Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the bikes coming from to come down CT ave to go downtown? Is this recreational use or commuting? When the studies or plans were done what was the data showing who would use this? That would be helpful information.

Just a philosophical feeling that bikes are great and environmental does not sway me. If there really were significant numbers of residents of upperNW around CT ave who would bike in (and back up the giant 4 mile hill) that would be more persuasive

I live in Chevy Chase DC - I would use it multiple times per day and ditch the car.

If you hated your car that much you would not choose to live in Chevy Chase DC.

I live in the part that is walkable to multiple commercial areas and metro, so as you were saying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the bikes coming from to come down CT ave to go downtown? Is this recreational use or commuting? When the studies or plans were done what was the data showing who would use this? That would be helpful information.

Just a philosophical feeling that bikes are great and environmental does not sway me. If there really were significant numbers of residents of upperNW around CT ave who would bike in (and back up the giant 4 mile hill) that would be more persuasive

I live in Chevy Chase DC - I would use it multiple times per day and ditch the car.

If you hated your car that much you would not choose to live in Chevy Chase DC.

I live in the part that is walkable to multiple commercial areas and metro, so as you were saying?

So you'd bike instead of walking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

It would appeal to more if there were a concerted and connected network. That is why Connecticut Avenue is so important. It provides the straightest and flatest path from uptown, through the several commercial areas, to downtown. It connects residents with business and schools.

This is utterly ridiculous. No one who doesnt already bike thinks to themselves, "Well, I would if only there was a concerted and connected network." Only hardcore bike geeks think like that. Normal people see bike lanes everywhere.

It seems like the bike lobby's argument is always "we know not very many people bike right now but if you give us endless amounts of money and turn the city upside down, eventually people will come." Well, we've had bike lanes for almost 15 years and it seems clear they aren't catching on.

Wrong. Avid cyclists will bike wherever. The normal person says "holy crap, there is no way I am biking on Connecticut Avenue."

Normal people say "who are these idiots who think it's safe to ride a bike in a city?" That isn't going to change regardless of what happens with Connecticut Avenue.

So you think it is unsafe to blanket ride in a city? You think that protected bike lanes on Connecticut Avenue won't prompt people to ride in the neighborhood?

Boy, am I glad you are not in charge of anything related to planning and transportation.

I guess you prefer this:

It is not blanket unsafe to ride a bike in the city. There are lots of kids and parents riding bikes together inside the neighborhoods on residential streets just like there has always been. That has nothing to do with bike lanes.

It is blanket unsafe to ride a bike on Connecticut Avenue regardless of bike lanes. No parent will let their kid ride a bike on a street that has 30,000 vehicles per day use it. Permanently closing two lanes of traffic and intentionally increasing congestion will only make this more so.

What's more, the tripling of traffic within the residential neighborhoods caused by closing down 1/3 of Connecticut Avenue will make riding within the residently neighborhoods significantly unsafe. This plan will result in less people riding bikes because it makes the areas where people currently ride bikes less safe.

Everyone loses. This is a horrible plan and those ANC commissioners should be ashamed of themselves.

Side streets get speed bumps and raised crosswalks. Problem solved.

Problem not solved. The problem is volume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

You keep repeating this nonsense about “biking not catching on”. The number of cyclists doubled in DC over just 5 years when the city started installing bike lanes.

The ratio of cyclists to drivers and transit riders is still relatively small, but then again the ratio of bike lanes to road space - let alone the amount of money spent on bike lanes vs. road construction and maintenance - is infinitesimal. If cycling received 4% of DC’s transportation outlays, there would be more bike lanes than cyclists would know what to do with and that would hold true even if everyone biked.

Also, the notion that cyclists have no rights to a safe commute simply because they constitute a minority is a tad fascist.

Fascist, hahahahha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly these arguments make me hate DC and the US in general. We will jealously refuse to improve anything until the country falls apart and is miserable for all.

False premise: you are saying it is an improvement. Others disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't being closed down at all. Are you paying attention? Its use is being reallocated from cars to bicycles. How is that closed?!

10,000 people per day need to bike down Connecticut to make it not a giant clusterf*. 10,000 bicyclists in a single file line next to 20,000 cars. Gimme a break.

[Anonymous]

Good luck to anyone living on Connecticut Ave trying to get a painter, plumber, electrician, repairman, or grocery delivery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't closing down a third when you look at it realistically. As it is, the left lane is backed up because people make turns. That goes away. The right lane is backed up with streeteries and double parked cars...that goes away. Still two through lanes, a buffer for pedestrians and a safe lane for bikes.

That's just blatantly not true.

Agree. The map I looked at is only two car lanes and has potential for turning vehicles to stop traffic in both lanes, left and right, with no middle through lane at rush hour when normally parking would have been restricted (making it three lanes wide). Now it will always be two lanes, with no unblockable lanes. I'm also wondering, where are the business delivery trucks going to stop? Right now they block the curb lane, so I guess they will either be blocking the bike lane or one of the car lanes, reducing it to just one lane (and help us all if someone is trying to turn left from that lane).

Where does PP get the idea that left turns and deliveries are going away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good luck to anyone living on Connecticut Ave trying to get a painter, plumber, electrician, repairman, or grocery delivery.

Yup, or an elder caregiver or a housecleaner (who maybe won't want to be hauling a vacuum and cleaning supplies on public transit or a bike).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the bikes coming from to come down CT ave to go downtown? Is this recreational use or commuting? When the studies or plans were done what was the data showing who would use this? That would be helpful information.

Just a philosophical feeling that bikes are great and environmental does not sway me. If there really were significant numbers of residents of upperNW around CT ave who would bike in (and back up the giant 4 mile hill) that would be more persuasive

I live in Chevy Chase DC - I would use it multiple times per day and ditch the car.

If you hated your car that much you would not choose to live in Chevy Chase DC.

I live in the part that is walkable to multiple commercial areas and metro, so as you were saying?

So why do you have a car then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the bikes coming from to come down CT ave to go downtown? Is this recreational use or commuting? When the studies or plans were done what was the data showing who would use this? That would be helpful information.

Just a philosophical feeling that bikes are great and environmental does not sway me. If there really were significant numbers of residents of upperNW around CT ave who would bike in (and back up the giant 4 mile hill) that would be more persuasive

I live in Chevy Chase DC - I would use it multiple times per day and ditch the car.

If you hated your car that much you would not choose to live in Chevy Chase DC.

I live in the part that is walkable to multiple commercial areas and metro, so as you were saying?

What is the Metro station in CCDC? I’m curious to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't closing down a third when you look at it realistically. As it is, the left lane is backed up because people make turns. That goes away. The right lane is backed up with streeteries and double parked cars...that goes away. Still two through lanes, a buffer for pedestrians and a safe lane for bikes.

That's just blatantly not true.

Agree. The map I looked at is only two car lanes and has potential for turning vehicles to stop traffic in both lanes, left and right, with no middle through lane at rush hour when normally parking would have been restricted (making it three lanes wide). Now it will always be two lanes, with no unblockable lanes. I'm also wondering, where are the business delivery trucks going to stop? Right now they block the curb lane, so I guess they will either be blocking the bike lane or one of the car lanes, reducing it to just one lane (and help us all if someone is trying to turn left from that lane).

Where does PP get the idea that left turns and deliveries are going away?

Right, and double parked cars? There will be more of those when 50% of the parking goes away. People are already notorious for putting their flashers on and blocking a lane while they "just" pick up their dry cleaning or carryout food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't closing down a third when you look at it realistically. As it is, the left lane is backed up because people make turns. That goes away. The right lane is backed up with streeteries and double parked cars...that goes away. Still two through lanes, a buffer for pedestrians and a safe lane for bikes.

That's just blatantly not true.

Agree. The map I looked at is only two car lanes and has potential for turning vehicles to stop traffic in both lanes, left and right, with no middle through lane at rush hour when normally parking would have been restricted (making it three lanes wide). Now it will always be two lanes, with no unblockable lanes. I'm also wondering, where are the business delivery trucks going to stop? Right now they block the curb lane, so I guess they will either be blocking the bike lane or one of the car lanes, reducing it to just one lane (and help us all if someone is trying to turn left from that lane).

Where does PP get the idea that left turns and deliveries are going away?

Right, and double parked cars? There will be more of those when 50% of the parking goes away. People are already notorious for putting their flashers on and blocking a lane while they "just" pick up their dry cleaning or carryout food.

You won’t even have to worry about people. It will mostly be delivery vans blocking traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't closing down a third when you look at it realistically. As it is, the left lane is backed up because people make turns. That goes away. The right lane is backed up with streeteries and double parked cars...that goes away. Still two through lanes, a buffer for pedestrians and a safe lane for bikes.

That's just blatantly not true.

Agree. The map I looked at is only two car lanes and has potential for turning vehicles to stop traffic in both lanes, left and right, with no middle through lane at rush hour when normally parking would have been restricted (making it three lanes wide). Now it will always be two lanes, with no unblockable lanes. I'm also wondering, where are the business delivery trucks going to stop? Right now they block the curb lane, so I guess they will either be blocking the bike lane or one of the car lanes, reducing it to just one lane (and help us all if someone is trying to turn left from that lane).

Where does PP get the idea that left turns and deliveries are going away?

Right, and double parked cars? There will be more of those when 50% of the parking goes away. People are already notorious for putting their flashers on and blocking a lane while they "just" pick up their dry cleaning or carryout food.

You won’t even have to worry about people. It will mostly be delivery vans blocking traffic.

Add post office boxes. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city has had bike lanes for more than a decade, and the government has bent over backwards to promote them, and yet biking remains the least popular means of transportation.

Surveys show biking is less popular than driving, taking the subway, riding the bus, taking a cab/uber, walking, carpooling and commuter rail

It's surprising that the city has put so much effort into promoting bike lanes (they even pay teachers to bike), for so long, and still it hasn't really caught on.

I guess maybe it only appeals to a small segment of the population.

All this bandwidth dedicated to the least popular way of getting around in Washington D.C.

the “bandwith” taken up by bike lanes is 90% people freaking out about bikelanes because they represent change and are for some reason very triggering to people.

In this case, people could care less about the bike lane part. It's the closing down a third of Connecticut Avenue part that people hate. And for good reason, it's a stupendously stupid idea that will actively harm the local community. If you all had decided to cannibalize the sidewalk for your scheme, it'd still be a bad idea but not a stupendously bad idea and there wouldn't be any outrage.

It isn't closing down a third when you look at it realistically. As it is, the left lane is backed up because people make turns. That goes away. The right lane is backed up with streeteries and double parked cars...that goes away. Still two through lanes, a buffer for pedestrians and a safe lane for bikes.

That's just blatantly not true.

Agree. The map I looked at is only two car lanes and has potential for turning vehicles to stop traffic in both lanes, left and right, with no middle through lane at rush hour when normally parking would have been restricted (making it three lanes wide). Now it will always be two lanes, with no unblockable lanes. I'm also wondering, where are the business delivery trucks going to stop? Right now they block the curb lane, so I guess they will either be blocking the bike lane or one of the car lanes, reducing it to just one lane (and help us all if someone is trying to turn left from that lane).

Where does PP get the idea that left turns and deliveries are going away?

Right, and double parked cars? There will be more of those when 50% of the parking goes away. People are already notorious for putting their flashers on and blocking a lane while they "just" pick up their dry cleaning or carryout food.

You won’t even have to worry about people. It will mostly be delivery vans blocking traffic.

Add post office boxes. Problem solved.

Grow more potatoes. Problem solved

???