This Week in Bike Reads

April 11, 2014 | Alex Baca

A business publication notices that bicycles mean business. (It’s based in Oregon, but still!) The Pennsylvania Avenue zebras are D.C.’s best nonfunctional road art. DDOT is installing a curbed bike lane along 1st Street NE. And, the M Street cycletrack should be finished in a week or two. Complete this survey about Florida Avenue NE on Tues., April 15 if you’d like to vocalize the need for bike accommodations. You can read more about the options for Florida Avenue NE that we think are good for cyclists here. Have you registered for Bike to Work Day yet? Photo by Flickr user Joe Flood. Join our Flickr pool and register for Bike to Work Day, seriously!

We’re Hiring! Be Our Communications Coordinator

April 8, 2014 | Alex Baca

You could, among other things, tweet about happenings like this.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) seeks a Communications Coordinator to tell the story of our advocacy, outreach, education, and events programming. Much of the work of building a better region for bicycling occurs in meeting rooms and classrooms, on the bike lanes and trails, and in the office—reading laws, regulations, and plans.

The job of the Communications Coordinator is to share that work with WABA members and supporters, key decision-makers and elected officials, potential funders of future programming, and the general public.

You must love biking, share WABA’s vision for better biking in the region, and enjoy a fast-paced environment in which strong and strategic communication content is key to organizational success and is a daily (sometimes hourly) need.

See the job description below the jump, and apply for the job here. Continue reading →

National Park Service Responds to Norton’s Request About Rock Creek Park Trail

April 8, 2014 | Alex Baca

As reported by DCist yesterday, the National Park Service responded to Eleanor Holmes Norton’s request for a progress report on the Rock Creek Park Trail. Per DCist:

In a letter Norton released today, Tara Morrison, Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, says an Environmental Assessment (EA) is currently with the Federal Highway Administration for approval. A Finding of No Significant Impact (or, delightfully, FONSI) document is expected to be signed by FHWA in the “near future” and NPS is currently drafting their own, which will also be reviewed by the District Department of Transportation. “Construction could begin on the project as early as Fiscal Year 2015,” the letter states. While any movement is welcome news, Greg Billing from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association says the pace thus far has been frustrating.

Read NPS’ full response here and the press release from Norton’s office below the jump. Continue reading →

This Week in Bike Reads

April 4, 2014 | Alex Baca

The Bike Rack and Filter are opening a bike store/coffee shop in Brookland. We agree that every day should be Bike to Not-Work Day. But while you’re at it, go ahead and register for Bike to Work Day anyway! Texans have realized that its sprawling metro areas have too much traffic and are, thusly, beginning to embrace bicycling. Are you following our April Trailer Challenge? Contraflow lanes have gone in on G and I streets NE. Biking is healthy, round 100. Advice from Virginia lawyer Bruce Deming regarding what to do in the event of a crash. Join our Flickr pool!

Welcome to the April Trailer Challenge!

April 2, 2014 | Alex Baca

Perhaps it won’t snow in April.

The D.C. bike ambassadors kicked off the April Trailer Challenge yesterday. Expect a month of amped-up visibility from our bike ambassadors and the friendly, roving trailers to spread the love of bicycling. Want to be involved? There’s a few ways: Pull the Bike Ambassador Trailer: You can sign up to pull the trailer on your own or to an event, or ride alongside the team as support crew. Sign up here to let us know you want to pull the trailer. Check out our trailering calendar and e-mail dcba@waba.org to set up a time. Snap a picture: Spot the trailer? Take a photo, and post it on social media! Tag us @wabadc using #bikeambassador (on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook) and you’ll be entered to win a free bike tune-up. Read more about the ATC here! Happy April. We hope to see you on the streets.

Arlington to Install First Real-Time Bicycle Counter on the East Coast

March 31, 2014 | Alex Baca

Tomorrow, Tues., April 1, Arlington County will celebrate the unveiling of a bikeometer on the Custis Trail at Lee Highway and Lynn Street. (This isn’t an April Fool’s joke!) This is the first real-time bicycle counter on the East Coast, and collected data will help to inform future decisions affecting infrastructure for people who bike. Details about the unveiling, which runs from 10-10:30 a.m. on April 1, can be seen on the flyer below.

This Week in Bike Reads

March 28, 2014 | Alex Baca

Cars: still parking in D.C. bike lanes. (In Houston, there’s an undercover sting for that.) Dr. Gridlock says to register for Bike to Work Day. Here’s the evolution of the bicycle, in 60 seconds. WABA staffer Nelle Pierson rode from New York City to D.C., a route inspired by five black female cyclists—in 1928. Black Women Bike DC will hold a “Surviving the Streets on a Bike” workshop in advance of Bike to Work Day, on April 26. Photo by Flickr user Pedro Gringo. Join our Flickr pool!

Attend the Great MoCo Bicycle Summit

March 27, 2014 | Alex Baca

On Sat., April 5, Montgomery County residents can join Councilmember Hans Riemer, MoBike, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for the Great MoCo Bike Summit.

The summit kicks off with a family bike ride from Silver Spring to Bethesda and will discuss the future of biking in Montgomery County, from Bikeshare to next-generation infrastructure. Read more about it here. Montgomery County has emerged one of the most exciting grounds for new cycling innovation in the D.C. area. This first-ever summit to discuss the future of biking there will provide important insight on how Montgomery County can become a world-class area for biking for transportation. “Our goal as a county must be to encourage biking—to work, to run errands, and for recreation. To do that, we must expand our bikeways and make them safe for the average person who wants to bike. That’s my goal and I know the goal of Councilmember Riemer,” says Councilmember Roger Berliner, Chair of the County’s Transportation and Environment Committee and a speaker at the summit.. The summit will be held at the Jane Lawson Rec Center, 4301 Willow Lane, Bethesda. Panels start at 10 a.m. The ride starts at 9:15 a.m. at the Silver Spring Metro station. To RSVP for the Great MoCo Bike Summit, click here. See the event on Facebook here.

Bonds’ Office Clarifies Bike Lane “Moratorium” Comments

March 21, 2014 | Alex Baca

During today’s D.C. Council oversight hearing of the District Department of Transportation, WABA executive director Shane Farthing, Coalition for Smarter Growth policy director Cheryl Cort, and Greater Greater Washington editor David Alpert asked for clarification from Anita Bonds’ office on her comments regarding bike lanes. As reported by Greater Greater Washington, Bonds called for a “moratorium” on bike lanes. GGW writes:

At a forum last night, Councilmember Anita Bonds advocated for a “moratorium” on any bike lanes in residential neighborhoods, and also for rules requiring all bicycles to have license plates. According to tweets by Keith Ivey, she opposes the lanes because of the impact on parking.

Brittany Madison, from Bonds’ office, sent this statement with regard to the councilmember’s comments:

Councilmember Bonds has not called for a city-wide moratorium on the establishment of new bike lanes, she is pro bike and pro dedicated bike lanes. Bonds supports bike lanes throughout the major corridors of the District, however she is not in favor of dedicated bike lanes on narrow streets within residential neighborhoods until an updated comprehensive plan is drafted. Bonds believes the city needs to have an up-to-date comprehensive bike lane plan that all residents are aware of; likewise, she is aware that Move DC is working on a draft bike lane plan an looks forward to reviewing it and meeting with relevant stakeholders to continue this discussion.

City Cycling Classes Return for April

March 21, 2014 | Alex Baca

We want you to ride all spring and have fun doing it! But it’s hard to have fun when you’re riding while nervous, worried, or anxious about drivers, car doors, clueless pedestrians, and everything else. Lucky for you, our City Cycling classes are back to ease your mind and let you get back to having fun. Whether you’re getting on a bike for the first time in years or have been riding every day, we can teach you new tricks, answer your questions, and even get you ready to teach your friends and family! City Cycling classes in April are as follows: 11:00 a.m., Sat., April 12 in Bethesda, Md. (Montgomery County residents only, please) 10:00 a.m., Sun., April 13 in Washington, D.C. 10:00 a.m., Sun., April 20 in Alexandria 10:00 a.m., Sat., April 26 in Arlington, Va. (Arlington County residents only, please) More classes will be added soon!