Photo by The Great Photographicon.

As if streetcar and other rail tracks weren’t dangerous enough for cyclists to navigate without falling, newly installed streetcar tracks on Benning Road and in Anacostia make the situation even riskier.

Grates between the tracks run parallel to traffic. As a result, the wheels of a bicycle traveling in the lane are likely to get stuck, leading to a fall for the cyclist. This danger is particularly evident on Firth Sterling Avenue SE, where the only travel lane contains streetcar tracks and cyclists are left with no other place in the road.

Although bicycle-friendly grates were specified in the design, these grates ended up being installed instead. Luckily, DDOT’s streetcar and bicycle programs are already aware of the issue and are working to install replacement grates that run perpendicular to traffic. No word yet on a timeline for replacement.