DC Trip-Day 2

My 2nd day in DC was even better than the first, since we got to drive around the city and see how the street network performs and the new innovative bike facilities. The city is currently adding to their network and pushing progressive facility initiatives. DC is about to start looking like Portland, from a cyclist's perspective.

• Transform the DC bike-share system into a substantive transit option with 100 stations and 1,000 bicycles.
• Set aside 5% of the capital budget each year as a core program for pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
• Quadruple the lane miles of separated cycle facilities.
• Formally adopt bike boxes for bicyclist safety at intersections into DC standards and implement them in at least 100 locations.
• Repurpose on-street parking spaces for bicycle parking in at least 25 locations.
• Add four more bike stations.
• Increase marketing and private sector promotion of non-motorized modes.
• Improve the District travel-demand model to capture non-motorized trips.
• Update and expand the Bicycle Master Plan for the next decade.
• Support non-vehicular travel and unique place-making in the public space.

More than double bicycle mode share by 2012 from levels in 2009 (2.3% to 5%). By 2012 they aspire to double bike lane mileage to 80 miles, have 0 bike fatalities and reduce crashes from 335 to 250.

Attached is a video that demonstrates DC's new contraflow lanes. All of this stuff is very exciting and shows that "if you build it, they will ride".

Free Bikes for Hotel Guests

I am in DC a few days for work, and I love it when I go to places that embrace cycling and push it to the forefront as an ideal mode of transportation. DC's transportation by car is atrocious and most people take the metro or resort to cycling to get around the city.

Our Marriott hotel is doing their part to help their guests get around easily, by giving you a bike to ride for free! Today was a rainy/dreary day, but I still saw cyclists out in the street and in the bike lanes. If I can get a break, I may have to see about taking one of these loaner bikes for a spin.

March Critical Mass

Last night's Critical Mass was another great success. There were over 250-300 cyclists participating, and with the time change a few weeks ago, we didn't have to worry about riders being in the dark without proper lights. We tried to not "cork" intersections as much, but with that many riders, it is very difficult to get everyone through the city without running a few lights and holding up traffic. I personally don't mind blocking traffic, since the purpose behind Critical Mass is to create a "bunch up" of traffic at the intersections and by the time the bikes all go through, the car traffic would have reached "critical mass". I treat it as my monthly protest to take back the the streets for bicycles.

Got Bikes?...Ride 'em! - Part 5

Well I missed my typical Lakemont ride, but it was for a great cause. Today was the 5th installment of the Got Bikes?...Ride 'em! program. We met at the Dr. James R. Smith Center, with Commissioner Samuel B. Ings, during the Kid's Health Fair & Field Day. There were a few hundred kids there to participate in multiple events and learn about proper exercise and diet. The day included an Easter Egg Hunt, live music, food, "bouncy houses", and then different "stations" for the events similar to ours.

Our program was set up differently today, in that we didn't have a PowerPoint presentation and held everything outside, and we let the kids actually ride bikes. We set up an obstacle course and let the children take turns putting on helmets properly, the ABCs of checking out their bikes, correct bike signals at stops and intersections, and finally riding the bikes we had brought. After they had completed the course, they were given a raffle ticket for one of the six bikes and helmets we gave away.

As usual, the children had fun winning the bikes, but today was also cool to see them ride bikes and learn about proper riding techniques. It makes it all worth while when you can see kids retain things that you are telling them, they look at the bikes for the giveaway and you know they don't have a bike of their own, and then their number gets called out at the end of the day and they explode with happiness in being one of the winners. It felt like Christmas, but on a bright spring day!

Who's Up For Some Mountain Bike Riding?!!!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Got Bikes?...Ride 'em! - Part 4

This afternoon was our 4th installment of the Got Bikes?...Ride 'em! program. Today was exciting because we were in my district and I got to see several of the children from Ferncreek Elementary that are in my mentee's class. Today at the Colonialtown Neighborhood Center we had over 70 kids and gave away 4 bikes and helmets.

Commissioner Sheehan was also present and she informed me of her "Wheels for Kids" program where she gets 100 bicycles, helmets, and locks to 100 children on Christmas Day. Pretty amazing program and I will be keeping it in mind when she starts to gather bikes to donate again.

This Saturday we are joining the Kid's Health Fair and Field Day at Dr. James R. Smith Center on Brunton Blvd., from 10am-1pm. 

No Excuse Zone Orlando-Update

Yesterday my friends and I rode another installment of the No Excuse Zone-Orlando project. We rode toward College Park and were able to explore the College Park area, north of downtown Orlando.

We have become accustomed to the automobile traffic along these large roads, and it has become very interesting to see how they react to cyclists. We haven't had many issues with confrontations, and most people give us plenty of room when they pass us.

We are typically seeing a lack of bicycle facilities in Orlando, and in some cases are present on extremely wide/fast roads. It brings to question why many of these roadways are not re-striped to narrow the lane widths or even remove some of the unnecessary lanes. This would in turn slow the automobile traffic and also make them more safe for cyclists and pedestrians. It could also create more roadway space that is available for painting a minimum 5' bike lanes for cyclists, and give pedestrians on sidewalks a buffer from the speeding cars.

We are on track to complete the roadway survey portion of this project, in a week or two. Then we are on to more in-depth statistical analysis.