Look at DDOT’s traffic analyses. They consider Reno as a leading alternative corridor for through traffic as greater density and bike lanes are added along the major arterials, Connecticut and Wisconsin Ave. |
But how? Maybe it could be widened if the sidewalks are taken out and they cut down the hundreds of trees that line the road. They could take portions of the front lawns of the homes using eminent domain but does that work for the embassies? What about the schools along 34th? Do they become even smaller? I can’t imagine how that plan would work or what the costs would be. I can imagine them making Reno/34th one way at certain times. That would be a bother for locals but would help with traffic patterns. |
They don’t have right of way to widen, at least 34th. You can see this when you get to Eaton. I am not sure about Reno but the only way to make 34th wider is to remove sidewalk. Or, expropriate people’s minuscule front yards opposite Eaton which probably would only net 1 lane max and would be more trouble than it’s worth. I would also note that the Speed Limit on 34th is now 15 MPH which is also incompatible with being an arterial thoroughfare. The reality is that DC really needs to start focusing on promoting development in the less dense parts of the city. |
The obvious outcome is that they will not be adding bike lanes on Wisconsin and Connecticut. Traffic impacts, costs and all this hassle about widening Reno make it not feasible. |
| In typical fashion DDOT admits it has done zero analysis of the impact of rerouting traffic on the side streets between Connecticut Ave and Reno/34th and Wisconsin. |
I have. It does not work. |
It would help with cars and make the street unlivable. It is a minor arterial though a residential area. It won't be widened, and it won't have a reversible lane - that was removed 20 years ago. |
Like the Cleveland Park commercial area. |
The addition of bike lanes on Connectict Ave has ZERO impact on car traffic at Reno/34th. |
Actually if you look at the Conn. Ave study, they HAVE done exactly this analysis. |
It’s nit just the bike lanes. When when DDOT cuts rush hour carrying capacity on Connecticut Ave by 50%, from four to two lanes, it’s willfully naive to pretend that there won’t be an impact of commuter traffic diverted to other north-south routes. DDOT’s own study shows about a 15 percent daily traffic increase on 34th St in Cleveland Park, which has narrow sidewalks next to the traffic lanes and several schools facing the street. 34th St in this area already carries more vehicles per lane-mile (a standard traffic metric), so a 15 percent increase is not trivial at all. |
Isn’t Cleveland Park an historic district? |
Yes, I agree with you that ending the reversible lanes will have some impact. My point was, contrary to what was posted, that it was a result of the bike lanes, which is false. |
Yes, it is. But that wouldn't prevent expansion of the buildings that are there. |
In vacant lots maybe, but they wouldn’t allow a one or two story historic building to become a six or seven story building. Despite proximity to Metro Cleveland Park will never have the density of Van Ness (nor should it, if it’s in a historic district). |