New Pennsylvania Ave. Bike Lanes Expected by May
By DCist Contributor Joe Danielewicz
D.C. cyclists could be riding down new bike paths in the heart of downtown as soon as May, after getting a first glimpse of the plans Thursday night.
It's part of DDOT's "Innovative Bike Lane" program, a result of a 2005 bicycle master plan for the District. The cost of converting the lanes is estimated to be between $500,000 and $1 million, money already in DDOT's budget.
The first lanes completed will be two bike lanes in the median on Pennsylvania Ave. NW between 15th St. and 3rd St. NW, and a small spur connecting L St. to M St. in Georgetown. "The time frame is as soon as possible," said Jim Sebastian, bike coordinator for the District's Department of Transportation. DDOT will incorporate minor changes based on a review of comments at Thursday's gathering, refine the designs and then begin actual road work in April. The city expects to complete the Pennsylvania Ave. lanes by Bike to Work Day, on May 13.
After Pennsylvania Ave., DDOT plans to work on bike lanes along L St., followed by I St., 15th and 9th. Sebastian said he expects all five projects to be completed by the fall.
In general, the addition of new bike lanes will mean removing a lane of car traffic and replacing it with bike lanes (except for Pennsylvania Ave., which will be placed in a currently unused median). The exact styling is still being determined, but will most likely involve a painted road surface and fixed barrier between cyclists and car traffic. The bike lanes for I and L streets will be along the left side, while the 9th St. portion will most likely be a contraflow path or two separate bike paths along the sides of traffic.
The lanes on L St. will flow from 12th St. to 25th St.; I Street lanes between 11th St. and 21st St.; extend the current 15th Street lanes south to Pennsylvania Ave.; and 9th St. south to Constitution Ave.
Area cyclists were able to speak directly with DDOT staffers, see street-by-street schematics of the proposed layouts and leave comments at the meeting inside the United States Navy Memorial's Heritage Center.
DDOT has the support of the Golden Triangle and the Downtown Business Improvement Districts for the project. The three groups having been surveying streets for the impact on businesses, according to Ellen Jones, the Downtown BID's director of transportation programs. She applauds DDOT's willingness to collaborate on the project and incorporate business' needs into the plan (such as locating alternate delivery zones). "We're only going to get a chance to do this once, so we really need to try and do it right."
DDOT will review the paths' effectiveness later in the year and refine the lanes if necessary.
Sarah Graddy is a cyclist who attended the meeting and is excited by the plans.
"It's really great. It really makes it much easier for me to plan to bike everywhere."