New bike lanes

[from Joseph Martin, ANC 4C Chair]

In the coming weeks, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will be installing bicycle lanes on the following streets in Petworth:
- 7th Street NW from Rock Creek Church Road to Sherman Circle; and
- 5th Street NW from Grant Circle to Rock Creek Church Road NW.

5TH STREET - SOUTH FROM GRANT CIRCLE
In order to accommodate the 5th Street bicycle lane, one of the southbound, travel lanes will be eliminated. Current parking (curb) lanes will remain the same. DDOT estimates existing, southbound, traffic volume can be accommodated in one lane and may provide the added benefit of traffic-calming. The bike lane would mean an additional white stripe between the parking stripe and the travel lane, creating a five-foot-wide bicycle lane marked by the symbol of a bicycle and an arrow pointing in the direction of travel.

7TH STREET NW - NORTH TO SHERMAN CIRCLE FROM ROCK CREEK CHURH RD.
Parking lanes and and automobile traffic lanes will not be affected. The bicycle lane will be installed on the right side of 7th Street NW.

DDOT's Jim Sebastian, the manager for bicycle, pedestrian and transportation demand-management programs, in a letter to ANC 4C, pointed out the benefits of installing bicycle lanes:

- They clearly delineate the space for bicycles and cars, allowing both to move in a straighter, more predictable manner.
- They encourage bicyclists to ride on the right-side of the road. (Wrong-way riding is against the law and a common cause of bicycle crashes.)

The installation of bicycle lanes on 5th and 7th Streets is a continuation of the installation of bicycle lanes all over the city including those nearby on Kansas Avenue NW, 4th Street NW near Howard University, 11th Street NW in Columbia Heights and 7th Street NW in Shaw.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call DDOT's Jim Sebastian at 202-671-2331.

Comments

[Joe Martin]

The CBS "Sunday Morning" program ran a great piece this morning (7.27.08) on the increase in bicycling in cities.

Link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml

Might have to cut and paste.

Looks like Portland, Oregon, is leading the way.

Reminds me that Jim Sebastian of DDOT (DC Department of Transportation) deserves much credit for succeeding in revamping the city to make it more bike-friendly.

Now if we can just get more drivers to be sensitive to bicyclists and pedestrians, how much friendlier the streets would be.

For the sake of transparency, I do work for Mayor Fenty... Even if I was at my old line of work, producing and managing film and television projects (my more immediate previous work life) and never set foot inside the DC government, I'd still be praising Jim Sebastian, a very committed, forward-thinking guy.

[Bill]

I saw crews out yesterday marking the road for the new striping. Besides the benefit for biking, I think making southbound 5th St single-lane will have a nice traffic calming effect, which I hear neighbors on those blocks are happy about.

As an aside, seems like proximity to bike lanes could help house values, like being close to public transit... the way gas prices are going...

[crazydem]

As someone who bikes to work, I'd like to see a bike lane on Sherman Street (or is that NH?)from the metro to Park Road where it's easy to pick up the 11th street bike lane. that's a common path of bikers. 11th street is great for biking downtown. I recommend it.

[Cornbread]

This is outstanding!

[SM]

Yes! I'm thrilled to hear this. One issue though...the bike lanes on 5th St south of Petworth as you go by the reservoir are full of broken glass. Can we make sure the bike lanes get regular street cleaning?

I'm very happy that DC is adding so many new bike lanes -- thanks to those helping make this happen.