Building connections together

A few weeks ago, I was pedaling up the 15th Street NW protected bike lane to the WABA office. I was so focused on getting to my next meeting that I almost didn’t hear a voice shout my name at a stoplight. It was a childhood friend I hadn’t seen in months! We only spoke for a second or two, but the jolt of joy I got from seeing her made me happier the rest of the day.

It also made me grateful for every single WABA Member. That awesome moment wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t been bicycling on 15th Street protected bike lane, and the protected bike lane is only there because of people like you who speak up for bicycling. Running into old friends, discovering a new bakery in your neighborhood, enjoying a few moments of peace on a quiet stretch of trail – this is what we get when we fight for a bikeable, walkable neighborhood.

WABA’s members have made it easier than ever to access the breezy, everyday joy of getting around our region by bike. Together in 2023, we:

• Celebrated wheels on pavement on the 9th St NW and 8th St NE protected bike lanes, filling critical gaps in DC’s network of bike lanes and trails.

• Demanded that the bike lanes on Old Georgetown Road in Montgomery County, MD stay put and continue to keep people safe. Thanks to you, these lanes will likely remain permanent.

• Cut the ribbon on the new 66 Parallel Trail. This trail segment is already working its magic, connecting Dunn Loring to Centreville in Fairfax County to two Metro stations. It’s also a sign of things to come, heralding the future of a car-free route along I-66.

• Saw the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail nearly to completion—inaugural ride coming soon! 

The incredible thing about these projects is that they’re greater than the sum of their parts. One new stretch of protected bike lane goes in and, just like that, the school or store or office you previously couldn’t have biked to safely is within reach. From there, you reach a trail connection; once you’re on the trail, you can zip freely down to a different neighborhood; and just like that, you’ve opened up a whole new world.

We’re fighting to further connect our map in 2024. Improvements to 14th Street NW, 11th Street NW, and Q and R streets are on the table, and WABA is making them happen.

From now until the end of the year, we’ll be sharing stories of what’ve accomplished together, and what we’re looking forward to in the year to come. I hope you’ll follow along and celebrate with us!