D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

Bicycling Rhode Island Avenue DC Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) Facilities Committee (FAC) Report from April “Rolling” meeting The DC BAC FAC conducts exploratory rides in different areas of the City in the months of April, June, August, and October. The purpose of these rides it to provide the City with input from a cyclist’s perspective on areas where cycling improvements are needed, or in areas that are slated for major redevelopment. Ride: Rhode Island Avenue Route: Rhode Island Avenue from Logan Circle to Eastern Avenue Date: April 14, 2012 Attendees: Jeanie Osburn, BAC FAC Chair Ellen Jones, BAC Chair Randal Myers, BAC member (at large) Jameel Alsalam, BAC member (Ward 4) Mike Goodno, DDOT bike/ped coordinator’s office John Iskander, Friends of Rhode Island Ave ...

At the April meeting of the BAC Safety, Education, and Enforcement committee, we discussed the Street Smart Campaign, interviewing of injured crash participants, crash report oversight processes, and possibilities for changing the PD-10 crash report form. Thank to attendees: Commander Crane and Lt. Breul of MPD, Dan Hoagland of WABA, Randall, David, and Alphonso of BAC, and Katie Mencarini of Toole Design. 1. Update on Street Smart Campaign Lt. Breul and Commander Crane provided an update on the Street Smart Campaign enforcement going on in April. The week of 4/10 was the week of bicycling enforcement, following weeks of pedestrian and motorist enforcement. There are a lot of new posters related to distracted driving posted around the city. Through the bicycling week of Street Smart enforcement, there have been mountain-bike mounted police officers participating in enforcement. In addition, the breath program will be starting up again in July. Officers have been instructed to focus o...

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's comment is about bicyclists who ride against traffic.  WABA has produced a document that discusses safe riding techniques for children  and debunks some bicycling-related myths. It says that bicyclists should ride on the right with traffic because motorists expect traffic to be coming in a particular direction.  Wrong way cyclists Question: I work on a one-way street with bike lanes. You would not believe (or may be you would) the number of cyclists going against traffic. Can you please get the word out that people get killed that way. The bike lanes follow the same rules as the regular lanes. A great deal of these folks are riding the red rent-a-bikes and riding without helmets. I like Bike Share but perhaps some read of the rules should be a requirement . Answer:   Robert T...

Saturday, April 14, 2012, the BAC Facilities Committee will hold a "rolling meeting" along Rhode Island Avenue, NE . The ride will begin at Logan Circle around 1:00p go to Eastern Avenue and then return to Logan Circle.  We invite you to attend  to ask questions or just have fun on a ride. Please see a map of the route . This ride is in partnership with the Friends of Rhode Island Avenue , a volunteer community organization that works to raise awareness of this corridor and to advocate for its positive redevelopment. The ride will have a rest stop at Rita's Italian Ice , 2318 Rhode Island Avenue (at Kerney Street NE). Rita's is a member of Friends of Rhode Island Avenue and will offering  a free cup of  water ice to all who join the ride. The total distance is approximately 8 miles and contains sections of hilly terrain. Specifically: eastbound (toward Maryland), from about 1st Street NW to Summit Place NE and from the The B&O Bridge (Red Line Metr...

Safety, Education, and Enforcement Committee will be held   Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 6:30pm at  Teaism , 400 8th Street NW  in the basement eating area. The meeting will be held by  Jameel Alsalam , committee chair and Ward 4 representative. Agenda: Update on recent Street Smart Campaign enforcement  MPD crash report form discussion (does it have the necessary fields to record cyclist crashes?)  Crash response oversight processes at MPD As always, the public is welcomed to attend.