Author: Shane Farthing

It’s been a busy summer, but on the final Saturday of July the Anacostia Library hosted the final mobile bike repair clinic of the season, and we’re pleased to report over fifty bikes were repaired. That brings our season total to over 200  bikes repaired through this season’s partnership among DCPL, The Bike House, and […]

Yesterday, The Washington Post published a column by Courtland Milloy that attempts to justify the violent assault of bicyclists by motorists, writing: “It’s a $500 fine for a motorist to hit a bicyclist in the District, but some behaviors are so egregious that some drivers might think it’s worth paying the fine.” The “egregious” behavior […]

On Friday, I will be testifying on behalf of WABA at the Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety’s annual oversight hearing on the efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department. On Monday, I will be testifying at the Transportation & Environment Committee’s oversight hearing on the efforts of the District Department of Transportation. It’s time […]

District Department of Transportation (DDOT) project managers are hard at work on a lot of roadway projects, but they’re not in charge of repaving the 15th Street cycle track, or finishing the Metropolitan Branch Trail, or one of many other bicycle projects waiting for action. The agency segregates its bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure into the […]

After more than a year of working with our friends and partners at Black Women Bike DC to grow and diversify bicycling in the District, we are pleased to announce that WABA and BWBDC have formally joined forces. BWBDC is now formally a sponsored project of WABA. This move, unanimously approved by the leadership of […]

Yesterday, I wrote about some of the changes coming to the Pennsylvania Avenue bike lanes.  Unfortunately, nothing I wrote about there is likely to fix the issue of illegal U-turns by motorists through the bike lanes. But I also spent much of the day yesterday trying to get to the bottom of the enforcement issues and why […]

So, with that proof of the fallacy of the Examiner headline, let’s move on. If you are clueless, we have classes available in DC, Arlington, and Bethesda to help with that.  We’ve added classes and have many spots available.  (If you aren’t sure if you’re clueless, ask an honest friend or fellow cyclist when you’re […]

In a Washington Post column yesterday, Courtland Milloy quoted from an email I wrote stating WABA’s position on speed cameras, implying that we favored a more punitive automated enforcement system.  That is a significant mischaracterization of the position stated. Mr. Milloy’s column speaks for itself, so I will not respond to its points here.  However, […]

Riding to the St. Elizabeths East Bike Carnival? We are pleased to report that our friends at BicycleSPACE and at Kidical Mass are each leading rides to the event! KIDICAL MASS RIDE  If you are riding with kids, ride with Kidical Mass at any of these locations to ride along with parents and kids.  It’s a […]

We are frequently asked for tips on buying a new bike.  It was a major topic of conversation at our new member open house on Tuesday, and we’re increasingly asked by people ready to move from Capital Bikeshare to a personal bike how to go about it. This morning, I saw this guide posted by […]

(An update from Alex Hutchinson, WABA’s East of the Anacostia Bikes Program Manager.) On Saturday July 14th, WABA staff, residents, and volunteers gathered in Oxon Run Park. Nestled between the neighborhoods of Bellevue, Congress Heights, and Washington Highlands, Oxon Run features wetlands, ball fields, BBQ pits, and naturally where WABA comes in, a beautiful bike […]

On Saturday, WABA provided our first mobile bike repair clinic of the season alongside the Anacostia River & Jazz Festival at the Anacostia Park skating rink.  We made lots of friends, gave out nearly 100 DC bike maps, and fixed dozens of bikes.  Thanks to all who came out, and especially to our volunteer mechanics.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is looking for a dedicated, self-motivated lover of bicycling to assist in planning and executing major components of our East of the Anacostia 2012 Bicycle Outreach initiative. This is an expansion of our successful 2011 program, and includes distribution community engagement and outreach materials and organization of educational offerings, […]

The National Park Service (NPS), along with DDOT and FHWA have released their environmental assessment for the Rock Creek Trail. The preferred alternative includes: Resurfacing and widening the trail (Alternative 3) Creating an 8 ft. spur trail to Peirce Mill (Option B) Resurfacing the Rose Park Trail at 6 ft. width (Option B) The full […]

Earlier this month, WABA rode with Councilmember Jack Evans through his ward, including on L, M, and 15th Streets, NW. Afterward, he expressed his support for both the L & M cycletracks and the 15th Street cycletracks. Later that week, he reportedly met with DDOT Director Bellamy to communicate the need to complete the L […]

In its excellent article on the uptick in the number of black women cycling in DC, Washington Post reporter Vanessa Williams mentions some of WABA’s work in wards 7 and 8 that is part of our East of the Anacostia program.  Again, thanks to those who have donated their time and money to this program. […]

Since 2006 the Washington Area Bicyclist Association has educated over 26,000 children in the District of Columbia in safe bicycling and pedestrian habits.  In the Washington DC region, we are nearing our 100,000th student reached via our mobile bike rodeo trailers, in-service training sessions for teachers, hands on bike lessons, in class pedestrian and bicycle […]

When we first read it, WABA had no intention of responding to Justine Whelan’s anti-cyclist rant, published by the Ballston Patch.  For the most part, the article’s content is so similar to the random blog comments we cyclists see regularly, it hardly seemed worth responding to.  But there was one interesting thing that I’d like […]

From Greater Greater Washington: Event planners need to be mindful of common bikeway access points when setting up street closures. It is not appropriate to use a one-size-fits-all security approach anymore where people are treated as cars or non-cars. Fine, close off the Mall. Set up a perimeter. But take into consideration those of us […]

On her blog, WTOP’s Kate Ryan has a quick take on the cyclist as crime-fighter, inspired by a story in which the presence of a cyclist scared away a rapist in Montgomery Village.  She also references a case earlier this year in which a cyclist provided critical evidence in a hit-and-run in Dupont Circle. These […]

Last Saturday, WABA held a Learn to Ride class for adults and a Mobile Bike Shop at Anacostia Public Library.  After weeks of community-based outreach from our Bike Ambassadors and dedicated neighbors, the turnout was excellent.  You can read more about the Learn to Ride class HERE, as covered by DCentric.  Photos from the class […]

Approximately one month ago, we announced an ambitious plan to improve cycling and empower cyclists in parts of DC east of the Anacostia River. Thanks to the generous contributions of many, we now know that we will be able to begin the program–but we have not yet reached our full goal. Nonetheless, we plan to […]

As the spring riding season approaches, WABA is working to expand its offerings in underserved communities within our region–starting with DC’s Wards 7 and 8.  With major changes coming to the ward, from the South Capitol Street Trail and bridge to St. Elizabeth’s to Poplar Point and countless smaller projects, the developments that will change […]

Tomorrow at 2pm, the DC Council’s Committee on Public Works and Transportation is holding a hearing on the “Bicycle Commuter and Parking Expansion Amendment Act of 2010.”   This is an amendment to the 2007 law (conveniently titled the “Bicycle Commuter and Parking Expansion Act of 2007),” which adopted certain design standards for bike parking […]