CommuterPageBlog

Save Two Birds With One Starbucks - Fixing Washington's Traffic

Last week was a tough week for Washingtonians as we experienced Metro's saddest crash in the agency's history and all of the transport-related consequences, including major delays throughout the Metrorail system; a newfound wariness about using the system, and even some commuters getting into their cars, thereby creating and experiencing more congested streets. It's a vicious cycle time and time again: lack of sufficient funding for transport options, problems, traffic congestion, time wasted, everyone's stressed.

I’m writing with a proposal which would both improve downtown D.C.'s congested streets and the regional corridors that lead to them, while providing more funding for transit, cycling, walking, and streets through better management of our collective resources. How to do this? Through congestion charging and using the revenues to improve downtown D.C.-based commuting options throughout the region.

Congestion charging is a fee that motorists would pay to enter downtown D.C. (not inner adjacent neighborhoods in D.C.) during the work day. Whereas a toll is at one location on a street, such as at a bridge, a cordon congestion charging plan, which is what I'm proposing, would create a boundary around D.C.'s Central Business District (map). All motor vehicles entering this zone during the work day would pay the charge, regardless of which state they live in - VA, MD, or DC.

The purpose of this fee is to limit downtown traffic congestion while encouraging use of transit, carpooling, vanpooling, telework, and biking; and limit greenhouse gases. For a few dollars to enter downtown D.C. during weekdays 6AM - 7PM, the revenues generated by such a fee could be regionally applied towards improving and creating new transit service before the congestion charge begins, constructing improved bikeways, and improving the region's streets. Jurisdictions from the inner to the outer suburbs and D.C. too would each see a piece of the pie. Motorists would save lots of time and stress due to the improved traffic flow. Stanchions placed on streets along the boundary of the zone would read license plates to see who has entered the zone. Motorists could then pay the charge either on-line or at downtown D.C.’s multispace parking meters.

The charge amount would be a reasonable fee which would discourage auto trips into downtown D.C., and encourage transit, carpooling, vanpooling, telework, and cycling. The charge, let's say in the $3 - $5 range, would be the price of a Starbucks coffee, hardly a large fee when considering all the time commuters would save with better flowing traffic.

Congestion charging is being used in cities like London, Stockholm, and Singapore. A report by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute on London's congestion charging program states, "During the program's first few months automobile traffic declined about 20% (a reduction of about 20,000 vehicles per day)." Also, "[t]his has significantly increased traffic speeds within the zone. Average traffic speed during charging days (including time stopped at intersections) increased 37%, from 8 miles-per-hour (13 km/hr) prior to the charge up to 11 miles-per-hour (17 kms/hr) after pricing was introduced. Peak period congestion delays declined about 30%, and bus congestion delays declined 50%. Bus ridership increased 14% and subway ridership about 1%."

Is this idea pie-in-the-sky? Yes, if you don't like pie. But who wouldn't want to pay the cost of one Starbucks coffee to fight less traffic, save money on gas, decrease your personal stress level, and get home earlier every day to spend more time with family and friends?

I’ll take the pie.

by Paul DeMaio

image credit: DCist

Has Your Bicycle Been Stolen?

ARLINGTON COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE:

"The Arlington County Police Department is currently investigating bicycle larcenies that occurred in the area of Lee Highway and North Harrison Street during the end of May and beginning of June. The Police Department recovered several bicycles that may have been stolen from their original owners. If your bicycle has been stolen, and you have not reported the theft, please call the Arlington County police Department Non-Emergency Line at (703) 558-2222. If you witness a theft in progress, immediately call 911."

by Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

image credit: TreeHugger

The Everyday Bike for Everyday People

I had already known the Dutch were famous for everyday cycling, but how could their bikes differ so much from ours? I had a lot to learn.

I had been in the market to buy a commuter bike for some time now, but couldn't find the right bike. What I was looking for was a bike daily use that was easy to hop on and go, without needing to think about the additional accoutrements of lights, pant clip, panniers, etc.

On a recent trip to The Netherlands I rode a Gazelle bicycle for the first time. The bike was more comfortable, complete, and fun than any other bike I had been on before. It was "fully loaded" as motor vehicles are often described. It didn't come with air conditioning, but you get that for free as soon as you start pedaling. I ended up buying the Gazelle and bringing it back on the plane with me.

If you're looking for a bike for everyday use, here are some qualities of this Dutch bike and things to look for with your purchase:

• Chain guard. One won't know how great a chain guard is until you ride a bike with it. The chain guard keeps your right pant leg or skirt from getting soiled or ripped by the chain and cog. Now you can forget the pant clip - you won't be needing it anymore.
• Fenders. Keep dirt on the ground where it belongs. Fenders prevent your tires from kicking up said schmootz and giving you a nasty "rat tail" on your back after a storm.
• Upright seating. Why be hunched over like Quasimodo when you can sit upright and be more comfortable? This also puts less pressure on your shoulders and wrists.

• Built-in front and rear lights. Imagine needing to remember to pack your car's lights if you plan to be out after dark. Doesn't make much sense, does it? Same is true with your bike's lights. With built-in lights, and an automatic On feature to boot, the lights are always there when you need them.
• Reflective sidewall tires. Motorists in front and behind you can see your lights, but what about those on your sides? To make yourself visible to them, reflective sidewall tires have a retroreflective band of material which lights up when a motorist's headlights are directed at them.
• Built-in rack. There are times when you need to carry stuff, so the built-in rack allows you to put your backpack or purse on it and secure it in place with built-in straps. For additional carriage space, buy a pannier which connects to the rack to throw your stuff into.

• Built-in O-lock. The O-lock is attached to the frame of the bike adjacent to the rear wheel. When locked, it prevents this spokes from rotating. It's good for a short-term trip, but if you plan to be somewhere longer, bring a U-lock to lock the frame and front wheel to a stationary object to prevent the bike from walking off.

Gazelle has pictures of these qualities which can further illustrate their usefulness.

Gazelle bicycles are being sold in the U.S. by only a few companies presently which makes them more expensive due to the importation costs. However, American cycle companies are finally waking up to the potential and markets that everyday bikes can have. A few of these companies are Breezer Bikes, REI, and Electra.

I've been enjoying cycling for many years, but these everyday features on my new bike have greatly improved my enjoyment of commuting, grocery shopping, or just bopping around town. I wish you the same.

Paul DeMaio is BikeArlington's Bike-sharing Program Manager. Paul can be reached at pdemaio@arlingtonva.us. His "baby" is pictured above.

Arlington's First Bike Shelter is Born

Ever striving to become more bike-friendly, the Arlington County Division of Transportation is nearing completion on a bike shelter at the Shirlington Transit Station. This shelter will provide parking for 28 bikes in a space that could park only two motor vehicles. The design of the shelter echoes the adjacent Shirlington Transit Station with its arched roof, materials, and color.

Why shelter bikes? Returning to one's bike after a storm and finding a dry seat is an encouragement to bicycling. Conversely, when the day is hot and the sun is pounding down on a dark leather bike seat, the shelter will ensure the seat does not overheat your rump. This type of amenity is a small and relatively inexpensive thing that really makes the cycling experience better.

Construction should be complete tomorrow and the shelter open for use. Once complete, the new shelter will encourage cycling to Shirlington and greater intermodality between bike and bus.

by Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Alexandria Earns Bicycle Friendly Community Award

The City of Alexandria was awarded a Bicycle Friendly Community award by the League of American Bicyclists, a national cycling advocacy organization. The award is to highlight the efforts communities take to make themselves more bike-friendly, such as by constructing bike lanes and bike parking, educating and enforcing bike safety, promoting cycling through events like Bike to Work Day, and evaluating their progress. The award is a "bronze"-level award which recognizes the accomplishes the City has taken and encourages Alexandria to become even more bike-friendly, thereby earning a silver, gold, and then platinum-level award. Places like Portland, OR, which is known for being a cyclist's paradise in the U.S., has a platinum Bicycle Friendly Community award.

Alexandria bike advocates, City staff, and elected officials celebrated their award at the recent Bike to Work Day pit stop at City Hall on May 15. Alexandria becomes the third jurisdiction in the Metropolitan Washington region to earn this award. The other communities are Arlington which has a silver award and Washington, D.C. which has bronze.

by Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

image credit: Bruce Dwyer

The Bike is King (and Queen) in The Netherlands

Following up on my earlier post "Making Cycling Easy - the Dutch Experience", I wanted to share more of my experience biking in The Netherlands. The Dutch have created their bike-friendly culture through years of prioritization of the bicycle as a mode of transport and accordingly have invested time and funding in this philosophy to make it a reality. The same can happen here in Arlington. Building the cycle tracks, bike lanes, 4-story bike parking garages, etc. is the easy part. The hard part is changing the mindset to allow it to exist.

The street scene below of a typical rural neighborhood in The Netherlands depicts this philosophy quite well. The street is narrow so it's designed to allow for bike lanes (in red and striped) on the outer portions of the street with one lane in the center for motor vehicle traffic. With the two bike lanes and one motor vehicle lane, it's a strong statement towards who gets priority on this street.

When two motor vehicles approach each other, they pass each other by both driving with half their vehicle in the center lane and the other half in the bike lane on their side of the street. However, when a cyclist is in a bike lane and two motor vehicles are approaching each other, the motorist moving in the same direction as the cyclist must wait behind the cyclist until the other motor vehicle has passed. Then the motorist may pass the cyclist in the center lane.

The suburban street below is wider and has more traffic of both motor vehicles and cyclists. By separating the cyclists from the motorists with a green buffer, it's creating an environment that most individuals on a bike would feel comfortable with as they don't have the noise, heat, dust, and fear of a motorist passing close to them at 30 mph. Below, cyclists are protected from motor vehicles with a soft buffer filled with trees and grasses.

We can learn a lot about how to recreate our transport networks in our cities, suburbs, and rural areas from the Dutch. We can also create healthier communities, limit obesity, and decrease carbon emissions at the same time.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Street Widening Ad Infinitum

Put your thinking caps on kids, because today's lesson in transportation planning is brought to you by the letter I and number 6.

A new report by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute titled Generated Traffic and Induced Travel - Implications for Transport Planning is about something called "generated traffic". Forgive the geeky transport talk, but according to the paper:

"Traffic congestion tends to maintain equilibrium. Congestion reaches a point at which it constrains further growth in peak-period [i.e., rush hour] trips. If road capacity increases, the number of peak-period trips also increases until congestion again limits further traffic growth. The additional travel is called “generated traffic.” Generated traffic consists of diverted traffic (trips shifted in time, route and destination), and induced vehicle travel (shifts from other modes, longer trips and new vehicle trips). Research indicates that generated traffic often fills a significant portion of capacity added to congested urban road."

After years of street widening construction, the street is much better to drive on because it's wider and traffic moves. But then have you ever noticed that a short time later, maybe just a couple of years, the street gets so congested again and traffic is nearly as bad as it was before the widening. What gives?! This is because others figured out the street was less congested and started driving on it too. But there were too many of them who did this. What to do? Expand it again! Then again! And again (ad infinitum)! It's only money and more congestion we're talking about. The benefits of widening I-66, or the "spot improvements" misnomer the project has been given, would only last a short time.

There's a choice and it's making itself clearer than ever before. Transportation demand management looks at lowering the demand for a street, not increasing its supply by widening it. Lowering the demand of a street includes providing increased transit service, creating bike and walk infrastructure so people have safe places to ride and walk, telework, and downtown congestion charging. These could be less expensive to do than street widening with the results lasting much longer.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

April Cycling Classes Ride On

The cold weather has finally broke and now it's an ideal season to ride your bike. If it's been a while since you were last on your bike or you'd like to brush up on your knowledge on riding safely, this is your golden opportunity. BikeArlington and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association are offering two FREE beginner adult bicycle safety classes in April.

Confident City Cycling 1 is a classroom-only event. Participants will be provided with a written curriculum and will be taught bicycle selection and fit, gearing, nutrition and hydration, use of accessories, bike handling, hazard avoidance, traffic law, and simple bike maintenance. Whether weeknights or weekends are better timed for you, we've got both.

On Tuesday, April 7 from 6 - 9 pm at the Lee Community Center and Saturday, April 18 from 1 - 4 pm at the Shirlington Library, Confident City Cycling 1 will be offered. Registration is limited, so sign-up before the classes fill-up.

For more information on the free classes and to register, visit BikeArlington.com.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Be Street Smart

The region's Street Smart safety campaign kicked off last week with encouragement by police and elected officials, including Arlington County Boardmember Walter Tejada (above), for safer walking, biking, and driving. The campaign's purpose is to get all users of the street to be more aware of their actions and the actions of others in order to decrease injuries and fatalies.

The campaign also includes stepped-up enforcement by the region's police. This morning, the Arlington Police Department was out in-force at the intersection of Lee Highway and Lynn Street in Rosslyn, ticketing and giving warning to motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists who did not obey traffic laws, thereby putting others' safety and their own at risk. The Arlington Police and other police departments throughout the region are conducting a greater number of traffic safety stings to remind street users that we're all in this together.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Bike and Walk Commutes Increase Dramatically in Arlington & Alexandria

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' (COG) 2007/2008 Regional Household Travel Survey is completed and Arlingtonians and Alexandrians can toot their own horn, or rather ring their own bike bell, as the percentage of residents from both jurisdictions who bike or walk to work is UP, UP, UP!

Arlington's bike and walk commuting mode share doubled from 3.8% to 7.6% between 1994 and the year of the report and Alexandria also doubled from 4.5% to 9.0%. These increases in both jurisdictions were due to improvements in engineering, education, encouragement, and enforcement. During these years, the bike and walk infrastructure of the county and city has improved with the striping of miles of bike lanes and new trails, pedestrian countdown signals and higher visibility ladder crosswalks, and more bike parking. There has been more education with Confident City Cycling classes, encouragement with Bike to Work Day and the BikeArlington and WALKArlington programs, and enforcement through the Street Smart campaign which places emphasis on the safety of these active modes of transport.

Kudos to Arlingtonians and Alexandrians for commuting in a cleaner, greener way.

For more information, see COG's highlights presentation on the subject. Over 10,000 households were surveyed for this report.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington