DDOT Priorities

Posted By Si Kailian, 10/21/09 8:14 AM

While we are waiting for the notes from last night, I'll just throw this out for discussion... While reviewing potential changes to K Street with Councilmember Jack Evans, there were some spirited disagreements. Evans stated he hadnt taken a position on which option he would support but he was adamant that the current configuration didnt work. He stated that the goal to him was to move all modes of transportation successfully but imho he seemed to favor cars. for example when the concept of adding bike lanes to K street was brought up, Evans countered with the argument that it takes space away from cars. He brought up his own driving habits. Another neighbor inquired about the broader direction of the city towards concepts like making the city more walkable & bikeable...And there got into kind of a disagreement which others jumped into. My take on it is that Evans seems to have a bit of a suburban mentality. He lives way over in the suburbanish part of DC and drives downtown to work every day- that is his personal experience. He doesnt seem to have much interest in the live/work downtown set but a good chunk of his ward + the city fall into this category (myself included). We tend to bike/walk/PT. Anyway in answer to the question of where the city is headed...this excellent profile of DDOT Director Gabe Klein provides some insight - I like this direction very much. One more comment - I think traffic in downtown DC should flow certainly, but there is no reason it has to move at suburban speeds. Dont forget to send DDOT your comments, (or email KStreet.Comments@dc.gov) you have til Oct 30th. Full study available here...

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Comments

Personally I don't think the bike lanes belong on K Street. I would put bike lanes on the parallel one way streets of L and I Streets. K Street will have two way traffic plus this transit way (I favor the 3 lane transitway that allows passing). That's already alot. Why mash another mode and be jack of all trades master of none? I would focus on the transit and pedestrians on K. Afterall almost anything you would do for Bikes on K Street the delivery trucks and taxis will undermine. If you put the bike lanes on L and I Streets they can be grade separated bike lanes that could be placed between parked cars and the sidewalk offering more protection to the biker. Taxi's and delivery trucks or other double parkers won't be able to undermine that. Plus, just logistically L and I streets currently only accommodate one way traffic and parking. Why not grab a little auto bandwidth on those streets rather than make K Street a chaotic fustercluck?

Posted By Paul / At 10/22/09 3:09 PM

excellent suggestion. I just watched the simulation video of what this all would look like and it looks pretty cool, especially the streetcar option which I really hope will actually happen. coupled with bike lanes on a another downtown street (or more), perhaps that would make everyone happy.

I'm still a biking novice, biking downtown can be pretty scary at times. But it is such a great way to get around, especially for a non driver. I looove the bike lanes and I definitely advocate the installation of more of them. putting them on the skinnier less traveled streets does make sense.

Posted By Si Kailian / At 10/23/09 10:58 AM

bike lanes are the absolute minimal treatment cyclists and would-be cyclists should get. ideally, we'd get grade-separated cycle tracks, but absent that, at least buffered bicycle lanes like they're doing all over NYC, and absent that, regular old bike lanes. i really can't believe that a major transit corridor in DC is even considering not giving bikes a major role. it's just straight insanity.

as far as bikes traveling on skinnier, less-trafficked roads, fine -- but don't force bikes over there. people on foot and bikes need to be able to get from Point A to Point B in the most direct fashion possible, so they should be allowed to travel on the major transit corridors in the city -- especially the major transit corridors. car drivers just need to stop on the pedal to propel themselves forward, so let them go around.

Posted By Peter Smith / At 10/25/09 9:29 PM

@Si - see the below link from ReadysetDC on the new 15th Street Bikelane that was installed last week.

http://readysetdc.com/2009/11/09/ddot-completes-15th-street-cycletrack/

That illustrates what I think could be done on the one way streets parallel to K Street. I'm for biking improvements. But forcing it into the K Street Transitway plan, which already has lots of complexity, is not the best alternative.

Posted By Paul / At 11/9/09 4:39 PM