Reply to DC bike group says fewer now riding bikes to work than in 2012 (?!?!)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Someone tell the anti-car zealots at DDOT. They seem to think that if they make traffic terrible enough (ahem, "road diet"), that everyone will switch to bikes. The data make clear that's not happening. [/quote]

DDOT officials get dressed down here by Black Washingtonians telling them they don't want their bike lanes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/11/15/bike-lanes-road-safety-south-dakota-avenue/[/quote]

That article is very worth reading. But I also think it's more complicated than what you describe (though yes there is 100% the element of newer, richer, white residents advocating for bike lanes over the objections of longtime black residents, and the point the article makes about many of those residents having fought against things like destroying those neighborhoods to expand I95 is important context that the bike lanes advocates don't always understand).

But some other key takeaways:

-- The bike lanes on South Dakota appear to be less about serving actual demand for bike lanes and more about the fact that bike lanes are the cheapest traffic calming measure DDOT has at their disposal. The real issue in South Dakota appears to be speeding and pedestrian safety, but more expensive traffic calming measures (that have other benefits like making the neighborhood look and feel nicer to be in) aren't in the table. Things like widening sidewalks, installing permanent curb bumpouts at intersections to protect pedestrians, or installing raised medians. Those are expensive, a painted bike lane is cheap.

-- The residents opposing the bike lanes are NOT fans if the speeding and dangerous driving on SD avenue. They hate it. They just don't think bike lanes will solve it-- they think they will increase congestion which will lead to more dangerous driving, and push it into neighboring, residential streets. DDOT has proposed measures to address those concerns but like bike lanes, they are cheap and may not work-- bollards and other temporary installments that may have some impact on speeding and dangerous driving but won't stop it. The article also discussed speed cameras but notes that drivers know where they are and just slow down temporarily and then return to speeding, and that the city struggles to collect fines from out if state drivers.

-- A nearby bike lane proposal in Taylor Street is NOT facing this opposition and actually has the broad support of residents and businesses. That bike lane offers commuting potential for kids to a number if schools and will hook up with the MBT, which businesses think could be a boon for them. Taylor is also not a major through street and has less of a speeding issue than SD Ave. Which makes a bike lane there more appealing-- cyclists don't actually want to ride in painted bike lanes next to speeding traffic! It's dangerous.

So my takeaway is that a major problem with bike lanes in DC is that they are being used as a cheap traffic calming alternative in places where better traffic calming infrastructure is needed, but where there may be minimal demand for bike lanes specifically. If the city instead sought buy in for medians and wider sidewalks and safer pedestrian crossings, they'd face less opposition from residents (out of state drivers would still hate it, but if the goal is to make streets safer, that should not be the primary concern). Bike lanes make sense in places where people already WANT them and where it's already fairly safe to bike. Imposing them on major thoroughfares where there isn't demand in the hope it will slow down drivers and make the road more hospitable to pedestrians and bikes alike us putting the cart before the horse. No wonder you see a lot of arguments over bike lanes if this is their approach.

But if course DC needs money to create safe roads the right way. Different issue. But it dues not appear that painted bike lanes all over the city are the cheap solution they want them to be.[/quote]

Building connectivity on collector roads really is such a no-brainer. To do a bike lane right on an arterial is a heavy and expensive lift. You could connect 5X as many collector routes for the same cost/effort. [/quote]

I agree; it seems like a no brainer. Major arteries are the worst, least safe, most expensive place for bike routes. And traffic calming measures are needed on all major arteries other than bike lanes.

Actually, we need people calming measures. Too many people drive like jerks no matter what we do to the roads.[/quote]

So we need traffic calming on major arterials but it just cannot be bike lanes? Come on that’s ridiculous. Come down to the Hill and check out the protected lanes on C St and Penn Ave. They are wonderful. [/quote]

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