June15,2015

BACFacilitiesCommitteeMeeting
Attendance:JeanieOsburn(FACCommitteeChair),MikeGoodno(DDOT),GeorgeBrayan
(DDOT),JoshSilver(DCOP),UrsulaSandstrom(BACSupportServices),EmilyOaksford,Matt
Accernero(BACW1),BrianneNadeau(DCCouncilW1),CarlosLopez(DPR)

Intent:WerodewithJoshSilveroftheDCOfficeofPlanningtolookatAdamsMorganto
provideinputintotheAdamsMorganvisionframework,lookingatconnectionstoRockCreek
Parkandnorth/southconnectionswithintheneighborhood.

Route:
WemetattheSunTrustPlaza(18thandColumbiaNW),rollingdown18thtoTStNW,overto
takealeftup15thSt,upthehilltotakealeftonColumbiaRd,westalongColumbiatoourinitial
startingintersectionwherewetookarightonAdamsMillRd,followedtheroaddowntoits
meetingwithHarvardStandtheHarvardStBridge.WecurvedrightbackontoAdamsMillRd,
tookaslightrightontoWalbridgePlNWandthenstraightontoParkRdNWtobringusdown
intoRockCreekParkatPeirceMill.Wethengotontothetrailtoheadsouthbacktothe
NationalZoo,comingovertheHarvardSt.BridgeandupHarvardSttotakeaslightrightonto
QuarryRdNW,righton18thStNW,toaleftontoOntarioRdNWuntilitmetColumbiaRdNW.
RightonColumbiaRdbroughtusbacktoourstartingspotattheplazaon18thSt.

Weather:Therewassteadymoderaterainatthestartoftheridebutitclearedupasourride
progressed.

Route:5.69mileswith463ftofclimbing.

Ridenotes:

18thStGoingdown18thinthedrizzlinglane,wecertainlybenefitedfromsafetyinnumbers.
Wecouldmanagetrafficandeasilytakethelanebecauseofthenumberofcyclists.Welucked
outwithabreakinnorthboundtraffictotakeourleftonTStNW.18thisonelaneeachwaywith
sharrowandisapopularrouteforcyclists.Wesawalotofpeopleonbikesheadingnorth
commutinghome.

TSt.Hasabikelane.

15thSt.ThecycletrackismostlyapleasantrideupuntilVStwhereitsimplystopsandcyclists
havetomergewithtraffic.ThecycletrackcoulduseresurfacingsouthofUstandhashada
numberofrecentincidentsofbeingclosedforrepairworkwithrecentpermits,withno
accommodationsbeingmade,despitebeingrequiredasoftheBicycleSafetyActof2013.Bike
signalsherewouldbehelpful.Thereisautilitycuton15thStandUStsouthside,justbefore
thecrosswalkthathasasmallthoughdangerousshearfaceforcyclists.NorthofUSt,the
flexpostsfortheprotectedcycletrackaremissingforthefirsthalfoftheblock.Afterwe
navigatedmergingintotrafficnorthofVSt,mostofthegroupendedupinthewestbikelane
goingupthesideofMeridianHillPark.Thereweremultiplestoppedcarsinthebikelanesandit
wasdifficultanddangerousforthegrouptomergerighttotheeastbikelanebeforethewest
bikelanedisappearsjustbeforeEuclidStNW.Thewestbikelanewashelpfulbecausemostof
ushadnothadtimeintheoneblockbeforethelanesresumedagaintomergetotherighthand
laneafterthecycletrackstoppedatVSt.Butthelargegroupofcyclistsonbothsides,both
goingnorthwasconfusingforroadusers.Addinthesteepinclinewithaconnectedstreetgrid
ontheeastside,peopleridingthewrongwayinthebikelanes,onstreetparking,stoppedcars,
andthepostworkrushtobehome,andthissectionwasnotapleasantride.DDOTshould
extendthecycletrackallthewayup15thStreet.

ColumbiaRd.AftermerginglefttotaketheleftontoColumbiaRd,wetooktotherightlaneand
triedtoavoidallthepotholes.ManyofustalkedaboutavoidingridingonColumbiaasan
eastwestconnectionbecauseofthebadpavingstretchingfrom16thSteastto11thSt.The
intersectionofColumbiaRdand16thStistrickybecausetherightlaneattheendisrightturn
only.Butbecauseoftheshortblockandvolumeoftraffic,itsoftenthebestplacetobeasa
cyclistinpreparationforridinginthebikelanesjustdownColumbiaRdafterHarvardSt.

Westof16thSt,thebikelanebrieflyappearsforafewblocksandthendisappearsjusteastof
OntarioRd.Wenoticedthebikelaneontheeastboundsideofthestreetthathadbeenblocked
withconstructionactivitieshadbeenopenedupagain.Theintersectionof18thandColumbia
commandedalotofdiscussion.ThereisalotofbicycletrafficgoingwestboundonColumbia
andtakingalefton18th.Thelackofaturnsignalwiththeleftturnlanegrabbedattention.We
talkedaboutthepotentialtoturntheintersectionintoabarndancebecauseoftheamountof
foottraffic.Thesoutheastcornerisparticularlytroubling,theroundeddrawnoutcornerwiththe
longdistancebeforethecrosswalkmeansalotofcarsstartturningrightontoColumbiaand
thenhavetostopforpedestriansinthemiddleoftheintersection.

AdamsMilRd.WeheadedontoAdamsMillandmuddledourwaythroughthemixingzoneof
thebuses,turnlanesandbikelanestotakearighttocontinueontoAdamsMillinsteadof
headingstraightforCalvert.Thisareacouldbenefitfromsignage.Fromthere,theroadispretty
quietwithbikelanesforthefirstsmallstretch.

HarvardStThechallengeisconnectingtheneighborhoodtoRockCreekParksowerodeboth
optionsfromtheZoogoingtheonstreetroutenorthandthencirclingbackdowntocrossover
theZoobridge.Theonstreetroutehereisnarrow,alsoservesasacarconnectiontoBeach
Drive,hasahighwayfeelnearKenyonSt,andisunsigned.

AdamsMillRd.ThisconnectionfromtheHarvardSt.bridgestartstolooklikeahighwaynear
whereitmeetsKenyonSt.andisnarrow.Itwaschallengingforustothreadourwaytothe
intersection.AswefollowedMatt,theroutetoParkRd.wasbroadlyintuitiveintermsof
geography,followingRockCreekjusttotheeastbutwithnosignswouldhavebeenhardto
guessornavigatewithoutamap.

ParkRd.ThebikelanesonParkbeforetheydisappearattheboundaryofRockCreekPark
arefilledwithdebrisandgravel,andaredangeroustoride.Itwasinmanywaysarelieftobe
abletotakethelaneintheparkandnotworryaboutwipingoutfromloosedebris.Butasacar
connectiontoBeachDrive,ParkRdisalsochallengingtoholdyourownandtakethelanewith
carsbearingdownonyou.Asignismissingontheleftside.

PierceMillItisoddthatthereisnoconnectionthatwecouldfindonthesouthsideofPeirce
Milltothetrail,sowecrossedoverandcircledbackandundertheroadonthetrail.Thetrailwill
begreatwiththerepaving.Transitioningfromtheroadtotakingaleftintotheparkinglotof
PeirceMillisdifficult,carsgoingbothdirectionsaregoingatdecentspeeds.Theraised
crosswalkhelpsbutarapidflashbeaconwouldimprovepedestrianandbicyclistsafety.

HarvardSt.BridgeAmuchmoredirectconnectiontoAdamsMorgan,thebridgeworksgreat
aslongastheZoogatesareopen.CrossingunderthebridgebyplayingfroggeracrossBeach
Drivecanbedonebutisunpleasantanddangerous.Itwouldbegreattohavesignageforthis
connection.

HarvardStItssteep!WewoundourwayuptoAdamsMorganandtotheSunTrustPlaza
againonthequietstreets.