Rhode Island Avenue Planning Study Draft Recommendations

Hosted by DC Office of Planning

The DC Office of Planning has released Findings and Draft Recommendations of their Rhode Island Avenue Planning Study, which covers a 1.7 mile stretch between 13th Street NE and the DC-Maryland border. Check out the project page here.

There will be a Community Open House on April 22nd, 5:30-7:30 pm at Art Enables (2204 Rhode Island Ave NE), and they will accept public comments through an online survey which will be available on April 18. Register for the open house and learn more about the study at https://publicinput.com/riaps.

The study shares that they received community feedback about concerns relating to speeding traffic among people walking and biking; “Many expressed concerns about speeding traffic and discomfort navigating around as a pedestrian or bicyclist.”

One of the draft recommendations is “4.4. Explore pedestrian safety improvements along the corridor through measures such as the Bus Priority program, traffic calming, and sidewalk and crosswalk improvements, in coordination with the District Department of Transportation.”

WABA suggests that Planning modify this recommendation to “4.4. Explore pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements along the corridor through measures such as the Bus Priority program, traffic calming, sidewalk and crosswalk improvements, and protected bike lanes, in coordination with the District Department of Transportation.”

Share your feedback with the DC Office of Planning here.

More about The DC Low Stress Network

Bike lanes are most effective when they connects to other bike lanes, protected bike lanes, even more so.

WABA works with teams of grassroots volunteers across the District to demand a network of low-stress places to bike. A network where you, your kids, nephews, nieces, or grandkids, can all get where you need to go safely, easily, happily on bikes.

More about Complete Streets

Complete Streets are streets designed to accommodate all users, and that prioritize historically underinvested modes of transportation like transit, walking, and biking. An incomplete street might lack adequate sidewalks, low-stress bike infrastructure, or safe and comfortable access to transit.

Effective Complete Streets policies change the way a jurisdiction plans and builds transportation infrastructure—sidewalks, low stress bike infrastructure, and transit should be included in any new or rebuilt street by default, rather than as an add-on when there's space or demand.

While most regional jurisdictions have a Complete Streets policy of some sort, they lack teeth and permit transportation departments to continue to build streets that put cars first and squeeze other modes into the margins.

More about Advocacy

WABA fights for a region where biking, walking and transit are the best ways to get around.

We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.