Connecticut Avenue bike lane officially dead

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Though it does appear to be a pyrrhic victory for commuters - both sides of Connecticut will be available for parking 24/7, with bump outs for traffic calming, meaning the right lane on each side will be unavailable to drivers.

Happy re: bike lanes, don't think it's the place. Unhappy re: other changes and hope there will be changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

It's absolutely true that there are very few cyclists who use Connecticut - BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BIKE LANES! The only way to increase cycling is to make cycling safe. In the Netherlands, there is a great cycling infrastructure and cycling is widespread.

Of course, DC is not going to turn into the Netherlands, you say, because we're a car culture. True. As was Netherlands in 1971, when more than 400 children were killed in traffic accidents. It took a lot of work and many years to build safe cities there, as it will here. We should start now.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord

Then move to the Netherlands. And when you're too feeble to ride your bike anymore you can ask the government to euthanize you.

And if you lived the antebellum south, should those who opposed slavery to move to Liberia or another free country? Thankfully they didn't and the United States became a better place for their efforts. I am grateful for those who seek to make DC a more livable city and when you grow up you may just feel the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

It's absolutely true that there are very few cyclists who use Connecticut - BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BIKE LANES! The only way to increase cycling is to make cycling safe. In the Netherlands, there is a great cycling infrastructure and cycling is widespread.

Of course, DC is not going to turn into the Netherlands, you say, because we're a car culture. True. As was Netherlands in 1971, when more than 400 children were killed in traffic accidents. It took a lot of work and many years to build safe cities there, as it will here. We should start now.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord

The Netherlands argument always gets rolled out. The reality is that over 60% of the dutch commute to work in a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

Imagine spending tens of thousands of dollars - and in the process emitting noxious chemicals that make life worse on the planet, endangering all manner of other road users, and consuming a vast array of public subsidies - on a commute that you could do for free on a bicycle or a few dollars on WMATA and then claiming others are entitled . . .

Your complete and utter lack of self-awareness is absolutely hysterical.

And your assumption that “everyone can and should bike or take WMATA” isn’t?

What a cute edge case. DC could build bike lanes until the cows come home and still have more than enough roads to accommodate the small proportion of suburban commuters who are physically unable to ride a bike, take WMATA, or carpool.

You love to make this about “suburban commuters” but plenty of people who live in the affected neighborhoods oppose adding bike lanes for a multitude of reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

Imagine spending tens of thousands of dollars - and in the process emitting noxious chemicals that make life worse on the planet, endangering all manner of other road users, and consuming a vast array of public subsidies - on a commute that you could do for free on a bicycle or a few dollars on WMATA and then claiming others are entitled . . .

Your complete and utter lack of self-awareness is absolutely hysterical.

And your assumption that “everyone can and should bike or take WMATA” isn’t?

What a cute edge case. DC could build bike lanes until the cows come home and still have more than enough roads to accommodate the small proportion of suburban commuters who are physically unable to ride a bike, take WMATA, or carpool.

You love to make this about “suburban commuters” but plenty of people who live in the affected neighborhoods oppose adding bike lanes for a multitude of reasons.

I can make things too. But I won’t. In the real world, those neighborhoods elected ANC reps and a Councilmember that overwhelmingly supported the bike lanes. Proposal C, unlike the mayor’s diktat, was the product of a lengthy process of community consultation.

[Anonymous]

Poor bike bros. Major win for pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Poor bike bros. Major win for pedestrians.

This is worst case for pedestrians and drivers. Less experienced riders will trend to the sidewalks and mess up the walking experience. The lane for bikes that is down reserved for parking will clog the right lane with people on bikes and people double parked. But the best is the people celebrating as if this is a win for anyone are really the saddest. You maintained the status quo, which is a gridlock road that is somehow still a magnet for horrific traffic accidents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor bike bros. Major win for pedestrians.

This is worst case for pedestrians and drivers. Less experienced riders will trend to the sidewalks and mess up the walking experience. The lane for bikes that is down reserved for parking will clog the right lane with people on bikes and people double parked. But the best is the people celebrating as if this is a win for anyone are really the saddest. You maintained the status quo, which is a gridlock road that is somehow still a magnet for horrific traffic accidents.

Bikers still have Rock Creek Park. Half of which is now permanently blocked off for bikers so have at it!

[Anonymous]

I’m happy about it. The bike lanes were going to be hazardous for people who use wheelchairs or walkers, severely restricting their curbside access.

[Anonymous]

Now we need to ban cars off Connecticut Ave, for good measure

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor bike bros. Major win for pedestrians.

This is worst case for pedestrians and drivers. Less experienced riders will trend to the sidewalks and mess up the walking experience. The lane for bikes that is down reserved for parking will clog the right lane with people on bikes and people double parked. But the best is the people celebrating as if this is a win for anyone are really the saddest. You maintained the status quo, which is a gridlock road that is somehow still a magnet for horrific traffic accidents.

Bikers still have Rock Creek Park. Half of which is now permanently blocked off for bikers so have at it!

RCP is open for bikers pedestrians runners skaters and it's a great public resource. It's not for commuting, so that's not going to change people's routes to work. I'm sorry that you dislike bikers so much. I don't really understand how you think this has a public benefit, but have a good evening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor bike bros. Major win for pedestrians.

This is worst case for pedestrians and drivers. Less experienced riders will trend to the sidewalks and mess up the walking experience. The lane for bikes that is down reserved for parking will clog the right lane with people on bikes and people double parked. But the best is the people celebrating as if this is a win for anyone are really the saddest. You maintained the status quo, which is a gridlock road that is somehow still a magnet for horrific traffic accidents.

Bikers still have Rock Creek Park. Half of which is now permanently blocked off for bikers so have at it!

When there are grocery stores and restaurants in Rock Creek Park, then great. Until then, there is no reason to make this suggestion.

[Anonymous]

The DDOT plan calls for parking on both sides of Connecticut Avenue. That means the doom that the "Save Connecticut Ave" people lobbied against will still be in play - 4 lanes of cars at all times so the back-ups and cut through cars will still be a factor.

Buses will now have to dodge in and out of parked cars to make their way up and down the Avenue.

Emergency equipment, rather than straddling the bike lanes, will now be blocking one or more lanes of traffic.

Cyclists will now either have to ride on the sidewalks or ride in a car lane, slowing cars down behind them.

So yes, this is a fantastic plan for all involved.

(sarcasm)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

It's absolutely true that there are very few cyclists who use Connecticut - BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BIKE LANES! The only way to increase cycling is to make cycling safe. In the Netherlands, there is a great cycling infrastructure and cycling is widespread.

Of course, DC is not going to turn into the Netherlands, you say, because we're a car culture. True. As was Netherlands in 1971, when more than 400 children were killed in traffic accidents. It took a lot of work and many years to build safe cities there, as it will here. We should start now.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord

We have cyclists on this very forum who have assured us during the whole discussion about bike lanes that they have absolutely ZERO intention to use bike lanes created for the exclusive use of bikes, and instead will ride in the car lanes - because it is their right to do so.

So motorists and users of buses would still be trapped behind cyclists, riding in the car lane, right next to a bike lane that they’re not using. Out of sheer spite and contempt for drivers.

I believe DDOT heard the sentiments of these militant cyclists and decided to not to accommodate them at all.

Good for DDOT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone currently biking on Conn Ave today is not a typical cyclist. I've been biking nearly daily in DC for decades and am still terrified whenever I have to take Conn. The vast majority of cyclists are too scared to bike there. When there are bike lanes - which will apparently not be anytime soon - there will be many more people able to bike that way.

Bike lanes on Conn Ave are the ultimate in entitlement. Inconveniencing and slowing down traffic for tens of thousands for the benefit of a few hundred.

Imagine spending tens of thousands of dollars - and in the process emitting noxious chemicals that make life worse on the planet, endangering all manner of other road users, and consuming a vast array of public subsidies - on a commute that you could do for free on a bicycle or a few dollars on WMATA and then claiming others are entitled . . .

Your complete and utter lack of self-awareness is absolutely hysterical.

And your assumption that “everyone can and should bike or take WMATA” isn’t?

What a cute edge case. DC could build bike lanes until the cows come home and still have more than enough roads to accommodate the small proportion of suburban commuters who are physically unable to ride a bike, take WMATA, or carpool.

You love to make this about “suburban commuters” but plenty of people who live in the affected neighborhoods oppose adding bike lanes for a multitude of reasons.

I can make things too. But I won’t. In the real world, those neighborhoods elected ANC reps and a Councilmember that overwhelmingly supported the bike lanes. Proposal C, unlike the mayor’s diktat, was the product of a lengthy process of community consultation.

No one elects ANC reps. They just get 25 signatures and they get on the ballot unopposed. Stick to solving overflowing trash cans.