . The missing bike rack issue may point to a more comprehensive problem in that District Department of Transportation (DDOT) appears to distinguish between sidewalk / streetscape infrastructure maintenance and bicycling infras

Below are the minutes from the Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) Facilities Committee (FAC) October minutes which occurred  October 15, 2011 ------ Rolling meeting exploring the Far Southeast Livability Study Area Attendees: Mike Goodno (DDOT), Jeanie Osburn (BAC FAC) Recommendations: Improve bridge crossing conditions for cyclists and pedestrians on all bridges connecting the eastern and western sides of the city Change curb cuts on the downstream side of the Sousa bridge to facilitate cycling across the ramps Improve lighting on Nicholson St under the I-295 underpass Work with the Community prior to installing signs

As a public service, below are bicycle-related comments/questions issued to Robert Thomson on his Monday midday Dr. Gridlock chat on the Washington Post website, unedited. This week, three comments about bicycling. Two reference a proper notification of events that impede traffic " Why was every major route into the District from Virginia blocked for a bike event..." and a thank you from a bicyclists about drivers... Feel free to post your thoughts.

The final public scoping meeting displaying the revised alternatives on the preferred plan for the St. Elizabeths East Campus master land use and transportation plan will be held Thursday, October 27 from 7p to 9p at the Malcolm X Elementary School, 1351 Alabama Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20032 .   Hosted by the District Office of Planning and the Department of Transportation (DDOT), the meeting will specify how development will occur on the east side of the campus, which will include what will be built on the site and what transportation options the site will have, specifically, the site should maintain a focus on bicycle access.   The DCBAC hopes that you will submit your comments about potential bicycle improvements not only on the site but the improvement of access to the area from other parts of the region. Comments directed to the project manager can be sent to comments@stelizabethseast.com . If you prefer, you can post your comments using the comment field below.  

The DCBAC Facilities Committee will hold its October rolling meeting Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 9:30a to 11:30a. DCBAC appreciates your comments regarding bicycling in the area and invite residents and bicyclists to attend.  As a rolling meeting, those wanting to participate should at a minimum bring your bike, helmet and inter tubes. Due to waning daylight in October, this will be the final rolling facilities committee meeting of the calendar year.  The ride will begin at the southwest corner of M and 11th Streets SW SE (that's at the Navy Yard on the WEST side of the Anacostia). The meeting will ride over the 11th Street bridge into the Far Southeast  Livability Study area . The purpose of the study is to increase the livability and quality of life for residents and visitors to the area by making the area safer and more accessible to both residence and visitors who walk, bike, use public transportation or automobiles.  The meeting will cover some of the streets hig

Below is the Bicycle Design Guide , published by the District Department of Transportation DDOT in 2005.  Based on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, as well as DDOT staff, this guide provides a template for the planning, design and implementation of bicycle facilities within the District.  The Design Guide, intended to be a companion to the 2005 District Bicycle Master Plan , includes specifications for bicycle lanes, bicycle-related signs, and other facilities.  The Guide also is a resource for DDOT staff and consultants undertaking street resurfacing and reconstruction projects, developers, planners, and the general public who want to comply with or who are interested in recommend bicycle facility design standards. Bike Design Guide

Thursday, September 29, 2011, the District's Office of Police Complaints (OPC) and the Police Complaints Board issued a report entitled " Improving the Safety of Bicyclists and Enhancing Their Interaction with Metropolitan Police Department Officers ".  The report offers several recommendations on how to improve the relationship between the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and bicyclists as well as recommending a stronger and more communicative DC Bicycle Advisory Council. A copy of the OPC report appears at the end of this post (courtesy of the  Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA)). The 11-page report is the product of a February hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia's Committee on the Judiciary.  It discusses complaints from that hearing including 1) how MPD officers interpret the laws related to bicycling in the city, 2) how MPD officers ineffectively investigate crashes between motor vehicles and bicyclists, and; 3) the impression

The next scheduled meeting for the DCBAC Safety, Education, and Enforcement committee is Tuesday, October 4, 2011 . We will meet at 6:30 at Teaism , 400 8th Street NW. Jameel Alsalam is the committee chair, his email is ward4@dcbac.org . The agenda will include: 1. Follow-up on bicyclist enforcement problems/priorities after CM Mendelson letter transmitted a letter to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Lanier as a result of the enforcement hearing held earlier this year.  Discussion about the coming November meeting before the Committee on the Judiciary.  2. Funding of bike safety and education programs in the District, possibly in the context of changes to the federal transportation bill. 3. What connections are needed with MPD to address enforcement issues as they arise? 4. Any DCBAC role related to regular safety / education events such as Bike to Work Day,  Street Smart Campaign, etc? 5. Your ideas! Meetings are open to the public but space is limited.

Below are items that were not large enough to be a their own separate entry but important to report: Metropolitan Branch Trail Walk Monday, October 3, 2011, the students, faculty, and parents at Archbishop Carroll High School will begin their Homecoming week by walking nearly 2 miles on the Metropolitan Branch Trail in an effort to keep Carroll the most affordable Catholic high school in the Washington, D.C. area. Each student has begun to sell raffle tickets and last year, students helped to raise nearly $60,000.  The Archbishop Carroll High School Walk for Education began 20 years ago as a healthy fund-raising activity. If you have any questions or need any additional information about the Walk, please contact Crystal Rucker , Director of Advancement, at (202) 529-0900 x160 or crucker@archbishopcarroll.org . "Assault of Bicyclists Prevention Act" Moves from the Committee on the Environment, Public Works, and Transportation Jonathon Kass , Director for Special Initi

Photo by thedceye The Committee on the Judiciary will hold a public oversight hearing on the Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety , Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:00a in Room 412 of the John A.Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.  Council member Phil Mendelson is the Chairperson of this Committee with  Marion Barry , Muriel Bowser , Mary Cheh , and Jack Evans as Committee members. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss issues associated with the enforcement of laws and other rules that are intended to protect bicyclists and pedestrians.  The hearing will focus on how the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and other enforcement agencies have applied certain traffic laws or safety regulations. According to the Committee, there have been specific complaints and anecdotal evidence showing that the enforcement of laws has been inconsistently applied against bicyclists and pedestrians.  In addition, MPD will likely attend to discuss concerns that the Dist

On Thursday, September 22, NBC4 posted a report by Jackie Benson regarding an increase in thefts involving culprits on bicycles.  According to the report, an email issued by the 3rd District Commander, Jacob Kishter , stated police would increase enforcement in robbery areas, including in introduction of stopping bicyclist to see if they are stolen or were used in the commission of a crime. However, the story focused on the following: "If the rider cannot prove ownership, take the bike for safekeeping until they can prove ownership." View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com . That statement, of course, set the blogesphere and Twitterverse ablaze. Shani Hilton of the Washington City Paper who was concerned that this policy would not only be impractical but probably racist.  Even DCBAC picket up on the story while it was still influx and tweeted: "Okay, so #MPD are stopping bicyclists and confiscating bikes but aren't profiling! Not Good. washingtonci

The next scheduled meeting for the DCBAC Legislative Committee is October 5, 2011 at 6:30pm at The Union Pub , 201 Massachusetts Ave NE , Washington , DC 20002 .  Please check back, the date and location of the meeting are subject to change. The following topics will be discussed: 1. Complete Streets policy and whether a law would be better. 2. The Legislative Committee chair is in the process of putting together a Freedom of Information Act request for a bicycle parking report as required under the Bicycle Parking Expansion Act of 2007 . Also, the Committee will discuss drafting a letter to the Department of Public Works and District Department of Transportation requesting their status in implementing the Bicycle Safety Enhancement Amendment Act of 2008 's requirements. 3. Continue discussion regarding the District's proposed pedicab regulations from the previous meeting, which will include discussion of the following comments received by the committee chair: Rul

At the last DC Bicycle Advisory Council meeting held Wednesday, September 7, WABA discussed its efforts to introduce legislation before the Council of the District of Columbia to create better protections for bicyclists who are harassed or threaten by motorists. According to WABA, the proposed law creates a civil right of action for an assaulted cyclist and   provides for attorneys fees if the cyclist-plaintiff prevails--thereby providing an incentive for attorneys to represent the victim. Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells will co-introduce an anti-harassment bill with Ward 2's Jack Evans and Ward 1's Jim Graham . Below is a resolution supporting the anti-harassment bill and the rights of  bicyclists who use of District streets. Resolution - Support of Bicyclists Rights

As a public service, below are bicycle-related comments/questions issued to Robert Thomson on his Monday midday Dr. Gridlock chat on the Washington Post website, unedited. This week, two comments about bicycling - "Why share Beach Drive when trail is right there" and "Bicyclists don't follow the rules"... Feel free to post your thoughts.

Below are pictures from the Saturday, September 10, 2011 Day of Service on the Metropolitan Branch Trail.  Volunteers from the community and trail users cleared and cleaned the trail from Franklin Street NE to R Street NE spending a part of this weekend giving back, helping to maintain a public asset. The event was sponsored by the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy and its Director of Trail Development, Kelly Pack , the NOMA BID , the DDOT Bicycle program's Heather Deutsch . If you are interested in being a part of future activities on the trail join the Metropolitan Branch Trail Facebook group or the Yahoo group Listserv .

Tonight, Wednesday September 7th, DCBAC will have its general meeting. The meeting will be in Room 1114 at 441 4th Street NW (One Judiciary Square) and begin at 6pm. We will start the meeting with a presentation by the DC Office of Planning on Mayor Gray's new sustainability initiative. Please feel free to invite other interested cyclists to join us for the presentation. Folks are welcome to stay for the rest of the DCBAC meeting as well. Below is a draft agenda: 1. Introductions (10 minutes) 2. DC Office of Planning Sustainability Presentation with Q&A (30 minutes) 3. Approval of Minutes (5 minutes) 4. Legislative Committee Report and Discussion (20 minutes) 5. Safety Committee Discussion (10 minutes) 6. Facilities Committee Report and Discussion (20 minutes) 7. Planning Committee Discussion (5 minutes) 8. Other Business (20 minutes)

Below are notes from the far northeast livability study area riding meeting hosted by Jeanie Osburn,  BAC Facility Advisory Committee (FAC) chair.  ----