More people have been killed by lightning in DC in the past 10 years than bicyclists killed by cars on Connecticut Avenue or Beach Drive. |
Ever been hit by a car on a bike? I have. It hurts a lot. Just because people haven't died on bicycles there (Conn Ave) in a while doesn't mean they don't get injured. Beach drive closure is for the enjoyment of the park by people. Rather than a commuter highway. |
OK, so don't use mass transit, and keep on complaining about congestion/street closures? If that's what you want to do, well, nobody's stopping you. |
So you would support removing the road altogether and returning the park to a more natural state? |
| I like the idea of opening it to cars only during rush hour. It’s a fair way for every taxpayer to use the road. |
You believe commuters aren’t people? |
You can commute on Beach Drive all you want. Twice a day and four times on Sundays. Just not in a car. |
A lot of the commuters taking that path aren't taxpayers, they are commuting to and from Maryland. If you want to make some point about taxpayers then maybe they should make it a toll road for out-of-state vehicles. |
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I completely agree. And to show how little I drive despite being in the suburbs, I average a new tank of gas every two months. I just think it’s asinine that a handful of very physically able
, mostly male, mostly well off bikers are shutting down major traffic Avenues. Disabled people can’t bike most of the time, or elderly people, or people with bad knees, or women who worry about safety. Catering to bikers to this degree and sexist and ableist and I’m so annoyed the nps, who was planning on opening it more, let the bike lobby get to them |
I’m an overweight middle age mom with bad knees and I love biking Beach Drive. There is no bike lobby. |
Beach Dr is a federal road. We’re all federal taxpayers. |
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Because there are no highways into DC between the Potomac River routes (GW Parkway/ClaraBarton) and the BW Parkway/295, it is natural that lots of commuter traffic “wants” to flow on a parkway like Beach Drive. But obviously that is not what it is there for: it’s there so people can enjoy the park. Otherwise it would be a 4-lane artery like Rock Creek Parkway (which ironically also was brought into being for people to enjoy the park).
DC will never be its best self when hordes of cars are perverting the mission of Beach Drive by using it as a rush-hour thoroughfare. It actually should be open for cars pretty much all the time though, as was intended. My solution would be a (rush hour only) version of pay-to-play: a limited number of car spots sold to the highest bidder (proceeds to park beautification) plus electric busses plus another limited number of spots assigned via lottery with gate access on all roads. Gates would be open except during (intentionally very long) rush hours. Maybe there could be a bike/pedestrian-only time slot or two earlyish on weekend mornings. Car commuting into/through DC should never be encouraged. Sneaky commuter routes like cutting from Connecticut Avenue through the zoo or long-closed Klingle Road or any Waze-induced abomination should be ruthlessly eliminated. Cars are fine off designated arteries as long as they are few and not rushing. |
Lots of people can't drive. Children. Old people. People with disabilities. People who can't afford a car. All of these people are disadvantaged by our asinine cars-first transportation system. |
yes. and I’m not sure why a person in the suburbs who apparently doesn’t drive into DC is here spouting off views about “the bike lobby.” |
As if that makes a difference. You want all the amenities of DC and preferential treatment despite paying in far less than those of us who are actual DC residents and taxpayers. How about getting a job in Maryland if you resent us not kissing your ass enough. |