Chain Bridge open, incl. weekends.

DDOT announces that Chain Bridge is now open (as of Oct 15), w/ all previous closure announcements for Oct. weekends canceled.  See their announcement here.

Chain Bridge weekend closures Sept.-Oct.

DDOT announces weekend closures of the Chain Bridge into Oct. to finish up the structural work.

The closure includes the bike/pedestrian sidewalk/trail.

• 8pm on Friday, September 17 thru 5 am on Monday, September 20
• 8pm on Friday, October 1 thru 5 am on Monday, October 4
• 8pm on Friday, October 8 thru 5 am on Monday, October 11
• 8pm on Friday, October 15 thru 5 am on Sunday, October 17

And maybe also:

• 8 pm on Friday, October 22 thru 5 am on Sunday, October 24.

Bike thefts at GW

This just in from GW Police:

CRIME ALERT: Bicycle Thefts

The George Washington Police Department (GWPD) is investigating an increase in
the number of bicycle thefts on campus. Bicycles that have been locked also are
being reported as stolen. Thefts are occurring during the afternoon and evening
even with pedestrians in the area. 

GWPD encourages all bicycle owners to use heavy U-Lock devices securely fastened
to the frame of the bike and the rack that typically deter thieves.  

If you observe suspicious persons or activities near bike racks, for example
someone carrying bolt cutters or hack saws, please report information to GWPD at
202-994-6111 or anonymously at 202-994-TIPS. 

For more safety tips, visit http://gwired.gwu.edu/upd/Education/SafetyTips/. 

This information is provided by:
The George Washington University Police Department
Emergency 994-6111
Non-Emergency 994-6110  

Cyclists' rights in crosswalks (Falls Church News Press story)

The Falls Church News-Press published my letter to the editor regarding cyclists' legal rights at crosswalks. 

This was in response to prior responses to their story about the theft of five recently-installed W&OD crosswalk signs warning cars to stop for pedestrians/cyclists.

Virginia law is pretty clear:  Cyclists may ride in crosswalks (unless signed otherwise) and cars must yield to cyclists in crosswalks just as they must yield to pedestrians.

Bikeshare comes to GW

The GW Hatchet reports on Foggy Bottom locations identified for the extension of DC's Bikeshare program: 

"A SmartBike station already exists outside GW Hospital, but other locations include 1959 E St.- the residence hall near the Elliott School of International Affairs – and 982 21^st St., which is near the corner of 21st Street and Pennsylvania Avenue."

None are near the Mount Vernon campus or anywhere in Maryland or in Fairfax Co., Va.  But  a dozen or so are in Arlington.

Check out proposed locations on the DC Bikeshare Map.

WO&D I-66 bridge (no closings expected)

This from the Friends of the WO&D:

"As part of the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project, a new W&OD Trail bridge -- to the north of the old one -- is currently under construction. The existing bridge and the Trail itself will remain open, but bridge abutment walls are being put in place on both sides of the Beltway, so that users are advised to exercise special caution in this work zone. The beams of the new bridge are scheduled to be installed in October, and the deck in November. Once this new bridge is completed and opened to users, the old one will be removed."

construction updates

Construction updates:

Chain Bridge work is completed, with all lanes & the sidewalk to C&O Towpath back open full time.

Mount Vernon trail has construction near the 14th St. Bridge, but there is a short & protected detour along the GW parkway.  Biked it w/ the kids last week and it is fine.

The Idylwood Rd. bridge over I-66 is closed for 6 months at least.  The WO&D trail bridge remains open.  Looks like they might be rebuilding it (there is a new pier next to the current bridge), so at some point it might have closures.

Ride the City now for DC--find bike paths throughout the metro area

NEW Ride the City for Metro Washington DC.  Check out these maps.  They're looking for ways to improve the routes, so give them yours under "rate this route."  http://www.ridethecity.com/dc

DDOT cancels Chain Bridge work due to rain - wtop.com

DDOT cancels Chain Bridge work due to rain - wtop.com

So Chain Bridge was open after all this past weekend. But it will be closed the next two weekends from 8 pm Friday to 5 am Monday. All traffic is prohibited, including cyclists & pedestrians.

I'm hoping this means they're almost done....

VA fails to pass "3 feet to pass" law

The Virginia legislature recently failed to pass a "3 feet to pass" law (which Maryland passed last year), along with a couple of other sensible laws, i.e., not following too closely (this is illegal to do to a motor vehicle, but not to a bike). See the Virginia Bicycling Federation's valiant effort.

On the up side, looking up current VA code, I found the following:

§ 46.2-904
Bikes (and other things like rollerblades, etc.) MAY be prohibited from using certain sidewalks, crosswalks, paved trails, etc., either by local codes (if posted) or by control devices (like signs).

But otherwise bikes can ride in crosswalks AND have the same rights and responsibilities as pedestrians when doing so: “A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, or an electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties of a pedestrian under the same circumstances.”

This includes, say, crosswalks on the WO&D trail, Custis trail, etc.:  you have the right to ride your bike in the crosswalk unless it is marked otherwise.

§ 46.2-925 says that if there are traffic controls (Walk/Don’t Walk), pedestrians [and therefore cyclists] must obey those.

But I was told by a police officer that the cars-must-yield-at-crosswalks law overrides the peds-must-obey-signals law. This was in Arlington, in the Custis Trail crossing at Lynn Street, next to Key Bridge. I was riding my bike in the crosswalk (obeying the pedestrian crossing light) and a car turned across the crosswalk & struck me. He was found at fault. Interestingly, the sign there says for cars to yielld to all “persons” in crosswalk, making explicit on the sign what the law actually says: that cyclists are to be treated like pedestrians when in a crosswalk unless posted otherwise.

§ 46.2-924:
Drivers must yield to pedestrians (and therefore also cyclists) “at” crosswalks. Interestingly, the law here repeatedly says “at” and does not say “in” crosswalks, though perhaps local practice & enforcement interprets this as “in.”  Also, this applies to any crosswalk anywhere, whether mid-block or end of block, including those single-stripe walks that are frankly hard to see.  It also applies to any intersection where the speed limit is 35 or less, even if there is no marked crosswalk.

The one pedestrian (and therefore cyclist) restriction at crosswalks is this: “No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic.” So you can’t just jump out in front of cars. Still, once you are “at” the crosswalk, cars are supposed to yield to you.

GW waiting for revisions to bike commuting benefit

I spoke w/ the tax people at GW, who spoke w/ GW counsel, who think that the legislation for the bike commuting benefit is written too restrictively to reasonably expect employers to offer at this time. Apparently, it is not written in the same way as the parking/metro benefits (which allow employees to deduct the benefit pretax from their paycheck). Instead, it is apparently written so that employers themselves must pay the benefit & then get reimbursed later (I'm not quite clear on this). At any rate, GW thinks employers will actually get into tax trouble if they're offering it as an employee pretax deduction. So they're waiting for revisions in the law, which are apparently in the works. Also, the current law disallows getting say a parking benefit while getting the bike benefit; revisions are proposed to allow multiple commuter benefits simultaneously.

REI.com: Bike Your Drive calculator

REI has posted a cool little online app that estimates average calories burned, dollars/cents saved, & carbon saved by biking your commute. My 30 mile round trip commute to GW yeilds 1400 calories, $6.60, and 29 lbs. (!) of carbon. Check it out: REI Bike Your Drive.

Another true story: this time in front of my house

True story: March 2009 at the Key Bridge

There I was, JRA . . .

I was on the Custis Trail, crossing Lynn in the crosswalk, on my bike, w/ 5 seconds on the light; car coming up off GW Parkway was stopped, saw me, then turned right, for Key Bridge, crossing my path. I hit his front fender & went over his hood. Interesting legal issue here: Local practice--the officially designated Custis
Trail cross Lynn there in the crosswalk--contravenes state law, which says bikes can't ride in crosswalks. What trumps, apparently, is that drivers must stop for any people in crosswalks, regardless if said people are there legally or not. The very nice Arlington Police officer cited the driver and not me (this would not happen in all counties of Va.). Later I looked at the sign there for drivers coming up off the Pkway; that one says Yeild to all PERSONS [not Pedestrians] in the crosswalk.

FB map: Roosevelt Bridge/Kennedy Center

Map of Roosevelt Bridge crossing, to GW, starting at end of Custis Trail in Rosslyn, Va. (at Lynn St./Key Bridge). Start by continuing straight at end of crosswalk onto asphalt trail leading down to Roosevelt Island. The recently renovated Kennedy Center Plaza creates what must be the grandest bike trail terminus anywhere.

MV map: Capital Crescent Long-cut

Adds about 15-20 minutes vs. going straight up Foxhall, but much nicer (except for that canal smell...). All turns marked on this map; view in Satellite/Hybrid to see trails.

MV map: Georgetown cut-through

W/ construction continuing along Foxhall, alternate routes are key. Here's one through Georgetown's campus that avoids the main student pathways. It also avoids most of Resevoir Rd. Must be viewed in satellite or hybrid to see the bike paths, etc.

FABB's big bike map

The Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling have put together a great big Google map of FXCo, lined w/ bike routes. Take a look:
FABB's big Google Map of viable bike routes

Chain Bridge construction, but bike lane remains open

The Chain Bridge is undergoing construction/repair work until January 2010, but the sidewalk/bike lane remains open so far. Also, the C&O Towpath under the bridge has a short detour down/up the bank, but it still provides access to the concrete ramp up to the Chain Bridge sidewalk/bike path.

Here is the offical notice from DDOT:

DDOT to Repair and Repaint Chain Bridge

Work Scheduled to Start June 1; Traffic Will Be Impacted

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is scheduled to begin an eight month project on or about Monday, June 1, 2009, to repair and repaint Chain Bridge over the Potomac River and the C & O Canal. All of the work is anticipated to be completed in January, 2010.

To ensure the safety of work crews and motorists, one of the two inbound lanes on the bridge will be closed to traffic throughout the construction period. A single lane in each direction will be maintained at all times on weekdays, but delays are possible and motorists are advised to use alternate routes, especially during peak hours.

In addition, certain repairs on the bridge will require the contractor to close all of the lanes. Those closures will be temporary and conducted only on non-holiday weekends between 10 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. Notice will be posted 72 hours in advance at the approaches to the bridge for these special closures.

The current Chain Bridge was completed in 1939 and sits on stone piers from the 1870’s. It carries close to 22,000 cars a day and the last major rehabilitation of the bridge was done in the early 1980’s.

The work on the bridge will include:

The replacement of pin and hanger assemblies for the steel girders
The installation of catcher beams
The repair and reconditioning of the bridge joints
Repainting of the bridge structure

DDOT will deploy variable message signs to alert motorists to the impending work, and detour routes will be posted.

Posted by EH Eric.Hauser@dc.gov
[end of DDOT notice]

Federal bike commuter benefit, up to $20/month

The federal Bicycle Commuter Act, passed as part of last year's stimulus bill (HR 1424), allows employers to grant employees a rebate of up to $20 per month to help defray the costs of bicycle commuting; I wonder how many employers have jumped at this opportunity....

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition provides info for employees seeking the benefit & links for employers as well (e.g. IRS guidelines to the benefit).

If anybody out there works at The George Washington University and would like to help me petition for this benefit, please contact me.