Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

Well yeah, there's not a path for them yet. How many cars are driving in the Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

I know your intention is the opposite, but here is what you are actually doing: making the case for bike lanes on Connecticut Ave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

Well yeah, there's not a path for them yet. How many cars are driving in the Potomac?

I don't even get the thinking (such as it is) there. That people who use bike-share bikes don't ride in bike lanes? Because that's just false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

Well yeah, there's not a path for them yet. How many cars are driving in the Potomac?

I don't even get the thinking (such as it is) there. That people who use bike-share bikes don't ride in bike lanes? Because that's just false.

There aren't bike lanes; that's why there are so fewer riders and the ones you do see are on sidewalks

[Anonymous]

So you are pinning all your hope on the “If you build it, they will come” fairytale?

Lol.

Good luck with that.

If these lanes are ever built, they will rarely be used.

Know your audience: the fine citizens of upper NW who live on or near CT Ave tend to work from home most days. And those that venture downtown take the bus or drive their Audis or Teslas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

Well yeah, there's not a path for them yet. How many cars are driving in the Potomac?

I don't even get the thinking (such as it is) there. That people who use bike-share bikes don't ride in bike lanes? Because that's just false.

There aren't bike lanes; that's why there are so fewer riders and the ones you do see are on sidewalks

Before covid there were cyclists in the street on CT.

I think those bikers either retired or work from home these days.

The people I saw on bikes didn’t look very comfortable. They weren’t dressed for anything beyond a short trip. Probably why they were lollygagging on the sidewalk.

[Anonymous]

You seem very invested in the idea that nobody is going to use those bike lanes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You seem very invested in the idea that nobody is going to use those bike lanes.

Yes…because I’ve been commuting downtown via CT Ave and there simply isn’t a demonstrated need/demand.

[Anonymous]

It's just as well that they put in the bike lanes. Despite Biden's push for RTO, the fact is that there will never be as much traffic downtown as there was pre-Covid. It is most likely that the federal workforce that commutes downtown will only be a portion of what it was, maybe as much as 60-70% of pre-Covid. But the private sector is going to be much less than the public sector. Many more people will be hybrid workers and all told, it is unlikely that there will ever be more than 2/3 of the traffic that used to be going downtown. That means that so many businesses that relied on the public workforce will not be able to survive. Many small Mom & Pop businesses and small eateries will close. The combination of smaller businesses closing in addition to the lower traffic of those commuting downtown will create less car traffic going downtown so that there will be less congestion and making it more amenable to have bike traffic.

There will be a new equilibrium. Most likely the car density will feel the same as it did before, just with fewer lanes and fewer cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You seem very invested in the idea that nobody is going to use those bike lanes.

Yes…because I’ve been commuting downtown via CT Ave and there simply isn’t a demonstrated need/demand.

Lots of people commute downtown via Connecticut Avenue. It's just that you happen to do it in a car. From Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading the comments on the upzoning post here as well as on my neighborhood email list about the changes that have been approved for Connecticut Avenue, I'm frustrated that I wasn't aware that the city was considering such significant changes. Now that I know about it, I'm wondering if there is a chance the decision could be reversed or greatly modified? For those of us who are just now realizing what's planned and are very concerned about how the changes will affect daily life for nearby residents and for commuters trying to get downtown or to schools, what's the best way to ask to have the decision reconsidered? Straight to the Mayor? To City Council reps? Who are the decisionmakers that need to be reached? I'm not looking to debate the issue here. If the neighborhood email discussion is any model, it won't be productive. Instead I'm asking for direction on who you should talk to if you oppose the plan and whether it's too late to make any difference. Please no comments about how I should have known about it sooner. Over the past two years I've been keeping a small business going while trying to manage two kids under 6 during COVID and caring for a terminally ill parent. While I wish I could have been following local issues more closely, I couldn't until now.

Bike lanes are for single people with no kids -anyone with kids is not commuting on a bike

You clearly do not see the people riding with kids in cargo bikes, or people riding on a bike with their kid on a bike in tow. This happens a lot. Particularly in the areas around Eaton, Murch, Janney and Lafayette, at least that I see first hand.

Like on the side streets and in the neighborhoods? The places where you are purposefully trying to increase traffic?

It's interesting how nobody seems to want more cars on "side streets and in the neighborhoods." But more bikes would be fine there, I guess? It's almost like cars have lots of bad effects on the public (for example, noise, air pollution, danger) that bikes don't have.

Cars are dangerous for pedestrians, residents and bicyclists. Cars, should be kept on major thoroughfares going into and out of the city. You want more bicycle and pedestrians to be on the side streets where residents can be impacted by traffic, congestion and pollution. So you want to keep the traffic, congestion and pollution in a channel going in and out rather than a delta that spreads out from the main thoroughfare. It is much safer for everyone to have cars in limited pathways and have the pedestrians and bicycles on the side streets.

Bicycles traveling on the main thoroughfare is a convenience for the bicyclists, but is not good for safety or traffic flow.

Bikes on thoroughfares because that is where the businesses we are supporting are located. WTF.

I like bike lanes. But Virginia wouldn't take away a couple of lanes of I-66 to build bike lanes, just as Maryland wouldn't narrow I-270 to build them. Fortunately, NW DC is not bisected by the busy interstate highways that were proposed in the Fifties and Sixties. However, major arterial roads like Connecticut Avenue serve as those through routes to downtown. The logic of constraining them to build bike lanes is nutty, as that will just squeeze traffic on to neighborhood streets that are not designed to handle it. It would be better to paint bike lanes on the quieter streets where bike riders would be safer and residents would not have to deal with diversion of significant numbers of vehicles pushed off Connecticut.

Virginia managed to plan a separated bike lane as part of the I-66 project. What was your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reno Rd would be a perfect spot for dedicated bike lanes. Get rid of the center turn lane and there's room to put bike lanes on the sides. Cylists can then take east-west streets to easily reach destinations in Tenleytown, Cleveland Park, Cathedral Heights, etc.

It is hillier than Conn Ave, there are no stores on it, so people trying to go shopping would still need to ride to CT Ave, and not having left turn lanes will turn Reno into a parking lot for cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw 4 bicyclists on my evening commute along CT Ave between DuPont Circle and the MoCo border: 2 northbound, 2 southbound…all 4 pedaling slowly on the sidewalk. These people didn’t look like they wanted to speed along the street.

I also saw a young woman carrying a huge Chucky doll, but that’s a different issue.

Taking your count as accurate, the fact that they were riding on the sidewalk is exactly why people support the bike lanes. Bikes don’t belong on the sidewalk, but that street is daunting to bike on in traffic. (I routinely ride on it for more than a mile each way when I commute by bike, and it’s not relaxing.)

I disagree.

They don’t look like long-haul commuters. All 4 were using bike-share bikes.

Plus, there were 4. Why on earth would we invest in bike lanes and risk creating traffic for what must be a very small group of people?

You know, this hasn't been brought up in the first 348 pages. Thank you for this deep and thoughtful question that hasn't been answered ad nauseam.

I encourage everyone to take an honest count of how many bikers they see each day along CT Ave.

Take note of whether they are going a short or long distance. Are they pedaling quickly? Dressed for a long ride?

I only saw one bicyclist on their own bike today. The other few were using bike-share bikes and they were riding on the sidewalk.

How are we supposed to know if they're going a long or short distance? If we try to stop them and ask them, what happens if they pedal more quickly to get away from us? Wouldn't that invalidate our observations of their pedal speed?

Also, as it happens, there's no distance limit on the bike-share bikes, so it's actually possible to ride one of those the length of Connecticut Avenue.