Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

You just got lucky. This is extremely rare. It can take 20 minutes to get to Cleveland park from chevy chase dc. Ugh

I have driven a lot the last week or so, and used Con Ave quite a bit. It is seriously no different, or even better, than it was pre-covid. the hysteria around this is completely overdone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are going to be bike lanes, can someone come up with a design that makes them visually attractive and not just spiky poles stuck in the ground? Connecticut Avenue looks terrible right now and should get new asphalt from Chevy Chase to Woodley Park. All of the concrete barriers need to be removed too, especially those blocking things off on the block with Rosemary’s Bistro and the block with the old service lane. Connecticut Avenue could be a nice road into the city, but right now it’s an eyesore. If we’re going to tear it all up to add bike lanes, let’s at least use it as an opportunity to make it beautiful.

The whole road is being rethought and rebuilt, and yes, the "streeeteries" are going away too.

But is it being rethought with aesthetics in mind? The bike lanes downtown use the poles. Is there a plan to do it differently on Connecticut Avenue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are going to be bike lanes, can someone come up with a design that makes them visually attractive and not just spiky poles stuck in the ground? Connecticut Avenue looks terrible right now and should get new asphalt from Chevy Chase to Woodley Park. All of the concrete barriers need to be removed too, especially those blocking things off on the block with Rosemary’s Bistro and the block with the old service lane. Connecticut Avenue could be a nice road into the city, but right now it’s an eyesore. If we’re going to tear it all up to add bike lanes, let’s at least use it as an opportunity to make it beautiful.

The whole road is being rethought and rebuilt, and yes, the "streeeteries" are going away too.

But is it being rethought with aesthetics in mind? The bike lanes downtown use the poles. Is there a plan to do it differently on Connecticut Avenue?

The bike lanes are to be protected in accordance with federal guidelines. If it is important to you, let DDOT know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

You just got lucky. This is extremely rare. It can take 20 minutes to get to Cleveland park from chevy chase dc. Ugh

I have driven a lot the last week or so, and used Con Ave quite a bit. It is seriously no different, or even better, than it was pre-covid. the hysteria around this is completely overdone.

I have driven Conn Ave at AM/PM rush hours for 20 yrs. I can assure you that the 'hysteria' is not 'overdone.' It's the worst kind of traffic - lots of unpredictable clogs due to people parked illegally or taking L/R turns into traffic. So it feels super dangerous - there's no parking enforcement anymore, so cars double parked everywhere and drivers trying to zoom around impediments. Coming back from downtown in the afternoon, there are huge ugly backups from Woodley to Van Ness and often all the way to the circle most weekday afternoons. Politics & Prose thru the Zoo is a nightmare in the AMs.

I've used Waze for years and know all the back routes, but can't imagine that homeowners are thrilled to have so much traffic on neighborhood streets while Beach Drive sits empty north of Broad Branch.

Also, btw, how ridiculous to spend millions repairing Beach only to force all the traffic onto Broad Branch and a few small arteries, all of which are poorly maintained and have very little lighting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are going to be bike lanes, can someone come up with a design that makes them visually attractive and not just spiky poles stuck in the ground? Connecticut Avenue looks terrible right now and should get new asphalt from Chevy Chase to Woodley Park. All of the concrete barriers need to be removed too, especially those blocking things off on the block with Rosemary’s Bistro and the block with the old service lane. Connecticut Avenue could be a nice road into the city, but right now it’s an eyesore. If we’re going to tear it all up to add bike lanes, let’s at least use it as an opportunity to make it beautiful.

The whole road is being rethought and rebuilt, and yes, the "streeeteries" are going away too.

But is it being rethought with aesthetics in mind? The bike lanes downtown use the poles. Is there a plan to do it differently on Connecticut Avenue?

The bike lanes are to be protected in accordance with federal guidelines. If it is important to you, let DDOT know.

That sounds like a dodge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are going to be bike lanes, can someone come up with a design that makes them visually attractive and not just spiky poles stuck in the ground? Connecticut Avenue looks terrible right now and should get new asphalt from Chevy Chase to Woodley Park. All of the concrete barriers need to be removed too, especially those blocking things off on the block with Rosemary’s Bistro and the block with the old service lane. Connecticut Avenue could be a nice road into the city, but right now it’s an eyesore. If we’re going to tear it all up to add bike lanes, let’s at least use it as an opportunity to make it beautiful.

The whole road is being rethought and rebuilt, and yes, the "streeeteries" are going away too.

But is it being rethought with aesthetics in mind? The bike lanes downtown use the poles. Is there a plan to do it differently on Connecticut Avenue?

The bike lanes are to be protected in accordance with federal guidelines. If it is important to you, let DDOT know.

That sounds like a dodge.

How so? It hasn't been finalized other than "there will be protected bike lanes"

If the aesthetics are important to the PP, then they should voice their opinion to their ANC and DDOT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

You just got lucky. This is extremely rare. It can take 20 minutes to get to Cleveland park from chevy chase dc. Ugh

I have driven a lot the last week or so, and used Con Ave quite a bit. It is seriously no different, or even better, than it was pre-covid. the hysteria around this is completely overdone.

I have driven Conn Ave at AM/PM rush hours for 20 yrs. I can assure you that the 'hysteria' is not 'overdone.' It's the worst kind of traffic - lots of unpredictable clogs due to people parked illegally or taking L/R turns into traffic. So it feels super dangerous - there's no parking enforcement anymore, so cars double parked everywhere and drivers trying to zoom around impediments. Coming back from downtown in the afternoon, there are huge ugly backups from Woodley to Van Ness and often all the way to the circle most weekday afternoons. Politics & Prose thru the Zoo is a nightmare in the AMs.

I've used Waze for years and know all the back routes, but can't imagine that homeowners are thrilled to have so much traffic on neighborhood streets while Beach Drive sits empty north of Broad Branch.

Also, btw, how ridiculous to spend millions repairing Beach only to force all the traffic onto Broad Branch and a few small arteries, all of which are poorly maintained and have very little lighting.

I concur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

You just got lucky. This is extremely rare. It can take 20 minutes to get to Cleveland park from chevy chase dc. Ugh

I have driven a lot the last week or so, and used Con Ave quite a bit. It is seriously no different, or even better, than it was pre-covid. the hysteria around this is completely overdone.

I have driven Conn Ave at AM/PM rush hours for 20 yrs. I can assure you that the 'hysteria' is not 'overdone.' It's the worst kind of traffic - lots of unpredictable clogs due to people parked illegally or taking L/R turns into traffic. So it feels super dangerous - there's no parking enforcement anymore, so cars double parked everywhere and drivers trying to zoom around impediments. Coming back from downtown in the afternoon, there are huge ugly backups from Woodley to Van Ness and often all the way to the circle most weekday afternoons. Politics & Prose thru the Zoo is a nightmare in the AMs.

I've used Waze for years and know all the back routes, but can't imagine that homeowners are thrilled to have so much traffic on neighborhood streets while Beach Drive sits empty north of Broad Branch.

Also, btw, how ridiculous to spend millions repairing Beach only to force all the traffic onto Broad Branch and a few small arteries, all of which are poorly maintained and have very little lighting.

Sounds like Connecticut Avenue is unsafe for drivers. The bike lane project will make it safer. Hooray!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

Sure you did. I'm sure you know DC has several Rush Hours. The "9-5 office worker" rush you picked is the one that hasn't quite come back yet as offices down town are still pretty empty. Maybe that will remain forever, maybe it won't, but it doesn't seem like a solid time to be making predictions of future conditions. And your one lucky day "hitting all the lights" is just that -- one lucky day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

Sure you did. I'm sure you know DC has several Rush Hours. The "9-5 office worker" rush you picked is the one that hasn't quite come back yet as offices down town are still pretty empty. Maybe that will remain forever, maybe it won't, but it doesn't seem like a solid time to be making predictions of future conditions. And your one lucky day "hitting all the lights" is just that -- one lucky day.

Assumption: traffic on Connecticut Avenue is terrible!

Anecdote: this one time I drove on Connecticut Avenue, and it was terrible.
Response: yes, traffic on Connecticut Avenue is terrible!

Anecdote: this one time I drove on Connecticut Avenue, and it was fine.
Response: no, traffic on Connecticut Avenue is terrible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drove from Cleveland Park to Bethesda yesterday via Conn Ave and Bradley Boulevard. This was 6:00PM - peak of rush Hour.

I made just about every light with zero back-up. Car traffic moved freely and I actually arrived at my destination 10 minutes early.

In other words, there is shockingly little car traffic these days. A bike lane should not be an issue.

Sure you did. I'm sure you know DC has several Rush Hours. The "9-5 office worker" rush you picked is the one that hasn't quite come back yet as offices down town are still pretty empty. Maybe that will remain forever, maybe it won't, but it doesn't seem like a solid time to be making predictions of future conditions. And your one lucky day "hitting all the lights" is just that -- one lucky day.

Ok so when are the other rush hours? I have driven the Avenue at various times of different days of the week, and have yet to see any major issues north of Porter coming into Cleveland Park. Please tell me so I can experience it for myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are going to be bike lanes, can someone come up with a design that makes them visually attractive and not just spiky poles stuck in the ground? Connecticut Avenue looks terrible right now and should get new asphalt from Chevy Chase to Woodley Park. All of the concrete barriers need to be removed too, especially those blocking things off on the block with Rosemary’s Bistro and the block with the old service lane. Connecticut Avenue could be a nice road into the city, but right now it’s an eyesore. If we’re going to tear it all up to add bike lanes, let’s at least use it as an opportunity to make it beautiful.

The whole road is being rethought and rebuilt, and yes, the "streeeteries" are going away too.

But is it being rethought with aesthetics in mind? The bike lanes downtown use the poles. Is there a plan to do it differently on Connecticut Avenue?

Sadly that is done to... Save space for lanes for cars. So they will end up using the narrowest medium possible for the barrier, rather than something atheistically pleasing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The editorial was absurd. It acknowledges that thousands of cars will be diverted to side streets. It implies that bikes will be used mostly during rush hour. It implies that current bike usage may not justify bike lanes. On Thursday, I drove downtown from CC Circle to K Street at roughly 9 am. I saw one bike, on the side walk, western side. I returned at roughly 1015 am. I saw one bike on the Avenue itself, eastern side near Uptown Theater. Thursday was a beautiful winter day. Yes, of course, I am aware that many were on vacation or out of town. Meanwhile, hundreds of cars were on the Avenue.

Funny, I saw hundreds of people out biking yesterday on and around CT Ave.

Yesterday, Sunday, I drove straight down the Avenue from the Avalon to below Dupont Circle at 12 noon, and returned at about 3 pm. I saw 2 bikes on the downtown trip, only one of which was on the Avenue. On the return trip, I saw 3 bikes on the sidewalk at Calvert, appearing to have come out of the RC Park. Yesterday had good weather.

Today, Tuesday, I headed down the Avenue from Avalon to K St at 1030 am and returned at noon. I saw 2 bikes heading downtown, one on the sidewalk, and one on the Avenue. On the return trip, I saw 2 bikes also, one on the Avenue and one on the sidewalk. Today's weather was good.

This is fun. Today, Thursday, I headed downtown along the Avenue from the Avalon to M St at 11 am and returned at 2 pm. Heading south, I saw 2 bikes, one on the Avenue and one on the sidewalk. I did see motorcycle on the sidewalk, though I presume that is illegal. Heading north, i saw a wopping 9 bikes, just north and south of the Bridge. 6 on sidewalk, one with a kid in back. 3 bikes on Conn. Again, good weather today.

Yesterday, Monday, I drove down the Avenue at 930 am to K and returned at 230 pm. Heading south, I saw 2 bikes. One on Calvert crossing Conn. Second on Conn below Bridge heading south. On return trip, I saw 4 bikes between DuPont and Bridge, 2 on the sidewalk. I however did see 2 senior citizens using walking canes, and 1 citizen in a wheel chair. Maybe, they count for purposes of bike lanes? Yesterday was a decent winter day. No moisture.

Today, Thursday, I drove down the Avenue to Penn Avenue at 930 am and returned at 330 pm. Great winter weather in am. On trip down, I saw 3 bike riders: 1 walking his bike on sidewalk in front of Wash Hilton, 2 riding along cross street north of DuPont, and 3 just above Dupont. On return trip, I saw 1 bike riding south on Avenue. Misty weather in afternoon.

[Anonymous]

You won't see a lot of people riding their bikes on CT Avenue, because it is unsafe. That is the whole point, thanks for helping to make it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You won't see a lot of people riding their bikes on CT Avenue, because it is unsafe. That is the whole point, thanks for helping to make it.

Has any cyclist ever in their lives considered that it simply might be too dangerous to do something and the entire community shouldn't be turned upside down in order to make them feel better?