FABB Blog

Sarah added that she would like to see improvements in the bicycle facilities for Rt. 7 from Tysons to Bailey's Crossroads. And, she would really like to have more protected bike lanes in Fairfax to make riding safer.

The bike-riding unit is one of the District’s new “cornerstone” lessons, which aim to bring more uniform and rigorous instruction to students in every part of the city. They are designed to be memorable and relevant learning experiences, said Brian Pick, chief of teaching and learning for D.C. Public Schools.

The unit also reflects efforts across the country to make physical education classes more accessible and useful, with less focus on competitive sports and more attention to healthy lifestyles and fitness habits.

“This a lifelong skill,” said Miriam Kenyon, director of health and physical education for D.C. Public Schools. “It’s a way students can get to school and it’s also a way they can exercise with their family. It promotes independence, and it’s a good way to get around.”

The school system will ensure that programs of walking, bicycling and bus safety education shall be established and maintained for students in the elementary schools. Such programs shall be conducted in accordance with Virginia Department of Education curriculums and guidelines. Staff members will provide general safety information to school communities and respond to requests for specific information and advice when practicable.

The man responsible for coordinating the District Department of Transportation’s bike plans says he fell into the city’s bike culture out of necessity. “My story is not that much different from a lot of people’s stories in D.C. who discover bicycling,” Jim Sebastian says. “They discover it’s quicker, it’s more convenient, it’s cheaper and it’s more fun than driving or taking the train.”

Sebastian, who is helping coordinate for the first time all of the District’s master transit plans as part of the moveDC project,became the District’s bike program coordinator in 2001 and helped bring bike share to the city, first with a pilot program called SmartBike D.C. in 2008, then partnering with Arlington County to launch the Capital Bikeshare system in 2010.

Under Sebastian’s watch, the District has added more than 50 miles of bike lanes and 2,500 bike racks, and has more than doubled the number of people on the streets biking. But he’s not done yet. In addition to overseeing the growth of Bikeshare, which is managed by the company Alta, he’s also partnering with DDOT to complete the 20-mile Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, now 60 percent done, and the M Street cycle-track.

“He has been a real moving force behind gaining acceptance of bicycles here in the District of Columbia,” Gray says. “We’re very fortunate to have him working with us, because it is not just a job to him, it is a commitment, and that’s a big difference.”

Right now, bikes represent 3.3 percent of total commutes, Sebastian says. But he expects it to hit 5 percent by 2015.

Bike advocates such as Sebastian and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association also insist commuting isn’t their sole focus. Short trips to the grocery or library, or a recreational ride along the water, are the sorts of things they say that Bikeshare can facilitate better than Metro and buses. Indeed, a 2013 member survey showed that seven in 10 users had used Bikeshare for social activities or to run errands.

“Every city’s bike culture is a little bit different,” says Greg Billing, advocacy coordinator at WABA. “I think where we really excel is kind of how commonplace it is.”

WABA has been around since 1972, long before bike sharing captured the imagination of city planners. The organization helped lobby for bikes to be allowed on Metro during non-rush hours and to close Beach Drive to car traffic on the weekends. Now it’s offering adult biking lessons and safety instruction while continuing to lobby for more bike lanes and infrastructure.

Two D.C. Council members proposed legislation Tuesday to assess points on a motorist’s driving record for bicycle-related traffic infractions while also making it easier for bicyclists to move through intersections.

In the first of what could be a series of bills in the coming years aimed at making bicycling easier in the city, council members Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) and Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) are seeking to amend the Traffic Act of 1925.

If approved, for the first time, points could be assessed to a driver’s record if they are ticketed for failing to yield the right-of-way to a bicycle or are charged with colliding with a bicycle that has the right-of-way.

A motorist could be assessed three to six points, similar to assessments for speeding and other major traffic infractions.

The bill also requires applicants for a District driver’s license to demonstrate “knowledge of safely sharing roadways with pedestrians and bicycles” before being issued a license.

And to clarify existing laws mandating that bicyclists abide by all traffic laws, the bill would permit bicyclists to cross through intersections “while following the pedestrian traffic control signal” unless otherwise directed.

The bill comes as the city has installed 50 miles of bicycle lanes and plans to install five more miles per year for the foreseeable future.

In recent months, some of the lanes have been blocked by ongoing construction projects, such as those on rapidly developing 14th Street NW.

But the legislation will require contractors to “provide safe accommodation for pedestrians and bicycles” when a lane is blocked.

The six cities were chosen from a pool of forty-two city applications. The selected cities have ambitious goals and a vision for bicycling supported by their elected officials and communities. They are poised to get projects on the ground quickly and will serve as excellent examples for other interested cities.

The Green Lane Project will provide resources and technical assistance to help the six focus cities accomplish their goals of creating protected space for people on bikes. Over the next two months, the Green Lane Project will work with elected officials, staff, and community groups in each city to finalize details, solidify the vision, and identify the unique story each city can tell. Details will be released at a national kickoff May 30-31 in Chicago.

Here are some of the vital statistics [subject - goal actual]

1. Signed bike routes - 100 miles 64 miles
2. Bicycle lanes - 50 miles 49.1 miles
3. Met Branch Trail - 100% complete 50% complete
4. Anacostia Riverwalk - 100% complete 25% complete
5. Improved bridge access - 5 bridges improved 6 bridges improved (7 if you count Wilson)
6. Bike parking - 1000 spaces 1450 spaces (less if you subtract the 3800 removed parking meters, which is not entirely DDOT's fault)
7. Bike parking in public space - all garages in compliance survey not completed
8. Update DC policy to accommodate cyclists - Ensure inclusion of bikes in comp plan, long range transportation plan, and roadway design guide Done, except for courier licensing
9. Train DDOT staff - train staff on bike planning Done
10. Education - Educate motorists and cyclists Biannual Street Smart Campaign
11. Youth Education - Conduct bike/ped education in schools WABA contracted to perform this
12. Bike Map - Distribute 100,000 bike maps 75,000 maps distributed