D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee (SEE) will reconvene at the Penn Quarter Teaism after a brief hiatus. SEE will meet 6:00 PM, Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at Teaism, 400 8th Street NW , Penn Quarter. BAC welcomes Andrea Adleman as the new chair of this committee as she focuses more attention on the education of District bicyclists and the people who interact with them, among other things. Andrea is an avid cyclist who who frequently partners with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, most recently with the Women and Bicycles program. She is also communications consultant, journalist, food critic, cupcakologist and otherwise dynamic individual. Preliminary agenda items include next steps following Council Member Cheh's December 16 Public Roundtable on the District's Bicycle Infrastructure Master Plan , a look back at past committee work and ideas about future projects. Please support her and bring your ideas to the downstairs section of Teaism. 

The Committee on Transportation and the Environment will hold a public roundtable on the Bicycle Infrastructure Master Plan , Monday, December 16, 2013 at 11:00 AM in Room 500 of the John A.Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The Committee invites the public to testify to help inform the Council and the District regarding the future of bicycling in the District. BAC invites cyclists to either testify in-person, submit a written statement or attend the hearing. The hearing will also be televised local cable channel 13 and online . If you have thoughts about the plan, please let us know in the comments below or twitter @DCBAC using the #DCBikePlan hashtag. According to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the current Bicycle Master Plan established basic goals and an implementation strategy for creating high-quality bicycle facilities and programs during a 10 year period.  That plan was published by  DDOT in 2005 and does not include many improve...

Our December Bicycle Advisory Council Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) meeting will be Monday , December 2 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Shaw's Tavern , 520 Florida Avenue NW. The agenda includes discussion of fostering effective engagement with the National Park Service (NPS) and prioritizing projects which involve NPS property or an in District control but must adhere to certain NPS requirements. The National Park Service operates several large and small parks in and around the District. Some categorized the relationship between NPS and the region's bicyclists and pedestrians as cool at best and acrimonious at worst, with cyclists wanting expanded and safer access to NPS facilities and NPS being focusing on larger or high profile parks, preservation, and fiscal constraints.

The bimonthly BAC meeting is Wednesday, November 6, beginning at 6pm. BAC will discuss reports from our subcommittees and other bike-related topics including the status of bicycle facilities by the District Department of Transportation. The meeting will take place at 441 4th Street, NW at One Judiciary Square, in Room 1114, which is on the 11th floor. Please remember to bring government identification to enter the building. To get to the meeting room, please use the South lobby elevators. Bicycle parking is available in front of the building please remember to also bring your bike lock. As always, BAC meetings are open to the public and we encourage you sharing your thoughts.

Below are observations from Monday, October 7, "Get to the Park" BAC Facilities meeting from the BAC-FAC chair, Jeanie Osburn ( BAC-FAC@dcbac.org ): To Rock Creek District Department of Transportation staff person Mike Goodno and I rode around Columbia Heights last night looking for good routes from east-to-west and west-to-east to get to Rock Creek Park from the Park View section of the District. (This mid-city north, east-west corridor will likely be important as more bicyclists travel across town.)  By 5pm the rain had stopped, so the ride was dry.

As the WeMoveDC process begins its transition from the information gathering to the planning stage, the ideas that they've gathered from thousands of District residents are now coming together - on maps. In anticipation of WeMoveDC's third round of  Workshops – Ideas to moveDC - beginning October 21, BAC has obtained a draft version of the WeMoveDC maps that list ideas and approached for the District's bicycle facilities (displayed below). There are a lot of moving parts in this process, but thanks to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), we now have maps that break them into component as well as composite maps. BAC would like #BikeDC to look at these maps and either tell us what you think or tell WeMoveDC at its upcoming meetings. We'd also like you to note if anything should be included, for example, with all these new routes, what about safe, secure bicycle parking? WeMoveDC has three approaches or alternatives loosely based on themes of 1) Stay ...

Earlier this year, Council member's Mary M. Cheh and Tommy Wells introduced the Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 (Bill 20-0140) .  The purpose of this bill is to streamline and update certain aspects of the District's bicycling laws. The document below contains two files, the Draft Committee Report and its Fiscal Impact Statement. The Committee on Transportation and the Environment's report explains in detail how the Council envisions the implementation and purpose of the law and what has transpired between the introduction and the anticipated final vote. As required for most legislation, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer produced a Fiscal Impact Statement (FIS), which determines how the proposed legislation could affect the District financial plan and how much the law could potentially cost to implement. The FIS also provides a clear and brief explanation of the legislation. This document starts on page 10 below. B20-140 Draft Committee Report and ...

Please join the Bicycle Advisory Council's Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) for its October 7, 2013 ride this Monday. The ride will began at approximately 6:00 PM 5:00 PM from the intersection of Park Road and Park Place NW on the west side of the Armed Forces Retirement Home (Old Soldier's Home) in the Park View section of the District. The objective is to scout reasonable east / west routes across Columbia Heights from Old Soldier's Home to Rock Creek Park.  We will be accompanied by a representative from the District Department of Transportation, who will help answer your questions. Please remember to bring a helmet and installed front and rear bike lights. For those on the list who ride that area frequently have suggested routes or if you have questions about the ride, please contact Jeanie Osburn ( BAC-FAC@dcbac.org ), chair of this committee.

The next bimonthly Legislative Committee Meeting will be held at the Busboys and Poets , 1025 5th Street NW Teaism , 400 8th Street NW. The Wednesday, October 2nd meeting will begin at 6:30pm and last until around 8:00pm. Please feel free to join us to discuss the District's laws as they pertain to bicycling. The agenda will include a discussion of the recently proposed Used Bicycle Sales Amendment Act of 2013 introduced by Council Member Muriel Bowser . This proposed law appears reduce some of the legal and administrative hurdles involved with businesses interested in buying or selling used bicycles. The law also could provide an entry point for people unable to purchase more expensive new bicycles for sale at District shops. Some have argued; however, that the application of the proposed law would be onerous for bicycle stores and because of the potential of a "quick sell", could exacerbate bike theft not only in the District but also regionally. If you canno...

Last month, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) made changes to the proposed M Street NW cycle track. The changes removed the cycle track portion between 15th and 16th Streets NW and replaced it with a bicycle lane. Below is a letter sent to the Director of DDOT, Terry Bellamy, certain Council members and other DDOT staff: BAC Response to MStreetCycleTrack Changes by D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The bimonthly BAC meeting is Wednesday, September 4, beginning at 6pm. BAC will discuss reports from our subcommittees and other bike-related topics including the status of bicycle facilities by the District Department of Transportation. The meeting will take place at 441 4th Street, NW at One Judiciary Square, in Room 1114, which is on the 11th floor. Please remember to bring government identification to enter the building. To get to the meeting room, please use the South lobby elevators. Bicycle parking is available in front of the building please remember to also bring your bike lock. As always, BAC meetings are open to the public and we encourage you sharing your thoughts.

The next bimonthly Legislative Committee Meeting will be held Wednesday, August 7th at 6:30pm at the Mount Vernon Square Busboys and Poets , 1025 5th Street NW. Please feel free to join us to discuss the District's laws as they pertain to bicycling. Just added: The agenda examines the impact of the recently approved Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 and specifically the following issues: 1. Bicycle Safety Amendment Act Status - First vote on 7/10 Unanimous yes. 2. Encouraging DC to offer its employees a bicycle commuter benefit ( http://dchr.dc.gov/page/employee-commuter-benefits ) 3. Getting DC to enforce the Bicycle Commuter and Parking Expansion Amendment Act of 2010 (seek help from Kenyon McDuffie in his role as oversight of the Government Operations committee and Vincent Orange as head of Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs committee) and to fund the truck guards called for in the Bicycle Safety Enhancement Act of 2008. 4. Walk-on items If you cannot at...

Please join the Bicycle Advisory Council's Facilities Committee (BAC FAC) for a ride August 10, 2013 to check on signage and trail connectivity between the District and the trails of Prince Georges County.  The ride will began at approximately 10:00am at the NOMA Gallaudet Metrorail station . Please arrive at the starting point a few minutes beforehand. The ride should last no more than three hours. Specifically, the ride will begin at the NOMA Gallaudet Metrorail station (near the N Street NE entrance) and will travel north on the Metropolitan Branch Trail . The route will pass the new trail extension, which runs besides the nearly completed Monroe Street Market . The ride will then turn east near Fort Totten and use the streets and trails that connect the District to the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia Tributary trail system in Maryland. We will return using a similar route. This connection differs from the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail route, which runs parallel to the ...

The Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee (SEE) will hold its bimonthly meeting Wednesday, August 21st, 6 PM at Busboys and Poets , 5th and K Street, NW. Hopefully, we can sit outside on the patio. We invite all interested bicyclists to attend as the meeting is open to the public. Please RSVP Ellen Jones, the Ward 3 Bicycle Advisory Council Chair, at ward3@dcbac.org and bring your ideas on the 21st. The purpose of the meeting is 2-fold: Establish priorities for the SEE committee to work on in the coming fiscal year Elect a chairperson. Appointed BAC members will be able to vote for the chairperson, but the chairperson need not be an appointed BAC member. Ellen Jones attended the most recent DC Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) meeting. The PAC expressed ideas that they are considering for its FY 14 workplan , which BAC shares with the PAC.

Bridge Connections by Ranpuba, on Flickr The South Capitol Street Corridor Project will dramatically change major street so that it becomes an inviting thoroughfare that leads people to the District's core. The question is will it be a good bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians? Officially called the South Capitol Street Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) , a meeting will be held Tuesday, July 30, 2013 to discuss the current plans for the street, which includes the replacement of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, its approaches on both sides of the Anacostia River in Wards 6 and 8, and the rebuilding of highway interchanges at interstate 295 and the Suitland Parkway to its beginnings near the Capitol grounds. The South Capitol Street Corridor Project Information Update Meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, 10 “I” Street, SW. The nearest Metrorail station is the Green Line (Navy Yard-Ballpark). Bike parking will be limit...

The Spanish term " Ciclovía " ( pronunciation ) or open streets effectively means a temporary and periodic closing of a street to motorized vehicle traffic and opening it for pedestrians, bicycles and other uses. Created in Bogota, Columbia in the 1970s, it's an event that typically happens once a month or more, removing automobile parking and closing streets to car traffic for part or all of a day. While bicycling is the major attraction, many the streets are opened for mass exercising, small concerts and other activities. In many cases, local businesses participate by temporarily moving seating or functions into the street or onto the sidewalk. While other cities like Portland , Atlanta , Baltimore and New York have events like this regularly, the District does not. What if we did? What if U Street were closed each Sunday morning from Georgia Avenue to 18th Street NW? What about M Street NW between the Key Bridge and 28th Street one Saturday morning a month? ...

The Idaho Stop is an Idaho traffic law that effectively allows bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and not come to a complete stop at most signed intersections. This effectively allows for a rolling stop at signs. BAC wants to know what you think of the Idaho Stop law and if it, or something like it, should be enacted in the District. Create in 1982, the Idaho Stop does not give bicyclists carte blanche , they must yield to the right of way if there are other vehicles or pedestrians at intersections. UrbanVelo has a nice video ( at the end of this page ) explaining the Idaho Stop and its potential implementation in Oregon. BikePortland also provides a FAQ page explaining how it works. Currently according to WABA's Pocket Guide , DC regulations state that bicyclists "have all the general rights and duties of drivers of vehicles " but bicyclists but must also follow "the instructions of official traffic control signals, signs, and other con...

Please join the Bicycle Advisory Council's Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) on a ride or 'rolling meeting' Saturday July 20, 2013, beginning at 1:30p. The second ride of the season will explore access the Capital Crescent trail within the District. The Capital Crescent trail (CCT) is a popular transportation route for bicyclists, however, access to the trail for District residents is limited. The main access points in the District are in Georgetown beneath the Key Bridge, Norton Street, NW and Fletcher's Boathouse .  Access to the boathouse location is particularly difficult for cyclists and pedestrians because the of a lack of sidewalks or signalization along Canal Road NW. Access at Norton Street is also difficult do to a lack of signage identifying the location of the trail entrance. The BAC-FAC team will be riding the CCT starting from the Georgetown entrance continuing to Norton Street and into Ward 3, stopping along the way to view access points.  We will likel...

The Grist posted a nifty video (see below) that provides tips to new bicyclists on how to push that first pedal. While the video is fun to watch, it also suggest two different left turning techniques that could appear on our streets -- the "Standard Left" and the "Copenhagen Left". The standard left makes the turn just like a vehicle - the bicyclist signals, moves into the left lane, and then turns left. The Copenhagen left is like how a pedestrian crosses a street - a bicyclist stays right and crosses the street that they would like to turn left on, turns their bike so that they are going the correct direction, then waits for the signal (Sounds complicated but it's not). While the Copenhagen left seem to take longer than the standard left, many feel that it is generally a safer way to turn because it reduces the chance of an auto crash. While not popular in the US, it's gaining popularity as communities create bike-specific signalization and r...

Prior to July 1, there were no provisions for bicycle parking near for the July 4 Independence Day celebration on the National Mall. BAC drew attention to this issue and appears that bike parking is now available. The July 4th festivities on the National Mall allow visitors and those who live in the greater Washington area, the opportunity to celebrate the nation's independence. However, given the enhanced security checkpoints surrounding the area, getting to the Mall is nothing to celebrate. With Metrorail setting  ridership records and well has suffering break downs routinely, visitors and residents turned to bicycles. In prior years, the National Park Service (NPS) contracted with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association to manage bike valets at large Mall events like the Presidential Inauguration, the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Independence Day celebrations. As of July 1, GoDCGo , which is a transportation initiative sponsored by the District Department of Trans...

The bimonthly BAC meeting is Wednesday, July 10, beginning at 6pm. BAC will discuss reports from our subcommittees and other bike-related topics including the status of bicycle facilities by the District Department of Transportation. The meeting will take place at 441 4th Street, NW at One Judiciary Square, in Room 1114, which is on the 11th floor. Please remember to bring government identification to enter the building. To get to the meeting room, please use the South lobby elevators. Bicycle parking is available in front of the building, please remember to also bring your bike lock. As always, BAC meetings are open to the public and we encourage you sharing your thoughts.

This very short section of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) is expected to be completed some time in July or August according to the Monroe Street Market twitter page and TheWashCycle , respectively. “ @MBTinDC : @MonroeStMarket Is this section of the #metbranchtrail set to open in July or later?” - Expectation is in July. — Monroe Street Market (@MonroeStMarket) June 26, 2013 The approximately 0.1 mile section runs roughly parallel to the Brookland CUA metrorail station and the new Monroe Street Market development beginning at 8th and Monroe to a slip lane that runs beneath the Michigan Avenue NE. Section of MBT @ Monroe Street Market - June 27. A photo by Ranpuba on the @DCBAC Flickr Page This Section of the MBT in April 2013. A photo by Ranpuba on the @DCBAC Flickr Page This section of the trail connects the 8th Street NE sharrow with the trail/sharrow portion of the MBT that runs along John McCormick Avenue NE, next to Catholic University of America.  ...

The June 2013 Legislative Committee Meeting will be this Wednesday,   June 5 at 6:00pm at the patio at Busboys and Poets. The agenda is open but includes a discussing  talking points for council member staff and drafting letters for potential legislative goals.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact the committee chair, David Cranor .  We look forward to seeing you there.

Pennsylvania Avenue by @Ranpuba The Wednesday, May 29 Pennsylvania Avenue Plan meeting was well-attended by those concerned about the safety transportation corridor, in particular, bicyclists who use the street's center-aligned bike lanes to travel east and west within the District's downtown core. However, according to the meeting’s National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) presenter, the meeting wasn’t about bike lanes.   Instead, the meeting discussed the alternatives to the current management structure of the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site plan . Under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Park Service must also hold this consultation meeting to discuss if proposed changes will have an impact on the historic resources of the site.  While this issue appears less than what bicyclists hoped, it actually provided an opportunity to discuss the corridor and provide suggestions as to how the street could be more inviting to ...

Although the Pennsylvania Avenue is a major street in the District, most people do not know that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has limited control over how it is maintained, its designed or what amenities are situated along it.  While Congress may exercise its control, Pennsylvania Avenue has several entities that have some authority over the street. Many of them will be at the Pennsylvania Avenue Plan public meeting, Wednesday, May 29 to discuss the future of the street and who will be responsible for its long-term planning. The government participants will include the National Park Service (NPS), the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), General Services Administration (GSA), and the District of Columbia. The meeting will be from 5:00p to 7:00p at NCPC’s offices, 401 9th Street, NW.

As a public service, DCBAC periodically views bicycle-related comments / questions issued to Robert Thomson on his Monday midday Dr. Gridlock chat on the Washington Post website, unedited. This week, comments regarding Bike to Work Day and riding on the sidewalk. Feel free to comment.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held its public meeting to discuss the proposed M Street NW cycle track, also called a protected bike lane, Wednesday, May 15 at the West End Public Library.  Most of the discussion involved how the proposed cycle track would impact those who attend the 175 year-old Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal church ( @MetropolitanAME ) in the1500 block of M Street. M Street Cycle track Meeting (Photo: @ranpuba) DDOT Presentation The second floor meeting room of the West End Library appeared to be near capacity with almost every seat taken and several standing when DDOT staff comprise of Associate Director Sam Zimbabwe, Bicycle Program Coordinator James Sebastian and  Bike Program Planner Mike Goodno began their presentation of the project. The presentation initially discussed certain functional highlights of the bike lane including the integration of automobile turning lanes and protected green sections for the safety ...

This Wednesday, May 15, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will hold a public meeting to discuss the planned installation of protected bicycle lanes along M Street, from Thomas Circle to 28th. The public meeting will also discuss some of the observations of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association walking tour of M Street held Monday, May 6. The meeting will be held at the West End Library , 1101 24th St. NW, beginning at 6:30 pm. BAC encourages you to attend this meeting so that DDOT can include your concerns or suggestions in its design for this new infrastructure. The one-way westbound M Street lanes will provide needed crosstown access for bicyclists and complements the L Street lanes, which were constructed last year.  DDOT and WABA staff noted that it was important for the bicycling community to attend the meeting so that certain concerns addressed during the M Street walk and lessens learned from the installation of the L Street lanes are discussed. For e...

The bimonthly BAC meeting is this Wednesday evening beginning at 6pm, May 1, 2013. BAC will discuss reports from our subcommittees and other bike-related topics including the status of bicycle facilities by the District Department of Transportation. The meeting will take place at 441 4th Street, NW at One Judiciary Square, in Room 1114, which is on the 11th floor. Please remember to bring government identification to enter the building. To get to the meeting room, please use the South lobby elevators. Bicycle parking is available in front of the building, please remember to also bring your bike lock. As always, BAC meetings are open to the public and we encourage you sharing your thoughts.

Tuesday, April 9, 2-13, WeMoveDC held a web-based chat regarding transportation challenges both in the District and regionally. Below is a log containing questions asked and answers provided by WeMoveDC / District Department of Transportation staff. Audience Question: Q: Will the slides from this presentation be made available to us after the workshop (emailed or at a website?) A: Yes, on the website under the resources tab on the website. www.wemoveDC.org Audience Question: Q: how about taxi drivers? A: DDOT works on this with the taxi cab commission, both specifically and generally. Special outreach has been done with this group. Audience Question: Q: How can create a better funding and governance mechanism for regional transportation (From Baltimore to Richmond, from Annapolis to Dulles)? A: We are working with regional, state, and local partners to start to identify solutions. MWCOG has an important role in the finance and funding discussion. Recently, Virg...

Below are images of the installation of a new traffic signal near the 5200 block of North Capitol Street as it crosses Hamilton Street. The signal will allow bicyclists to use Hamilton Street eastbound and Gallatin Street westbound instead of using Gallatin as a bi-directional bicycle sharrow on a one-way vehicular street. The installation of the traffic signal will also allow pedestrians, bicyclists and cars to cross North Capitol street, which can be difficult due to heavy traffic in the blocks between Missouri Avenue and Gallatin Street and the relatively high rate of vehicle speed during off-peek travel hours.

Please join the Bicycle Advisory Council's Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) on a ride or 'rolling meeting', Saturday April 20, 2013, The first ride of the season will explore access into and out of the area around the new Costco Warehouse Club store located at 2441 Market Street NE. The ride will begin at 1:30pm, and start at the Union Station bike station , near First Street NE and Massachusetts Avenue NE. The ride will end at the NoMa-Gallaudet Metrorail Station. As always, we strongly recommend that you bring a helmet and reserve the right not to allow you on this ride without one. Please plan to arrive about 15 minutes before the ride begins, we will leave promptly at 1:30pm . Below is a tentative route map: View BAC FAC Ride #1 2013 (Costco) in a larger map This BAC-FAC ride highlights a void in the District's current bicycle network. Access to the Costco area, also called Fort Lincoln, by biking or walking is difficult for many reasons. The Anacostia R...