CFA says no poles, paint on Pennsylvania Avenue

WashCycle is reporting that the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, “in its public meeting last Thursday, expressed its unanimous support for facilitating bicycle use and approved the basic design of the Pennsylvania Avenue bike lanes, but advised against the installation of the plastic poles and the use of color on the pavement.”

The original historic condition of Pennsylvania Avenue was dirt. Does CFA oppose retaining the turn arrows or dotted lines on the pavement? Pennsylvania Avenue also had streetcar tracks for many decades. Are tracks okay but painted lanes not? If not, why not?

Without any physical separation from traffic, cyclists won’t feel particularly safe in the lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue, especially in the center. At the very least, colored paint would make it clear to drivers that this is a special zone. With neither, these aren’t really cycle tracks and won’t accomplish the purpose of making cyclists feel more comfortable and safer riding around downtown DC.