Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is "upset" - but am curious as to where these so-called final designs are. When someone tried to gaslight me, I will expose it. This person made a knowingly false assertion and was called out on it. I hope Jeff considers banning them.

DP. You seem pretty upset. NGL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are going to be some people out there on Connecticut Avenue shaking their fists at the construction crews building the bike lanes.

When is that going to happen? When does construction start? Why is the city slow walking this?

It says a lot that cyclists are focused more on arguing with people who oppose the change than any concern about when this is actually is going to happen. If lives are so at stake, why are you still arguing with opponents and giving them the middle finger but have no concern about when these bike lanes will be delivered. It’s almost as if the goal is exercising power and not about safety or anything else.

Adding bike & scooter lanes on Connecticut Avenue clearly makes it safer for all users. Therefore, we call on The Mayor and the Council to make safety improvements to Connecticut Avenue as soon as possible, preferably breaking ground before the end of 2023.

https://saferconnave.org/f/open-letter-to-the-mayor-council-corrected

Seems like the "cyclist lobby" sure would want these faster if at all possible, but probably the stonewalling of the DDOT team by the multiple times a day complaints by a few loud anti-lane people are the real thing slowing it down.

[Anonymous]

Just last night, I attended a meeting where draft plans were presented and characterized as being many months from completion.

So...where are those "final" plans a PP was arguing about?

[Anonymous]

Yes, PP, you're right, the Connecticut Avenue bike lanes you are so upset about obviously aren't going to happen, you can stop posting about them now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just last night, I attended a meeting where draft plans were presented and characterized as being many months from completion.

So...where are those "final" plans a PP was arguing about?

Clearly the PP has been able to target a serious concern that you have regarding completion. Do you feel that DDOT has been able to adequately address your concerns? A generic statement that they are “several months away” from draft concepts to final design is not confidence inspiring to me at least. Did they at least present a Gantt chart for the project management schedule? Did they confirm whether or not cost estimates are increasing as they move from concept to final design or whether they have sufficient appropriations to cover any cost overruns?

[Anonymous]

I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

Not to press this point, but your subjective feelings about the status are not reliable. Only DDOT truly knows whether they are “on track” and my recommendation would be to press them on more details rather than accept vague and unbounded statements regarding timelines. “Several months” could be March or October. The PP stated that the new Fiscal Year starts in October. Do you know if capital improvement appropriations carry over automatically or do they need to be reauthorized by the Council every year? If it’s the former that could assuage your concerns. Also another thing to consider is that the DC Council approves all contracts over $1 million. Do you know if that is an issue that could also cause serious delays or impediments to the project? Just some things to consider that may help you to address your concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

Not to press this point, but your subjective feelings about the status are not reliable. Only DDOT truly knows whether they are “on track” and my recommendation would be to press them on more details rather than accept vague and unbounded statements regarding timelines. “Several months” could be March or October. The PP stated that the new Fiscal Year starts in October. Do you know if capital improvement appropriations carry over automatically or do they need to be reauthorized by the Council every year? If it’s the former that could assuage your concerns. Also another thing to consider is that the DC Council approves all contracts over $1 million. Do you know if that is an issue that could also cause serious delays or impediments to the project? Just some things to consider that may help you to address your concerns.

The project timeline from like a year ago didn't have final plans until early 2024 and breaking ground until late 2024. So yeah. It's on track. From the meeting yesterday, big takeaway is whatever the anti-bike lane folks are doing isn't going to kill this, but it might make the end result worse. Because DDOT sure did make a point that they were thinking about building a smaller bike lane than initially along the whole corridor, instead of just the retail areas, to add parking back even though its mostly unused today.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like DDOT are considering making some pretty significant design changes from the concept maps which would definitely set the early timelines back as those are usually based on very optimistic assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

Not to press this point, but your subjective feelings about the status are not reliable. Only DDOT truly knows whether they are “on track” and my recommendation would be to press them on more details rather than accept vague and unbounded statements regarding timelines. “Several months” could be March or October. The PP stated that the new Fiscal Year starts in October. Do you know if capital improvement appropriations carry over automatically or do they need to be reauthorized by the Council every year? If it’s the former that could assuage your concerns. Also another thing to consider is that the DC Council approves all contracts over $1 million. Do you know if that is an issue that could also cause serious delays or impediments to the project? Just some things to consider that may help you to address your concerns.

The project timeline from like a year ago didn't have final plans until early 2024 and breaking ground until late 2024. So yeah. It's on track. From the meeting yesterday, big takeaway is whatever the anti-bike lane folks are doing isn't going to kill this, but it might make the end result worse. Because DDOT sure did make a point that they were thinking about building a smaller bike lane than initially along the whole corridor, instead of just the retail areas, to add parking back even though its mostly unused today.

What parking is unused?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like DDOT are considering making some pretty significant design changes from the concept maps which would definitely set the early timelines back as those are usually based on very optimistic assumptions.

The changes are not impacting the timelines, just the overall quality (lower) of the project.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

Not to press this point, but your subjective feelings about the status are not reliable. Only DDOT truly knows whether they are “on track” and my recommendation would be to press them on more details rather than accept vague and unbounded statements regarding timelines. “Several months” could be March or October. The PP stated that the new Fiscal Year starts in October. Do you know if capital improvement appropriations carry over automatically or do they need to be reauthorized by the Council every year? If it’s the former that could assuage your concerns. Also another thing to consider is that the DC Council approves all contracts over $1 million. Do you know if that is an issue that could also cause serious delays or impediments to the project? Just some things to consider that may help you to address your concerns.

The project timeline from like a year ago didn't have final plans until early 2024 and breaking ground until late 2024. So yeah. It's on track. From the meeting yesterday, big takeaway is whatever the anti-bike lane folks are doing isn't going to kill this, but it might make the end result worse. Because DDOT sure did make a point that they were thinking about building a smaller bike lane than initially along the whole corridor, instead of just the retail areas, to add parking back even though its mostly unused today.

What parking is unused?

A lot. Have you ever, you know, been up and down the avenue at different times of the day and night? Go on Twitter and you can see people who post pictures of blocks of unused parking at like 7PM. Sure, some areas have higher demand than others, and certainly, for example, the area around the Zoo is busier on weekends than weekdays, but it isn't like the entire Avenue is chock full of cars being parked on it at all hours of the day or night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like DDOT are considering making some pretty significant design changes from the concept maps which would definitely set the early timelines back as those are usually based on very optimistic assumptions.

The changes are not impacting the timelines, just the overall quality (lower) of the project.

How do you know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like DDOT are considering making some pretty significant design changes from the concept maps which would definitely set the early timelines back as those are usually based on very optimistic assumptions.

The changes are not impacting the timelines, just the overall quality (lower) of the project.

Whether or not the changes will delay the project is hard for an outsider to say, but DDOT have already stated that the the indicative timeline is delayed by at least 5 months.

On top of that, they have committed to actions that will further delay any actual construction/installation by an undefined period of time but likely also several months.

So it will easily be a 12 month delay to completion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the project is on track. there are some details evolving that I am not as happy about, but can live with. It is clear this is happening, so for the people who still want to fight it, most of the issues in terms of parking and loading areas, will be adaquatly dealt with.

Not to press this point, but your subjective feelings about the status are not reliable. Only DDOT truly knows whether they are “on track” and my recommendation would be to press them on more details rather than accept vague and unbounded statements regarding timelines. “Several months” could be March or October. The PP stated that the new Fiscal Year starts in October. Do you know if capital improvement appropriations carry over automatically or do they need to be reauthorized by the Council every year? If it’s the former that could assuage your concerns. Also another thing to consider is that the DC Council approves all contracts over $1 million. Do you know if that is an issue that could also cause serious delays or impediments to the project? Just some things to consider that may help you to address your concerns.

The project timeline from like a year ago didn't have final plans until early 2024 and breaking ground until late 2024. So yeah. It's on track. From the meeting yesterday, big takeaway is whatever the anti-bike lane folks are doing isn't going to kill this, but it might make the end result worse. Because DDOT sure did make a point that they were thinking about building a smaller bike lane than initially along the whole corridor, instead of just the retail areas, to add parking back even though its mostly unused today.

What parking is unused?

A lot. Have you ever, you know, been up and down the avenue at different times of the day and night? Go on Twitter and you can see people who post pictures of blocks of unused parking at like 7PM. Sure, some areas have higher demand than others, and certainly, for example, the area around the Zoo is busier on weekends than weekdays, but it isn't like the entire Avenue is chock full of cars being parked on it at all hours of the day or night.

Yes, I walk a considerable portion of the avenue most days of the week at different times and I’m hard-pressed to think of a block that is empty at all times. Every block may not be full 24/7, but most are full at night or during the day or both.