Geez, that sounds serious. How many people have been killed at the "death star" intersection? I don't know anything about it.

by crin on Nov 4, 2009 12:48 pm • link • report

If parking is only being taken away for a few days why would anything but a few posted signs 72 hours in advance be warranted?

by Paul on Nov 4, 2009 12:59 pm • link • report

Wasn't this supposed to be a curb and not temporary pylons? I've walked by this twice and both times have seen cars parked in the bike lanes. There needs to be a real barrier to prevent vehicles from using this lane.

by Nick on Nov 4, 2009 1:20 pm • link • report

@Nick: ditto. Monday night cars were parked in both lanes...

by dano on Nov 4, 2009 1:39 pm • link • report

Had the opportunity to ride what was built last saturday. It was great, but, yes, cars were parked in both lanes, and cabs were treating it as a hangout spot just north of mass.

@JimGraham - This isn't some crisis. 72 hours of no parking on one side of one block. Big deal. Just send out a note and apologize for the miscommunication. Don't try and derail a needed infrastructure upgrade. You'll be getting an email from me and others soon enough...

by JTS on Nov 4, 2009 1:47 pm • link • report

Good lord, call out the whambulance!

How is it pandering to residents by telling DDOT to engage in proper community notification before they disrupt people's lives?

And does this bike lane mean no parking at any time in that lane? If so, I'd expect irate residents of that stretch of 15th Street to throw a fit about the loss of all those overnight parking spots.

by Fritz on Nov 4, 2009 2:08 pm • link • report

The "irate residents" that Graham is "pandering to" also pay taxes and are affected by this project. They should be allowed to have their voices heard. This project has mainly been dictated by people that do not live on 15th. Cyclists, cabbies, commuters trying to easily get back to Maryland, etc... And I am aware of the community "votes" that DDOT solicited for the project. However, this project is a disaster and it's not just related to the parking.

And by the way, it's the residents of this neighborhood who are going to have to live with these changes and not the cyclists passing through. We are the ones that have to live with trash in the contra flow lane and in fron t of our homes because street sweepers can't get all the way to the curb. We have to deal with potential permanent white cones in front of our house. And yes, we have to deal with a loss of parking, which might not sound like a big deal as you bike by, but it's a little annoying as we get squeezed by the people coming to 14th on the weekends and the church goers on Sunday. So before you cast any stones, realize that this project affects the residents. I am all for Cycling and green transportation, but the holier than thow approach by many cyclists is a little off putting. Especially when you already have a bike lane on 14th, and are yourselves, an extremely vocal minority.

If the stated goal of DDOT was to slow down traffic and provide a bike lane in each direction, the plan for turning 15th into 3 lanes (one in each direction and a center for turning with bike lanes on both sides and then parking would have been the most logical.) However, in typical DC fashion DDOT tried to come up with a compromise and arrived at one of the worst options. (And for the record, untiming the lights on 15th would slow down traffic more than any other fix.) End rant.

by Some Perspective on Nov 4, 2009 2:21 pm • link • report

I hate to say it, but this looks like a death trap for cyclists. When cars are parked alongside the bike lane, it will be very difficult for a northbound driver turning left to see far enough up the bike lane to know if someone is coming southbound.

The good news is that residents are learning that the bike lane is not for parking. Monday was a disaster, but yesterday evening I did not see any cars parked in the lane between Mass and R.

by Gumpper on Nov 4, 2009 2:24 pm • link • report

No kidding, Gumper. Staring down that mail truck blocking what will soon be the bike lane doesn't look much fun.

by ah on Nov 4, 2009 2:45 pm • link • report

@Fritz Isn't there only a net loss of a few spots at the end of each block? (To increase visibility?) It's not like they took away all the parking on 15th street here, or even most of it, folks. Those spots just got shifted to the east a little bit.

by Steve Davis on Nov 4, 2009 3:13 pm • link • report

Agree with Gumper regarding the safety aspects of this new contraflow bike lane. Has this issue been addressed? I'm worried about the safety of cyclists riding southbound when drivers are turning left. It would seem that a reasonable way to reduce this risk would be to eliminate one or two of the parking spots near each intersection.

by Andrew on Nov 4, 2009 3:27 pm • link • report

Has this issue been addressed?

There are giant painted words in the left lane at each stop light intersection (or will be) that say something to the effect of "LEFT HAND TURN YIELD TO PEDS AND CYCLISTS".

by Ugh on Nov 4, 2009 3:44 pm • link • report

Last night was total chaos on 15th - gridlock from K street to U street. Car drivers were cutting in and out of the coned-off future contra-flow & parking lanes on the west side of the street. Hopefully this is just temporary confusion due to poor temporary signage and cone placement during construction, but I really do fear for future bike projects if this one is creating such an uproar [over a dozen posts on the usually quiet U-street yahoo listserv too].

by ontarioroader on Nov 4, 2009 3:56 pm • link • report

Those signs will be of limited use if the traffic can't see the bikes coming towards them (those cyclists would likely be shielded from view by the parked cars in the parking lane). As currently constructed, it's hard to see how this contraflow lane will work safely, unless bikers slows to a near crawl at each intersection.

by Andrew on Nov 4, 2009 4:03 pm • link • report

Well Excuuuse me, princess. Since the parking is given away essentially for free, I say T.S. if it gets moved around in the name of mobility for all. The average parking space is about 300 square feet, which is like 1/2 of a studio apartment. Are you guys paying 1/2 of the going rate for a studio apartment to park there? No? Didn't think so. So, excuuuuse me if I don't really buy the whole 'extremely vocal minority,' 'self righteous whaambulance' thing. My property taxes are subsidizing your spot, too.

by JTS on Nov 4, 2009 4:06 pm • link • report

JTS - that attitude doesn't help the cause. When you refuse to even recognize that residents have a legitimate stake in this issue, and cavalierly dismiss their concerns (especially when articulated in a fairly non-confrontational way), you alienate a lot of people who would otherwise be inclined to side with you.

Or, more succinctly, don't be an ass.

by dcd on Nov 4, 2009 4:35 pm • link • report

@Andrew I think they did take away a spot or two at the end/beginning of each block to increase visibility of the cyclists traveling through the light.

by Steve Davis on Nov 4, 2009 4:37 pm • link • report

One: It's not mobility for all, it's mobility for cyclists, who are minority commuter bloc in this city.
Two: Your tone just proved my point. Again, as someone who supports an infastructure for cyclists, the tone of many cyclists on this blog and other blogs, is extremely grating. My point was, these changes affect residents, they should at least be able to talk to their representative without being portrayed as irrational panderers.
Three: It cuts both ways, my property taxes are subsidizing your contraflow bike lane, which I don't need.
Four: The current set-up, as others here have pointed out, is still a bad idea. I am not sure how someone taking a left turn will see a biker moving at a decent clip, if there is an SUV parked next to the contraflow lane. As such, my main issue is with DDOT and how the whole plan has been executed.
Five: "Whambulance?" Are you twelve?

by Some Perspective on Nov 4, 2009 4:58 pm • link • report

@dcd

You beat me to it. Thank you. Much more eloquant than I put it.

by Some Perspective on Nov 4, 2009 5:03 pm • link • report

Contraflow lanes work elsewhere. Can anyone point me to evidence that someone going the speed limit and pausing to turn can't react within 20-44 feet?

Once cyclists have the security of these lanes, you'll start to see many more coming along and the lane will be well worth it.

by цarьchitect on Nov 4, 2009 5:36 pm • link • report

Lots of drama on the ustreetnews listserv but at the end of the day, Graham's just trying to buy some time for residents north of U who were caught off guard, unlike those south of U that were notified properly. There's strong support for the 15th St. contraflow lane, but people vary in their patience/impatience for getting this done and their tone regarding drivers/cyclists generally.

by Ward 1 Guy on Nov 4, 2009 5:44 pm • link • report

So, are they going to put in the new curb between the contraflow bike lane and the parking lane or not?

by Hiya on Nov 4, 2009 6:01 pm • link • report

What a dissapointment seeing all those cars parked literally parked 'in the middle of the road'. When DDOT first brought the proposal of change to the neighborhood it was under the guise of making this street less of a super highway and more neighborhood friendly. Instead they've left it as a highspeed roadway for car commuters and added to that mix a highspeed roadway for cyclist commuters AND added a bunch of cars parked in the middle of the road. Sorry, but I don't see this as a neighborhood friendly move. We've being used as guinea pigs for cycling-commuter oriented experiments. And I won't even get into the question of 'where did the $100K plus of funding go?' I mean, we got some paint on the road and a few new signs. And it cost over a $100,000 for that?

by Lance on Nov 4, 2009 6:11 pm • link • report

@Hiya: is the plan to install a new curb or to keep the orange barriers up?

@Lance: why is it disappointing to see cars parked "in the middle of the road"? This plan, when finally finished, should reduce car speed on 15th and increase bike traffic. This sounds like a neighborhood-friendly development to me. My only concern, as outlined above, is with cyclist-safety, but hopefully my concerns are misplaced.

by Andrew on Nov 4, 2009 6:32 pm • link • report

As I've said for a while, the only way this is going to be safe is for left-turn signals to be added to the lights that are co-ordinated with stop signals for pedestrians and bikes. The row of cars hides the bikes too much to avoid head-on collisions. The new yield signs look like high tech hieroglyphics. The pylons will last a couple weeks tops.

The residents around here are very pro-bike and made many suggestions encouraging 2-way bikes lanes and less auto traffic. (This plan was not even one of the four alternatives presented and any resident over 12 would have pointed out the obvious problems in this plan).

My own suggestion was diagonal parking on one side and bike lanes both directions. I want to see a lot more bike lanes on every street possible and hope this doesn't turn into a disaster that sours people on more bike lanes.

If pylons don't last and curbs are dangerous, I really don't understand why the line separating the bike lanes isn't at least yellow instead of white. Too many cars cross into the bike lanes way too often.

by Tom Coumaris on Nov 4, 2009 6:53 pm • link • report

Parked cars seemed to have figured it out tonight. They were mainly parked where they were supposed to be. Saw many cyclists going the wrong way on the contraflow lane, though. I will totally overlook it because the other bike lane (northbound) has not been installed. From a safety standpoint, I wouldn't want to be in the same lane as cars going 40+ on perfectly timed lights either.

Another question, if a curb is installed, how are street sweepers going to clear the bike path of leaves, large sticks, etc? I still maintain that 3 lanes (one north, one south, and a center for turning with bike lanes going both ways and parking on both sides) is the way to go. It just seems like cabbies and Maryland commuters would be totally against this. I don't see how the neighborhood would be against that change. Slows down and decreases traffic making it less noisy. Win for bikers, win for residents. Bad for emergencies and cars going north.

Disclaimer: As you can tell, I am not an urban planner.

by Some Perspective on Nov 4, 2009 6:54 pm • link • report

@Andrew,

I had thought that the plan was to have a one-foot-wide curb between the bike lane and the parking lane, but now I honestly don't really know...

by Hiya on Nov 4, 2009 6:56 pm • link • report

@Andrew: the cones are already down. It's a disappointment to see cars parked in the middle of the road because having them in the middle of the asphalt (vs. along a curb) looks to much like what you'd see in a surbanan shopping center's parking lot ... and not enough what you'd expect in an urban environment ... especially on a street that is supposed to be a residential street in an urban environment. As David had pointed out in a posting long ago, 15th Street is like a hole in the urban fabric of the Dupont/Logan area. Moving the parked cars over one lane hasn't helped close that hole. It's probably made it worse now that those parked cars are all the more visible. And, of course, having cycling commuters joining in with the motoring commuters, doesn't help restore the residential feel to that street. What was needed was (1) two way traffic and (2) 4 way stop signs at all intersections (i.e., no lights). That would have provided both a residential street to the neighbors AND a safe environment for cyclists to use as part of the regular traffic and in both directions.

by Lance on Nov 4, 2009 6:59 pm • link • report

Jeez. my apologies. Trying to make it a little funny. And for the record, if tax dollars were split evenly, there'd be a lot less parking and a lot more bike infrastructure. And I'm quoting "whambulance" from an earlier comment.

Everyone needs to lighten up about this. I doubt me posting an internet meme 'hurts the cause;' again, it's only one side of one block for like 72 hours, and there was a communications mistake. I'm not the one who introduced the idea of 'holier than thou' cyclists into this thread.

by JTS on Nov 4, 2009 7:13 pm • link • report

also, +1 Lance's last comment.

by JTS on Nov 4, 2009 7:14 pm • link • report

First of all, David is correct that the issue of not notifying residents is a serious one, and endemic throughout all agencies of the DC government. In fact, basic competence and coordination are challenges that to me override the worth of any particular issue (in most cases). It's extremely serious.

Some Perspective - you make good points. But as someone who is easily grated, I do not find the tone of cyclists on this blog to be grating. I really don't think that is a fair characterization. For example, I can't stand it when people ride on the sidewalks. But I am far from alone in that, on this blog. Others chime in too. (Some support it, but just as many don't, in my rough estimation.)

Having not seen the new set up, perhaps I should not comment, but I sure hope it's not as bad as some have made it out to be.

by Jazzy on Nov 4, 2009 7:26 pm • link • report

Just a side note: after configuration changes, it typically takes about 2 weeks for the new traffic/parking pattern to sort itself out. I'd suggest waiting at least another week before coming to conclusions about the new 15th St config...

by Froggie on Nov 4, 2009 7:52 pm • link • report

The problem is that this scheme was not one of the alternatives ever presented to the residents south of U to comment on. One person at DDOT assuming they know more than hundreds of residents with many years experience (some of whom have graduate degrees in urban and traffic planning) is a big mistake.

The bike lanes need to be yellow-lined and stiff tickets dished out to cars that move into them.

by Tom Coumaris on Nov 4, 2009 7:56 pm • link • report

Walked up 15th a bit after work today. Saw several cars parked in the bike lane for about a block or so north of Mass Ave. But after that I didn't see any. So looks like that should be sorted out in short order.

I was somewhat surprised to see very little in the way of curbs, lines or something to show the boundary between the bike lane and the parking lane. Now that the pylons are gone, there were only small reflectors on the street every few feet.

by Mike B. on Nov 4, 2009 8:10 pm • link • report

I'm a 15th Street resident and a cyclist. The compromise design wasn't what I really wanted which was the switch to two way traffic, but it will decrease traffic speed and give space for cyclists so I can live with it. Anyone complaining about the lack of parking is full of it. There is ALWAYS parking on 15th Street. I hate to let the cat out of the bag on that one, but I've never had trouble finding a spot within a block or two at all times of day and even on weekend nights. The net loss of 6 blocks is nothing. If my neighbors are that concerned about the loss of parking then they should push to expand the residential zoned spots and increase enforcement. A few lost spots are negligible when it comes to the increased safety of cyclists and pedestrians along 15th Street, including those who live there.

by jeff on Nov 4, 2009 9:54 pm • link • report

A couple of observations as I just walked my dog on 15th. I concede that there is a negligible loss of parking. (However, I seriously doubt you can find parking with ease on weekend nights.) So, point taken there.

They are not installing another northbound bike lane, there are signs up that say bikes may use the full traffic lane, which is ridiculous if you are arguing this is safer for cyclists. Now that cars are more congested, they are just going to speed up on bikers' tails almost forcing them off the road. Scary. And I think a lot of bikers will feel this way at rush hour, which will make them want to take the protected contraflow lane. No joke, I saw a cop on a bike take the contraflow lane the wrong way while I was walking.

Another issue is that cross streets (east-west) without a light (like Swann) are going to become very unsafe for vehicles trying to cross 15th. They can't stay in the bike lane while waiting for traffic and there vision will be blocked by the parked cars. If they eek out to get a view of the traffic on 15th, they are likely to cause an accident either with a biker or with traffic on 15th. Not good.

Not sure really where this leaves us, especially as this was a plan that no one wanted except for MD commuters. Happy to try it out for a few weeks. I am just not optimistic and wondering where we go from here. And I would really hate for someone to get hurt while we are trying this out.

Maybe residents and cyclists can band together and get the option we want...? It seems like that would be 15th as a two way street with two bike lanes (northbound and southbound).

by Some Perspective on Nov 4, 2009 10:13 pm • link • report

@Some Perspective: Where did you get the idea that we are 'trying this out of a few weeks'? DDOT spent mucho bucks on making this change, and they most likely don't have the money in the budget to change it back for a long time.

Interesting observation about bikers using the lane in the wrong direction. You have to wonder why it was made so wide unless 2 way bike traffic was the intention from the start ... But then why not just sign it as such?

by Lance on Nov 4, 2009 10:51 pm • link • report

Here's another problem with the 15th Street bike lane: the pavement markings are misspelled. Drivers turning left are instructed to "'Yeild' to bikes and peds." Come ON, DDOT, let's not screw up the easy stuff.

by JewdishoowarySquare on Nov 4, 2009 11:31 pm • link • report

I live in the neighborhood and am a cyclist. I was excited about the contraflow lanes but now, seeing them in action, they're a bit worrisome. Maybe the traffic will adjust but it seems pretty chaotic on 15th now, with cars driving through the pylons and cabs parked in the bike lanes while bikers try to make their way south. It's an unfamiliar model for drivers to grasp and leads to confusion. For cyclists, I'm not sure this is any safer than using 14th St.

by Joe Flood on Nov 5, 2009 10:38 am • link • report

Sorry, I just meant I was going to give it a chance to work for a few weeks before I pass judgement. Funny enough though, while a DDOT worker was putting up the pylons, he told my wife that they were "analyzing" how many bikes used the contraflow lane. Not sure why they are analyzing if it's already set in stone. I concede that it's more likely that the DDOT worker probably didn't know what he was talking about.

Another question I have is, and I'm genuinely curious here, why would a cyclist take the 15th contraflow lane as opposed to 14th? It seems like with 14th, a cyclist is likely to catch most of the lights and safely run the ones he doesn't catch. With the lights timed on 15th going the opposite direction, catching all the lights in the contraflow is unlikely, and safely running the lights is not all that safe with your vision partially blocked by cars. Furthermore, from 4-6:30 pm, 15th street south of Mass is one way. I just don't see this bike lane being used that much if it stays one way.

As I said before though, I'm willing to give it a shot.

by Some Perspective on Nov 5, 2009 11:41 am • link • report

I walked by there earlier this afternoon, and there's definitely some confusion with the signage. On at least the first couple of blocks south of U, cars were parked alongside the curb (i.e., in the bikelane) ... one behind the other ... with occasionally a second car 'double parked' alongside the cars there. You can't blame the motorists for parking in the car lane, the signs after all DO indicate that is the right place to park ... And other than the widely spaced out bicycle symbols (which are of course upside down to the northbound motorist traffic), there's nothing there to indicate that one should not park in the curb lane ... AND nothing to indicate that one SHOULD park in that lane in the middle. I.e., it's a mess ... a complete mess.

by Lance on Nov 5, 2009 3:57 pm • link • report

error: should have said:

*You can't blame the motorists for parking in the BIKE lane

by Lance on Nov 5, 2009 3:58 pm • link • report

Wish they had this when I was living there. I was nearly killed by crazy drivers on this road several times...

But why is there a bike track on only one side? Why not both sides??? The situation is just as bad going north as going south. Why go halfway when you can go all the way?

I didn't know a single person who owned a car when I lived there. I don't know how you even could own a car in that area.

by Lee Watkins on Nov 6, 2009 8:45 am • link • report

For the last few days, several taxis have been idling in the contraflow bike lane south of Rhode Island Ave every time I walk by (at least twice a day). I don't think they like the lane taking out their unofficial taxicab stand, since idling in the middle of the road probably makes them look like they are *really* breaking the law. I witnessed a very confused southbound bicyclist trying to figure out what to do at that intersection (15th and RI) since the street was marked with a bike lane but a wall of taxis greeted him. I also have seen bicyclists ride in the wrong direction in the contraflow lane as well.

by TJ on Nov 6, 2009 1:27 pm • link • report

Thank you Some Perspective for standing up for tax-paying citizens who subsidize this ridiculous contraflow plan. As a long time resident of 15th Street, I remember all too well, the number of accidents that plagued the neighborhood in the 60s when the street was two-way. Pedestrians were constantly at risk and changing the traffic pattern to one way has rendered 15th Street practically accident-free. There seems to be an irrational concern about the safety of cyclists, who, by the way, seem to have little concern for their own safety since many of them ride without reflective gear or lights for visibility ease. Is it okay for my elderly parent to exit the passenger side on the west side of 15th Street into oncoming traffic? Not much thought went into the safety of those constituents, did it. BTW, every time a motorists purchases gas in DC, they contribute to the tax base of the city. What additional taxes or fees are cyclists contributing to the city coffers? We ALL are willing to do our share to save the planet and we do, but some of us can do it without the sanctimony.

by ME on Nov 12, 2009 4:02 pm • link • report

ME, I appreciate your local experience, but I'd also appreciate it if you could explain your concern more clearly.

How were pedestrians more at risk before?

Why is the safety of cyclists unimportant?

How is your parent threatened by the bike lane?

How much of road maintenance is paid for with the DC gas tax?

by Neil Flanagan on Nov 12, 2009 4:10 pm • link • report

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DC innovates on 15th Street bike lane
bike Justin Wilson of D.C. makes his way south on new 15th St. lane. (Gerald Martineau/Post)

During my online chat Monday, I got a comment about the new bike lane the District Department of Transportation is installing along 15th Street NW. The lane is designed to allow bikers to travel southbound in a protected area on what otherwise is a one-way street northbound. This is the reader's comment:

15th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.: The 15th street contraflow bike lane is an absolute disaster. Traffic has not slowed. It's still as dangerous for cyclists. Street cleaners cannot get to the curb or they will rip off the reflective covers that indicate the bike lane. Cyclists are going the wrong way. Cars are parked in the lane. 15th street does not feel part of the neighborhood. There are misspelled words like "yield" in the bike lane. Please tell me this is not permanent.

John Lisle, a spokesman for DDOT, saw the comment and went out to take some pictures of the new lane. You can see one of his pictures below.

He says most of the installation work is done, and this may resolve some of the potential issues raised. Lisle suspects there might have been some confusion -- particularly about the parking by the bike lane -- while the installation was underway, but thinks this will no longer be the case.

Also, he said, "The signage, for both cyclists and drivers, is very good and I think the bike lane is going to be very popular."

Some cyclists will indeed go the wrong way in the lane, meaning they will use it to ride northbound, rather than stick to the regular lanes of traffic, which are one-way north. They'll prefer the protection of the bike lane. But even that should not be a major problem, Lisle said.
15th Street 2-John Lisle-ddot.JPG Completed contra lane. (John Lisle/DDOT)

DDOT says it is testing the contra concept on the 14-block stretch of 15th between Massachusetts Avenue and U Street. It's the city's first protected bike lane, buffered from traffic by parked cars.

What's the impact on traffic? It takes away a travel lane and eliminates six parking spots, the latter to increase visibility for bikers. That's not a crippling blow to traffic. Many drivers heading north still will prefer 15th to 16th or 14th. DDOT says there is more road capacity than necessary on 15th, given the number of cars regularly using it. But the narrowing of the roadway for the bike lane may have the side benefit of slowing down traffic on 15th, which has always gone too fast.

DDOT has been working with the neighborhood for several years on proposals to reconfigure the roadway. DC is looking to move away from the car-dominated road network of the mid-20th century into something that is friendlier to walkers and reconnects neighborhoods.

The innovation has been a popular topic online. Here are some of the takes on it:
* David Alpert, Greater Greater Washington
* DCist noted the misspelling.
* WashCycle noted completion of the lane.

Here's a DDOT image showing a cross section of the reconfigured street. The contraflow lane is on the left side.

cross section.jpg

By Robert Thomson | November 12, 2009; 9:00 AM ET
Categories: Biking , Safety | Tags: DDOT, Dr. Gridlock, contraflow bike lane Share This: E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble Previous: Weather Slows Morning Rush
Next: Hiker-biker bridge moving forward in Montgomery
Comments

did the road "feel like part of the neighborhood" before? this odd turn of phrase is being used by a couple anti-commenters at all of the above sites, and it just sounds really weird and practiced, like a creepy talking point.

Posted by: IMGoph | November 12, 2009 9:41 AM | Report abuse

I'm liking the new photo, Dr. Gridlock!

Posted by: WashingtonDame | November 12, 2009 10:19 AM | Report abuse

From Dr. Gridlock: You mean the smiley-face one, WashingtonDame? Yeah, I like that better than the more severe version we've been using for the past three years. I know most of our travelers don't find traffic and transit conditions amusing, so I was a little worried about smiling in the face of so much misery, but Post staff photographer Bill O'Leary convinced me otherwise.

Posted by: Dr_Gridlock | November 12, 2009 11:07 AM | Report abuse

From Dr. Gridlock: IMGoph, I can tell you the theory on the "part of the neighborhood" thing. And it probably is a phrase that would be quite commonly used by urban transportation planners these days.

The idea is that city planners in the middle of the 20th century thought that the car would be king forever, so they redesigned their cities to accommodate cars. That meant putting in highways and broad streets -- often one-way streets -- that would make it easy for commuters to drive in and out of the central city. But one of the side effects was to split up neighborhoods. People no longer felt safe crossing a wide road with fast moving traffic. There's been a movement in recent years to restore roads to neighborhood scale, so people who live in the area will again feel comfortable crossing them to visit neighbors and local shops.

Posted by: Dr_Gridlock | November 12, 2009 11:13 AM | Report abuse

The use of taxpayers dollars to bulid bike lanes on the crowed street of DC is crazy as cat SH##.

Less than 0.5% of bikers use the lane and cannot or should not be biking during inclement weather.

DC needs to solve traffic conjestion not appease a handful of folks that wants to bike during rush hours traffic.

Most biker refuse to follow the laws weave in between lanes and do not obey traffic signs.

New laws should be passed to required bikers who want ot ride in conjested traffic to carry insurance and license tags like the other drivers.

Posted by: blkisin | November 12, 2009 11:57 AM | Report abuse

blkisin:

I pay taxes in DC and bike to work, I don't own a car. Your statistics seem a little concoted and I don't think it's for you to judge when I bike. I think DC needs congestion pricing downtown, so that people who don't live here don't add to our traffic, pollution, and parking problems without paying for their added burden. I think DC needs to appease actual citizens like myself, not commuters who pay taxes somewhere else and just drive in to get their paycheck.

Posted by: monongahela79 | November 12, 2009 12:05 PM | Report abuse

As a biker,I can appreciate the bike lane because since I frequently ride around the city,it provides aspecial lane form to get where I need to be going. Iknow some people may feel that is what the side walk is for but if I am trying to get somewhere, I do not want to be stressed about pedestrians in my way.

Posted by: lols | November 12, 2009 2:15 PM | Report abuse

As a person that uses a bike as means for transportation,I appreciate that bike lane. The bike lane is great forme because I use it when traveling around the city because it separates me from any danger I may be facing when Iam riding in the general automobile traffic flow.

Posted by: lols | November 12, 2009 2:19 PM | Report abuse

My only concern and experience was the parking of the SUV's, Trucks that block your view to make a turn, I almost hit a cyclist, turning on to Corcoran St., honestly didn't see the cyclist until the very last second, and some cyclist think they don't have to stop due to them having their own lane.

Posted by: weaverf | November 12, 2009 3:07 PM | Report abuse

I am a DC resident, DC taxpayer and frequent driver on 15th street. To the person who complained that drivers on 15th street don't live in the District, you are wrong. Check out the license plates as you weave your bike through traffic. The new traffic pattern is a total mess. 15th has gone from a well-flowing street during rush hour to a gridlocked, honking nightmare. People are driving significantly worse now, weaving in and out of traffic and trying to get through the gridlock. Eliminating an effective commuter road to appease a handful of residents who didn't like living on a busy street is a total disservice to the entire city. As for bikers, isn't there a bike lane on 17th street? In any event, why not have the bike lane but restrict parking during rush hour. Then we can all get around DC a little easier.

Posted by: mz1451 | November 12, 2009 4:10 PM | Report abuse

This work has been pretty disastrous to the traffic flow of 15th during rush. What used to be 4 open lanes of traffic is now two. How anyone factually or anecdotally say there has "been no effect" is beyond me. I drive it (car) often and its a clusterf^*k. I say this as an avid cyclist.

DDOT's own traffic study shows the level of service decrease by 30% with this option. Bikers already had their own lane on 15th, there was no need for another on the other side of the road, and the permanent removal of those neighborhood parking spots is pretty significant as the local listerv illustrates.

DDOT shows that 1300 vehicles per hour use that road during rush, and you've now reduced the available roadway by a half. How many bikers do, or were anticipated to use 15th street during rush? 20,50 per hour. Now they have two bike lanes. Hardly a fair or technically smart way to use that road. There are smart ways to incorporate bike friendly policies onto our traffic infrastructure. This wasn't one of those ways.

Posted by: Nosh1 | November 12, 2009 4:22 PM | Report abuse

As a resident of 15th St. NW and a biker, I am disgusted with the new traffic configuration. 15th St. NW residents were NOT proponents of this change.

What right thinking person prefers slow-moving, bumper-to-bumper road rage inducing traffic to free flowing movement of the cars, trucks, and buses using this street? And yes - cars, trucks and buses are necessary for commerce in this city, whether you personally detest them or not.

Reducing traffic lanes on this major commuter route has resulted in increased traffic congestion on the street where we live. There is NO way you can justify additional COUNTERFLOWING bicycle traffic on this street and reducing lanes for vehicle traffic as increasing the safety of the thoroughfare to ANY of its users - bikers, pedestrians, or cars. Who runs DDOT?

Oh - that's right - its run by an entrepreneur with a vested interest in making auto ownership and operation in DC unappealing and difficult. Can anybody spell CONFLICT OF INTEREST?

by 15th St. Chuck on Nov 12, 2009 5:23 pm • link • report