D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

Highlights of BAC accomplishments in October: The BAC sat down to work first thing into the month. The Safety, Education and Enforcement and Legislative Committees held a joint meeting on Oct. 2 to develop testimony about the Vision Zero Enhancement Omnibus Amendment Act of 2019. Chair Rachel Maisler, Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Johnson, and immediate past chair David Cranor testified at the bill’s Oct. 24 hearing. Official written testimony will be transmitted in early November and posted under separate cover. The Facilities Committee held an on-bike “rolling” meeting to assess NoMa and Eckington intersections around North Capitol Street and New York Avenue. Photo of Oct. 29 ride by Gregg Adams. The BAC and the Pedestrian Advisory Council held an Oct. 28 joint meeting featuring a two-hour discussion with DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. Council members questioned the Director about Vision Zero and other policies and infrastructure projects. Two new members joined...

The BAC is holding a joint meeting with the  Pedestrian Advisory Council. Joint Meeting of D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council and Pedestrian Advisory Council Monday, October 28, 2019, 6 p.m. 441 4th St NW, Room 1107 1. Welcome and Introductions Rachel Maisler, Bicycle Advisory Council Chair, and Eileen McCarthy, Pedestrian Advisory Council Co-Chair 2. Discussion with DDOT Director Jeff Marootian • Director’s opening statement • Responses to written questions • Questions from BAC and PAC members • Public comment and questions 3. Discussion with MPD representative 4. BAC closing remarks and adjournment 5. PAC discussion and vote on the Ignition Interlock Program Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-412) 6. PAC approval of September minutes 7. PAC adjournment ----------------------- BAC/PAC meetings are open to the public. ID is required to enter the building. Once through security, take elevators on the right-hand side to the 11th floor.

Highlights of BAC summer accomplishments: The Facilities Committee surveyed Pennsylvania Avenue SE around the Potomac Avenue Metro on Aug. 6. The Legislative and Safety, Education, and Enforcement Committees held August sit-down meetings to prepare for upcoming public hearings. A new member took office in the Ward 3 seat. We have a new #bikedc member in the Ward 3 seat. Meet Warren, representing @marycheh . pic.twitter.com/xUDYgNmrXA — DCBAC (@DCBAC) September 3, 2019 At its early September meeting, the BAC voted to co-sponsor Ward 8 community rides in conjunction with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. BAC member Gregg Adams led the Sept. 20 ride, whose participants included a Greater Greater Washington editor who reported on the “harsh realities for people bicycling.” The BAC Facilities Committee rode in the area in June and reported its findings in the meeting minutes. See below for the date of this month’s Ward 8 community ride. This month: October...

Highlights of BAC accomplishments in February: Chair Rachel Maisler testified at the BAC’s annual performance oversight hearing on Feb. 25. #ward4proud in the house ➡ our #bikedc chair @HandlebarsDC is pictured at center delivering our testimony. She's surrounded by our member Jeff and the @DC_PAC rep, Cheryle pic.twitter.com/V8dWI7U3fv — DCBAC (@DCBAC) February 25, 2019 The Facilities Committee met to plan spring and summer rolling meetings, a.k.a. field rides. Joined by two DDOT planners, the Facilities Committee discussed areas for upcoming rides. The Legislative Committee also met and identified a timely measure to raise for a BAC vote in March. Ward 1 member Emily Oaksford was reappointed. Welcome back Emily Oaksford - resworn for another term as the @councilofdc Ward 1 member on the Bicycle Advisory Council. pic.twitter.com/WldILX9Z9j — Mayor's Office of Talent and Appointments (@DC_MOTA) February 26, 2019 As the calendar turned, a new BAC m...

The BAC meets on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. at 441 4th St NW, 11th floor. Bicycle Advisory Council 9/5/18 Meeting Agenda 1. Call to order; introductions 2. Public comment 3. Guest speaker: DDOT Director Jeff Marootian 4. MPD report 5.  Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee report 6.  Legislative Committee report 7.  Facilities Committee report 8. Approval of July minutes 9. Adjournment ---------------------------------- BAC meetings are open to the public. ID is required to enter the building. Once through security, take elevators on the right-hand side to the 11th floor.

Highlights of BAC accomplishments in July: At its July 12 meeting, the BAC hosted a discussion with DDOT Deputy Director Jeff Marootian, who will assume the role of interim DDOT director in mid August. The productive discussion fulfills DDOT's mandate to meet every six months with the BAC, per the Transportation Reorganization Amendment Act of 2015. BAC meeting with DDOT leaders, at center right. At its September meeting and thereafter, the BAC will follow up on the issues discussed. BAC members also attended meetings about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE revitalization project in Congress Heights and the Downtown West Transportation Planning Study in Ward 2, among other meetings. Members David Cranor and Jeff Johnson joined Councilmember Charles Allen on a July 28 ride through Ward 6. Councilmember Charles Allen, left, leads constituents on a ride through parts of Ward 6. BAC member Jeff Johnson is pictured at right in purple Bike to Work Day t-shirt. To his...

Highlights of BAC accomplishments in June: BAC members joined DDOT staff and other stakeholders to survey high-crash intersections in June. At six sites over four days, public officials and community leaders gathered to observe the infrastructure and multimodal traffic flow and make recommendations to improve safety. The intersections were Massachusetts and Observatory NW, Connecticut and R NW, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Good Hope SE, Southern and Wheeler SE, 9th and U NW, and 3rd and D NW. BAC Ward 1 member Emily Oaksford, leaning against lightpole, at 9th and U NW. Photo by @DCVisionZero. BAC member Jeff Johnson at 3rd and D NW. Johnson is pictured at center between the DDOT personnel in vests. Photo by @DCVisionZero. These were the most recent site visits to improve road safety and decrease fatalities and serious injuries, the basis of D.C.'s Vision Zero program. Previous field visits are summarized in these 2015 and 2016 reports. In other news, the BAC Pla...

The BAC meets on July 12 at 6 p.m. at 441 4th St NW, Room 1112. Meetings are open to the public. ID is required to enter the building. The agenda is below. Bicycle Advisory Council 7/12/17 Meeting Agenda  1. Call to order; introductions 2. Discussion with DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo • Questions from BAC appointees • Public comment 3. DDOT staff report 4. MPD report 5. Facilities Committee report 6. Legislative Committee report 7. Planning Committee report 8. Approval of minutes 9. Adjournment

Like elves toiling behind the scenes, the BAC is laying the groundwork for 2017 by meeting merrily this midweek. Legislative Affairs Committee meeting Wed., Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. Teaism, 400 8th St NW Agenda Information Items 1. Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Act of 2015 Update  Now official law L21-0167, Effective from Nov 26, 2016 2. B21-0759 - Bicycle Awareness Motor Vehicle License Plate Amendment Act of 2016 Update Signed by Mayor this month and awaiting Congressional approval 3. B21-0923 - Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Technical Amendment Act of 2016 Update  Dec. 12 hearing cancelled. To be reintroduced in the next session beginning Jan. 3. 4. D.C. Council committee structure and chairs Action Items 5. Approval of testimony for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Technical Amendment Act 6. Discussion of legislation ideas  *** Facilities Committee meeting Thurs., Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. Pizzeria Paradiso, 2003 P St NW Agenda 1. Snow and leaf remo...

Photo: @RanPuba Thousands of District employees who use Metro, fleet vehicles, personal cars, Taxicabs, Uber, and other methods to get around the city now have another option.  According to the the District Department of Human Resources , District government employees may purchase Capital Bikeshare memberships for an annual fee of $25, a savings of $60 off of the standard membership rate of $85. The program will begin Monday, May 16, with emails sent to employees that will contain the program password and registration instructions. For employees who are already members, they can renew their individual memberships up to two months in advance at the employee rate. The program also provides helmets for an additional $16. The District would be one of a few cities that provide this type of benefit to its employees. Earlier this year, California instituted its own employee bike sharing program to help its Department of Transportation (Caltrans) employees travel to meetings wh...

Photo: @Ranpuba The next Legislative Committee is scheduled for 6:00pm, April 27th at Teaism in Penn Quarter (400 8th Street NW). We will meet downstairs. The Legislative Committee Chair, Mike Forster, plans to discuss the following: Contributory Negligence legislation a bike sales tax holiday; and, a potential legislative fix to require DDOT to address dangerous intersections more quickly. If time permits, we will discuss other bike-related topics. If you have questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section or send contact us on Twitter .

Photo: @ranpuba James Sebastian, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) bicycle program manager, issued an email this morning regarding the impact of this weekend's blizzard and the clearing of snow from the District's bicycle infrastructure. Key points: Much of the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Pennsylvania Avenue Protected bike lanes are clear. It could be several days before other trails and protected lanes are clear of snow Bike lanes on many streets will remain snow covered for several days as parked cars inhibit clearing DPW and DDOT crews are working to clear bridge sidewalks Capital Bikeshare is closed until further notice as crew work to clear snow from stations Use the 311 app to report uncleared facilities or email jim.sebastian@dc.gov Please see the full email below:

Photo: @ranpuba The Council of the District of Columbia has released its Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Performance Oversight Hearings schedule . The Bicycle Advisory Council, as well as the Pedestrian Advisory Council and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will provide testimony before the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, chaired by Council member Mary M. Cheh (Ward 3). The hearing is tentatively scheduled for Monday, February 29, 2016, in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW at 11:00 am. The purpose of the Performance Oversight Hearings is to allow the Council to ask questions regarding the current operations of District agencies, committees, and other government organizations. The Council looks at current fiscal year operations, which began October 1, 2015, as well as operations during the previous year. As always, we invite you to testify at the hearing or tell BAC some of the issues and progress #BikeDC has ex...

In August of 2015, the District of Transportation (DDOT) in partnership with Council Member Mary Cheh, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, initiated visits to 5 District intersections that have experienced high crash rates, injuries or fatalities.  That report, " High Crash Intersection Site Visits Summary and Next Steps " was recently released by DDOT. BAC, along with the Pedestrian Advisory Council, local Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, and other concerned groups met DDOT staff at these locations and discussed the potential reasons behind crashes and to help determine the best possible solutions for their elimination. Many sites listed in the report have been visited by the BAC Facilities Committee.

Photo: Elvert Barnes Join us for a General Council meeting at 6 p.m. this Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW,  Rm. 1117 . Agenda: 6:00pm Call to Order; Introductions; Approve minutes - David Cranor 6:10pm Election of new officers and search for admin staffer - David Cranor, Jeff Johnson 6:25pm Discussion of Vision Zero Regulations and testimony for Friday - Mike Forster 7:00pm Committee Reports - Jeannie, Mike Forster, Ellen/Andrea 7:30pm DDOT Report - New York Avenue Trail report. ( New York Avenue Corridor Study - 2006 ) 7:50pm Walk-on topics - David Cranor 8:00pm Adjournment - David Cranor Members of the public are welcome. The meeting is held in a government building so be prepared to show ID to enter. Once you pass the security checkpoint, please use the 'south' elevators on your right and go to the 11th floor. A  Capital BikeShare  station is located at the from of the building and the J...

On Tuesday, December 8, 2015 , the Committee on Transportation and the Environment will hold a Public Hearing on several bills related to bicycling. The hearing will begin at 11:00 a.m., Room 500 (fifth floor) of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Based on feedback from our general and committee meetings, BAC members will offer testimony. They will discuss two of four bills under consideration at this hearing, listed below: B21-0335  -  Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015 - This bill makes changes to District law regarding motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. It requires the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to publish certain statistical and geographical data on its website, establishes a safety program called the Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Area Program, orders DDOT to adopt an inclusive policy for accommodating all users of the District's roadways, and amends existing public safety laws by creating new motor veh...

The Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Performance Oversight Hearings schedule has been released and the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, chaired by Council member Mary M. Cheh (Ward 3), has placed the D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council on the docket. This hearing gives residents an opportunity testify about bicycling in the District. The hearing is tentatively scheduled to begin 11:00am on Friday, March 6, 2014 in Room 412 in the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Also scheduled are the Pedestrian Advisory Council and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). The purpose of the Performance Oversight Hearings are to allow the Council to ask questions regarding the current operations of District agencies, committees, and other government organizations. The Council looks at current fiscal year operations, which began October 1, 2014, as well as operations during the previous year.

New year, new resolutions and a revamped DCBAC website! We had an excellent General BAC meeting last Wednesday with updates from DDOT, Office of Planning, Arlington BAC and our committees. In the spirit of resolution for more frequent communication, I thought I'd post an update on our latest meeting for folks who don't want to read the 5 pages of meeting minutes. Snow removal - Bike lanes were done as a second round pass by the main line snow removal crew while the protected bike lanes were cleared by the bike planner staff of DDOT with a specialized plow. Detailed post to come. DDOT does not currently have a list of specific bike lanes they plan to build in 2015 but it should be coming soon. The Eastside Bikeway (east side of downtown) is not on contract currently but is in the plans for this year. The final 30% plan of the Fort Totten section of the MBT should be done by the end of 2015 while the Rhode Island Pedestrian Bridge has had its "soft" opening. The fin...

October has come and gone somehow. Bad news for pumpkin sellers but good news for bikers - the bimonthly DCBAC general meeting is this week! Agenda will be posted later today but will likely  include:         Update on plans for Oxon Run Trail         Georgetown to Union Streetcar EA         New DC council members 441 4th St NW, Rm 1114 at 6pm. All are welcome. There is plenty of bike parking outside, as well as a Capital Bikeshare station and the Judiciary Square metro entrance. UPDATED AGENDA (11/4/14) 1.           Introductions 2.           DDOT report out on FY14 accomplishments and FY15 priorities 3.           Committee Reports       -           Legislative     ...

The next bimonthly BAC meeting is Wednesday, September 3, 2014 beginning at 6pm. We will be at the One Judiciary Square building, 441 4th Street NW, room 1114. As always, DCBAC meetings are open to the public and we invite you to participate in our discussion about the District's bicycling issues. Per our bylaws, we will hold an election for FY15 officers – chair, treasurer, secretary. Megan Kanagy has indicated her interest in the chairperson’s office. Jameel Alsalam is willing to stand for re-election as treasurer. The agenda is as follows: Introductions, including the new BAC support services contractor Approval of Minutes  Committee Reports  Treasurer’s Report  DDOT Updates  Other Business When entering the building, please make sure to bring government-issued identification and use the south elevators to get to the 11th floor conference room. Bicycle parking is available in front of the building and please remember to also bring your bike lock. Th...