Although the thought of more balding professionals clad in excessively tight clothing may be cringe worthy, the District Department of Transportation has wisely released a new plan to expand cycle tracks downtown. The proposed changes, which will be implemented on Pennsylvania Avenue, 9th, 15th, I, and L Streets NW, have the potential to usher in a new era of safe cycling in our traffic-congested city center. This is a welcome step by DDOT toward making a healthy and environmentally friendly form of transportation safer for D.C. residents.
Unlike conventional bike lanes, cycle tracks separate bikers from the rest of the street with barriers, preventing cyclists and drivers from sharing the same road space. The proposed DDOT dividers will not be permanently fixed into the ground, and therefore can be removed when needed, such as for special events.
At the March 18 meeting where plans were released to the public, DDOT presented statistics indicating that cycle tracks increased ridership by 18 to 20 percent in other cities where they have been implemented, compared to the 5 to 7 percent ridership increase associated with conventional bike lanes. Furthermore, in New York City, cycle tracks decreased injuries by 56 percent and crashes by 48 percent. These tangible safety benefits should ease concerns that cycle tracks are a waste of space. Cycling advocates at the blog WashCycle expressed concern over the design of the cycle tracks, which shift at various points from placement in a center lane to lanes on the sides of streets and lanes flowing against traffic. However, the landscape of downtown D.C. changes—often dramatically—from block to block, and DDOT planners must work with the existing street when planning improvements.
DDOT has put forward a plan that will radically change the landscape for cyclists in downtown D.C. and enhance the safety of everyone in transit, pedestrians and drivers alike. DDOT should be applauded for this major step, and continue to expand bike lanes and cycle tracks in the District.
