D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

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 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...

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.

Monday, September 29, 2014, Councilmember Tommy Wells, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, will hold a hearing on the "Bicycle and Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Amendment Act of 2014" ( View Legislation ).  The hearing will be held at 12:30 pm, the John A. Wilson Building, Room 500, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004 This proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Council members Cheh, Grosso, and Wells, would adopt a comparative negligence standard for damages recovery in bicycle and motor vehicles collisions. Comparative negligence is a rule of law applied in accident cases to determine responsibility and damages based on the negligence of every party directly involved in a crash. Section 2 of the "Access to Justice for Bicyclists Act of 2012" would be amended to include the following: "Any individual who, while riding a bicycle, is involved in a collision with a motor vehicle, shall have the total damages re...

Below is a document transmitted by members of BAC regarding our review of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Florida Avenue Multimodal Safety and Planning Study . This document represents the views of five BAC members and the chair of BAC's Facilities Committee. This does not necessarily represent an official BAC response, as that requires approval by a quorum of BAC members. Regarding the Study, BAC has learned that funding has yet to be designated for the construction. A DDOT representative stated that the agency is waiting for the completion of the Study, likely this June. Once an alternative is selected, DDOT will produce cost estimates, add the project to DDOT's Transportation Improvement Program , and then begin design and eventually construction. If you have observations or suggestions, please add them to the comments section below or on twitter using the # FloridaAveStudy hashtag. DCBAC-FloridaAveStudy by D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The Committee on Transportation and the Environment held its 2013 oversight hearing for the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Bicycle Advisory Council and the Pedestrian Advisory Council. The hearing was held on March 21, rescheduled from the original March 3 and subsequent March 17 dates. As stated in a prior post , the hearing allowed the public to voice its concerns about the state of the District's transportation infrastructure to include the allocation of Metrobus and Metrorail services, automobiles, the DC Circulator, Bike/Ped concerns, as well as other District transportation issues. The hearing also allows DDOT to answer questions directly and provide information to the public regarding how it plans to maintain and expand transportation alternatives for District residents and visitors. Below is a video of the hearing courtesy of the Office of Cable Television. The testimony of Ellen Jones, the BAC Chair, begins about an hour into the hearing. The vide...

The final public meeting on the Florida Avenue NE study is set for Wednesday, April 2 beginning at 7pm at the Two Rivers Charter School , 1234 4th Street NE, (Middle School Building). Bicyclists and pedestrians should attend to help determine the best way Florida Avenue can accommodate a variety of road uses. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting the third and final public meeting to guide the Florida Avenue Multimodal Transportation study, which assesses the potential reconfiguration of the Florida Avenue corridor from North Capitol Street to Benning Road NE. Florida Avenue NE at M Street, courtesy of Google Maps Current conditions are not favorable for pedestrians or bicyclists. The sidewalk sections from 6th Street to West Virginia Avenue particularly narrow with street lights, signage, and steps restricting sidewalk egress. The current 6-lane configuration in this section also makes using the street difficult for bicyclists as cars typically travel...

BAC currently has an opening as a Ward 1 representative. This unpaid, volunteer position is open to residents of the District currently living in Ward 1 who are enthusiastic about bicycling, talk with the public and policy makers about bicycling and are able to attend six general and six committee meetings each year. Those interested in becoming BAC members should first contact the office of the Ward 1 Council Member , Jim Graham or the DDOT Bicycle Program Specialist,  Mike Goodno . Applicants are encouraged to attend a BAC Committee meeting in April or a meeting of the entire BAC in May. Dates for those will be posted as they become available on this site. In the meantime, feel free to contact the BAC Chairperson, Ellen Jones, by email ellenbethjones@gmail.com. As required for all those who sit on boards or commissions, you must complete  an Application for Legislative Appointment . The application should include a current resume or biographical sketch.  ...

The Bicycle Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) met Monday, February 10, 2014 from 6pm to 8pm at  The Bier Baron , 1523 22nd Street, NW.  The agenda included: Ongoing maintenance of bicycling infrastructure, particularly regarding the removal of snow, sand/grit and salt removal;  Review of the 2013 scorecard (bike lanes, connections, new projects, progress on existing projects, problem areas from the MoveDC plan;  The District Department of Transportation's bicycle infrastructure plans for 2014; and Potential BAC-FAC investigative rides for 2014. Below are the meeting minutes. Please let us know if you have questions or comments. BAC FAC Minutes 021014 by D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

Dupont Circle via DCBAC The next bimonthly BAC meeting is Wednesday, March 5, 2014 beginning at 6pm. The meeting will be at a new location , the West End Library , 1101 24th Street NW. We will meet in the library's Small Conference Room. We plan to discuss bike-related topics including the status of bicycle facilities completed or planned by District Department of Transportation, BAC committee reports as well as BAC plans for 2014. Bicycle parking is but limited, please remember to bring your bike lock. The nearest Capital Bikeshare station is at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW and the closest Metrorail station is Foggy Bottom-GWU . As always, BAC meetings are open to the public and we encourage the sharing of your thoughts and questions. If you cannot attend the meeting, please leave use our comments section below or @DCBAC on twitter.

Due to the closing of the District Government because of snowfall March 3, this meeting has been rescheduled for March 17, 2014. The time, date and room location are subject to change. The Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Agency 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 for 11:00a 2:30p on Monday, March 3, 2014 March 17, 2014 in the Council Chamber (Room 500) 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 o...

The Committee on Transportation and the Environment will hold a public roundtable on the Bicycle Infrastructure Master Plan , Monday, December 16, 2013 at 11:00 AM in Room 500 of the John A.Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The Committee invites the public to testify to help inform the Council and the District regarding the future of bicycling in the District. BAC invites cyclists to either testify in-person, submit a written statement or attend the hearing. The hearing will also be televised local cable channel 13 and online . If you have thoughts about the plan, please let us know in the comments below or twitter @DCBAC using the #DCBikePlan hashtag. According to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the current Bicycle Master Plan established basic goals and an implementation strategy for creating high-quality bicycle facilities and programs during a 10 year period.  That plan was published by  DDOT in 2005 and does not include many improve...

Our December Bicycle Advisory Council Facilities Committee (BAC-FAC) meeting will be Monday , December 2 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Shaw's Tavern , 520 Florida Avenue NW. The agenda includes discussion of fostering effective engagement with the National Park Service (NPS) and prioritizing projects which involve NPS property or an in District control but must adhere to certain NPS requirements. The National Park Service operates several large and small parks in and around the District. Some categorized the relationship between NPS and the region's bicyclists and pedestrians as cool at best and acrimonious at worst, with cyclists wanting expanded and safer access to NPS facilities and NPS being focusing on larger or high profile parks, preservation, and fiscal constraints.

Earlier this year, Council member's Mary M. Cheh and Tommy Wells introduced the Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 (Bill 20-0140) .  The purpose of this bill is to streamline and update certain aspects of the District's bicycling laws. The document below contains two files, the Draft Committee Report and its Fiscal Impact Statement. The Committee on Transportation and the Environment's report explains in detail how the Council envisions the implementation and purpose of the law and what has transpired between the introduction and the anticipated final vote. As required for most legislation, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer produced a Fiscal Impact Statement (FIS), which determines how the proposed legislation could affect the District financial plan and how much the law could potentially cost to implement. The FIS also provides a clear and brief explanation of the legislation. This document starts on page 10 below. B20-140 Draft Committee Report and ...

The next bimonthly Legislative Committee Meeting will be held at the Busboys and Poets , 1025 5th Street NW Teaism , 400 8th Street NW. The Wednesday, October 2nd meeting will begin at 6:30pm and last until around 8:00pm. Please feel free to join us to discuss the District's laws as they pertain to bicycling. The agenda will include a discussion of the recently proposed Used Bicycle Sales Amendment Act of 2013 introduced by Council Member Muriel Bowser . This proposed law appears reduce some of the legal and administrative hurdles involved with businesses interested in buying or selling used bicycles. The law also could provide an entry point for people unable to purchase more expensive new bicycles for sale at District shops. Some have argued; however, that the application of the proposed law would be onerous for bicycle stores and because of the potential of a "quick sell", could exacerbate bike theft not only in the District but also regionally. If you canno...

Last month, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) made changes to the proposed M Street NW cycle track. The changes removed the cycle track portion between 15th and 16th Streets NW and replaced it with a bicycle lane. Below is a letter sent to the Director of DDOT, Terry Bellamy, certain Council members and other DDOT staff: BAC Response to MStreetCycleTrack Changes by D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee (SEE) will hold its bimonthly meeting Wednesday, August 21st, 6 PM at Busboys and Poets , 5th and K Street, NW. Hopefully, we can sit outside on the patio. We invite all interested bicyclists to attend as the meeting is open to the public. Please RSVP Ellen Jones, the Ward 3 Bicycle Advisory Council Chair, at ward3@dcbac.org and bring your ideas on the 21st. The purpose of the meeting is 2-fold: Establish priorities for the SEE committee to work on in the coming fiscal year Elect a chairperson. Appointed BAC members will be able to vote for the chairperson, but the chairperson need not be an appointed BAC member. Ellen Jones attended the most recent DC Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) meeting. The PAC expressed ideas that they are considering for its FY 14 workplan , which BAC shares with the PAC.

Bridge Connections by Ranpuba, on Flickr The South Capitol Street Corridor Project will dramatically change major street so that it becomes an inviting thoroughfare that leads people to the District's core. The question is will it be a good bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians? Officially called the South Capitol Street Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) , a meeting will be held Tuesday, July 30, 2013 to discuss the current plans for the street, which includes the replacement of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, its approaches on both sides of the Anacostia River in Wards 6 and 8, and the rebuilding of highway interchanges at interstate 295 and the Suitland Parkway to its beginnings near the Capitol grounds. The South Capitol Street Corridor Project Information Update Meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, 10 “I” Street, SW. The nearest Metrorail station is the Green Line (Navy Yard-Ballpark). Bike parking will be limit...

The Spanish term " Ciclovía " ( pronunciation ) or open streets effectively means a temporary and periodic closing of a street to motorized vehicle traffic and opening it for pedestrians, bicycles and other uses. Created in Bogota, Columbia in the 1970s, it's an event that typically happens once a month or more, removing automobile parking and closing streets to car traffic for part or all of a day. While bicycling is the major attraction, many the streets are opened for mass exercising, small concerts and other activities. In many cases, local businesses participate by temporarily moving seating or functions into the street or onto the sidewalk. While other cities like Portland , Atlanta , Baltimore and New York have events like this regularly, the District does not. What if we did? What if U Street were closed each Sunday morning from Georgia Avenue to 18th Street NW? What about M Street NW between the Key Bridge and 28th Street one Saturday morning a month? ...

The Idaho Stop is an Idaho traffic law that effectively allows bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and not come to a complete stop at most signed intersections. This effectively allows for a rolling stop at signs. BAC wants to know what you think of the Idaho Stop law and if it, or something like it, should be enacted in the District. Create in 1982, the Idaho Stop does not give bicyclists carte blanche , they must yield to the right of way if there are other vehicles or pedestrians at intersections. UrbanVelo has a nice video ( at the end of this page ) explaining the Idaho Stop and its potential implementation in Oregon. BikePortland also provides a FAQ page explaining how it works. Currently according to WABA's Pocket Guide , DC regulations state that bicyclists "have all the general rights and duties of drivers of vehicles " but bicyclists but must also follow "the instructions of official traffic control signals, signs, and other con...