D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

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

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...

Anacostia Metro Charrette (the DCeye) On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 15, representatives from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the District Department of the Environment, and the Office of Planning, continued a design charrette or a community work session , which began Monday, February 13. The Wednesday meeting offered the public the opportunity to comment on the initial sketches from suggestions made during Monday's meeting and ask questions about pedestrian and bicycling amenities. According to the DDOT website, the project hopes to create a public space  that connects the Metrorail station to neighborhood assets, makes the area safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, better manages local storm water runoff and complements upcoming economic development projects in the community. Greater Greater Washington contributor, John Muller , offers a more pedestrian-focused view of the project; specifically, how the cerrent conditions are among worst in Dis...

Below is a letter sent by BAC member Jeanie Osburn (Ward 5) regarding concerns associated with bicycle accessibility near and within the consolidated Department of Homeland Security Headquarters (DHS) at St. Elizabeths - East Campus. 

As a companion to the the details of the Tommy Wells ride, below are pictures from the Thursday, July  28, 2011 Council Member Tommy Wells' Bike Ride for Better Connections on South Capitol Street.  The pictures highlight some of the issues with the corridor and well as shows the potential for the development of better cycling and pedestrian facilities.

Council member Tommy Wells, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) officials, Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) staff, representatives of DCBAC and the public toured South Capitol Street and the surrounding corridor.  At least 20 people were in attendance, along with representatives of the media ( Fox 5 and WAMU ) who reported on parts of the ride. DCBAC would like to hear what the public has to say about this project and how bicycle access to this area can improve. The purpose of the ride was to highlight some of the planned changes to this area which is anchored by the redesign of South Capitol Street and the replacement of the Frederick Douglass Bridge as recommended in the recently completed Final Environmental Impact Assessment .  The ride also provided an opportunity for the DDOT project director to view the sight for himself to see the current impediments and listen to the concerns of the bicycling public. Along with WABA, DCBAC drafted a letter in ...

The DCBAC issued comment s regarding the South Capitol Street Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) submitted by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).  As mentioned previously , the FEIS is a massive transportation infrastructure project that will replace the Fredrick Douglass Memorial Bridge and many of the the roads and sidewalks that approach it on both sides of the river the bridge crosses, the Anacostia.  While DCBAC supports many improvements associated with the project, the FEIS neglected to implement certain bicycle enhancements contained in build alternatives not selected and well as improvements stipulated in the District of Columbia Bicycle Master Plan . DCBAC recommended several enhancements including the following: better access to the Anacostia River and its trail, better separation of bicyclist from motorist and pedestrians, and better access to the Anacostia Metrorail station.  If you can comments or suggestions, please post them b...

As reported in WashCycle and on the WABA website, the preferred alternative for the South Capitol Street Final Environmental Impact Study does not appear to contain certain bicycling and pedestrian improvements. Improvements excluded from the selected alternative could increase alternative transportation options, like walking and biking, for District residents and visitors who use the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to access the current (and future) amenities in this area of the District. According to the study site , the purpose of the project is determine the build alternative that best supports improving the safety, accessibility, multi-modal mobility and economic development opportunities associated with the reconstruction of South Capitol Street and Suitland Parkway and the replacement of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.  A comparison of the proposed alternatives can be found here . BAC is seeking public comments regarding the findings of this study and its s...