CommuterPageBlog

All interested in cycling in Arlington invited. . .

. . .to a get-together sponsored by the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee.

When: Wednesday, September 5 at 6:00 PM

Where: Carpool - 4000 Fairfax Drive in Ballston

Why:  Why not?  Actually, it's a chance for anyone who want to talk about cycling in N. Virginia to get together with others who share that interest.  We'll also enjoy some food and drink and just hang out.  Bring your friends and colleagues.  Hopefully we can take over the outdoor deck!

Hope to see you there!!

I-495 Express Lanes: For insiders only

The new I-495 HOT lanes, also known as 495 Express Lanes, are expected to go into operation late this year.  Discussion of these lanes and the concept of dynamic pricing can be found in many places on the web (official site,  a previous post of mine re: the theory of HOT lanes).

My particular concern is the requirement that all users must have an E-ZPass in order to use the lanes.  What this means is that only local drivers with knowledge of the system and those who are willing to bear the monthly admin charge will be able to utilize the lanes. Thus, in order to use the HOT lanes for free one must:

• Have 3+ persons in their vehicle, AND
• Have an active monthly E-ZPass Flex Account, AND
• Make sure the Flex pass is set to HOV mode

Tour buses and visiting groups with many people in their vehicles will be banned from using the lanes, even though they would more than qualify for the HOV-3 requirement.  I think this is a bad policy.  Particularly here in the DC region, where there are millions of visitors every year, making it impossible for visitors and guests to use a transportation system that could make their visit here more enjoyable is a big mistake.

Making the Express lanes free for groups of three or more without a transponder is not impossible.  In fact, it is already done in numerous places (see below).  For instance, in San Diego they have had HOT lanes for years.  Carpoolers do not need a transponder.  This means that out-of-towners in groups of three or more may use the HOT lanes without ever having been to San Diego before.  Good.  Those with a transponder who want to drive for free because they meet the HOV requirement on a particular trip can put their transponder in a foil bag so it is not read.

The I-25 Express lanes in Denver allow anyone to access the lanes, with or without a transponder, and use license plate recognition to send a bill later (with about a 25% extra fee) to those without.   HOV drive free without need of a transponder.

The Inter-County Connector in Maryland also has a system for billing cars without transponders.  It is not a requirement to have one to drive the ICC, although they do add a $4 admin charge to the toll.  The ICC does not have an HOV distinction: all users pay tolls.

As currently designed, the I-495 Express users must have an E-ZPass.  Those who want to travel for free with three or more people in the vehicle must have an E-ZPass Flex.  The Flex pass has a switch allowing one to change between free/HOV mode and regular toll mode.  It is not clear what happens to vehicles that enter the HOT lanes without a transponder, although one would presume there would be a fine.  I believe I read in Dr. Gridlock that the fine would be something like $12 plus the toll.  (Which raises the question, "If you had 3 or more people in the car, would the toll be zero?")  It's also not clear what would happen to drivers who accidentally leave their transponders in the wrong setting or reset it while they are on the road.

Based on these examples and others, clearly the capability exists to allow HOV users without transponders to utilize the I-495 Express Lanes.  Yet the system is designed essentially as an insider's club, for locals only: visitors, tourists and outsiders not welcome here.  And if you even try to get in, we'll slap you hard and leave a bad taste in your mouth.  I think this is bad policy.
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Steve Offutt, Arlington

 

LIST OF SOME HOT LANES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A TRANSPONDER FOR HOV

• I-680 Alameda County (CA)
• I-15 San Diego County (CA)
• Katy Freeway in Houston
• I-25 Express Lanes in Denver
• I-35 MnPass Express lanes in Minneapolis

The tree hugger meets the bike hugger

Arlington County's continuing efforts to improve the network of bike infrastructure has recently butted up against Arlington County's efforts to improve its urban forest.  These represent two environmental goods--both of which I have strong support for.

The County is now in the final stages of engineering the extension of the trail along Washington Blvd. south of Route 50 to Columbia Pike (via Towers Park) (map).  The construction of this trail will require the removal of about 350 trees, some temporarily and some permanently.

As a member of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee, I advocate for and support the County's efforts to continually improve bicycling for our residents and visitors.  This trail extension is an important part of the cycling network.

As a long-time environmentalist working on climate change and an amateur urban planner, I fully understand the tremendous value that trees and tree canopy bring to urban areas like Arlington.

So what's the tree hugger to do when he's also the bike hugger?  It's a tough question, worth asking.  I believe asking the question allows us to think about an approach that can lead to a reasonable solution.

Some of these trees will be removed in order to construct the Washington Blvd. trail extension

First, my tree-hugger self has to agree that there is value in the trail extension.  My bike-hugger self must acknowledge that those trees are also important.  Likewise with the communities involved.  Those who paint one side or the other as wrong while they are "right," ultimately work against any kind of solution.  And if they "lose," then they may likely get nothing that they want.

Once both sides of me acknowledges the importance of the values of the other side, then we can work together to find a solution.  The solution may not be perfect for one or both sides, but mutual respect and a collaborative approach is much more likely to create a result that can benefit both.

I don't know what the absolute perfect solution would be, but I do believe that the trail extension is a critical link, so some way of building it must be found.  Perhaps the construction of the trail could provide an opportunity to actually enhance the urban tree canopy?  Currently, this area is partially wooded and completely unmanaged: some of the trees are full-grown native trees, others are overgrown bushes and others are invasives.  Kudzu has invaded, too, threatening many of the trees that are there already.

Because of the topography, some trees will need to be removed, but can be replaced once retaining walls are built and the trail is completed.  The entire project may present a terrific opportunity to create an even more beautiful canopy as well as improve habitat.  By working with arborists and urban forestry experts, perhaps an even better canopy could be created in harmony with the trail.  I don't know if this is possible, but I am sure that some aspects could definitely be improved.

For instance, I recently planted an elm tree in my yard in a small effort to help re-establish elms in America.  Imagine if this project included planting numerous elms alongside Washington Blvd.  Once grown, they could create a beautiful tree-lined boulevard, shading both the trail and the street, with all the concomitant environmental benefits.  It probably won't look quite like this, but still could be a big improvement.

The first step, though, is to get past the idea that these two environmental efforts should be battling each other.  My bike hugging self is not the enemy of my tree hugging self.  We both want a better Arlington community to live in.  The challenge is to find a way to turn this project into an opportunity.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

All welcome at Monday's Bike Advisory Committee meeting

Please join us at this month's Arlington County Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting.  It will be held next Monday, June 4 at 7:00 PM.  We meet at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. in the conference room with all the bikes parked by it.  Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you have ever attended in the past or not.  We value input from all members of our community.

Among other topics we will discuss the recent activity related to bollard installations and removals.  And we'll debrief on Bike to Work Day, too.

Hope to see you there.

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Steve Offutt is a member of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee

Induced Demand explained (and you can practice your Spanish, too)

Here's a great video that explains the relationships between transportation infrastructure, subsidies and behavior. 

 

Arlington has done some of the best work in the country at keeping traffic under control by using a multiple strategy approach and understanding how the various aspects of our transportation system interact.  It's a constant effort, however. 

One big difference between what we see in the video and the United States is the % of people who use cars as their primary form of transport.  According to the video, in Mexico it is only 30%.  Since the majority of the population do not use cars, getting political support for more transit/bike/ped infrastructure should--in theory--be easier there than here.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

I-66 "Spot Improvement" now completed

I-66 looking westbound from Ohio St.

The project to widen I-66 westbound between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street is now completed.  This is one of several projects that VDOT calls "Spot Improvements."  In this case, the "spot" is about 1.5 miles long.  This is the first of these projects, and was begun in the summer of 2010. None of the others is currently underway nor scheduled for the immediate future.

The roadbed was widened and new drainage had to be designed and built. The VDOT web page says that the shoulder is designed to handle full traffic and thus could be used as a travel lane in emergencies.  The project did not affect the Custis Trail in any way nor any of the soundwalls or adjoining neighborhoods. In my post last year I expressed concern that the widened bridge over the Custis Trail where it passes under I-66 would make it darker and the lighting should be reassessed. My opinion is that the lighting is still essentially the same as before and that the project did not change the daylight on the trail much if at al.

I'm not sure why the shorter dotted lines are used to delineate the right lane.  Perhaps to indicate that the lane is not continuous, although I have not seen this treatment in other locations, even where lanes exist for short distances. 

According to this VDOT press release, the other two spot improvements are on hold in the engineering phase until after the completion of the I-66 Multi-Modal study.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

Join us at the December 5 Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting

Please join us at this month's Arlington County Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting.  It will be held next Monday, December 5, 2100 Clarendon Blvd. at 7:00 PM.  Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you have ever attended in the past or not.  We value input from all members of our community.

This month we have invited someone from the Arlington County Police Department to attend and have received a likely yes.  This may be a good opportunity for dialog between cyclists and police.

Hope to see you there.

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Steve Offutt is a member of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee.

 

We Have To Make Better Use of the Transportation Networks Already In Place

Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton says the solutions are slim for the area's traffic problem so "the approach is going to have to be one that makes better use of transportation networks that are already in place" (Secretary: Solutions slim for area traffic boon, November 14, 2011, by Adam Tuss, WTOP). He goes on to say "I don't have the physical ability to expand the system anymore." And he's right. So shouldn't localities, the region, State and Federal Governments put more emphasis and money into TDM (transportation demand management), which according to an increasing body of evidence would indeed make better use of the transportation network we have today? The answer of course is yes.

TDM is the most cost-effective way to deliver transportation benefits for the dollar, getting maximum use of existing infrastructure by shifting drivers into transit, carpools, vanpools, walking, biking, and avoiding trips through telework. Yet ironically, the economic downturn has resulted in a shortage of resources for TDM that could help to fill the gap when little infrastructure can be built to deal with growing congestion.

Over the coming weeks and months we'll highlight some TDM programs and services that research shows are having a big impact on reducing congestion and speculate on how expanding these programs and trying some new demand side innovations or low-cost infrastructure can have even more impact for our region and State. And visit our new think tank on the subject at MobilityLab.org.

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter ServicesTransportation Bureau Chief for Arlington County in the Department of Environmental Services and a biking/Metro commuter from the LeDroit Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Follow me at Twitter @ChrisRHamilton.

Your Help is Needed to Turn Rail~Volution DC 2011 Ideas into Action

Wait! Don’t turn the page yet on Rail~Volution DC 2011, a conference about transportation and urban planning. The conference is finished and has left town - it will be held in Los Angeles, CA in 2012. But the lessons and impacts from the conference are still reverberating in the region. 

Three concurrent Local Program sessions held on the last afternoon of the conference were well-attended and lively. Each session began with a panel discussion, followed by break-out discussions. These sessions gave local experts and professionals in the D.C. region a chance to ruminate over new ideas sparked during the conference and turn them into action items that could make a big difference to how local projects and issues played out. To everyone’s relief, there was hardly any kvetching as old sores were reexamined. And we are left with some great nuggets of wisdom and innovation. Check out the notes from these sessions (listed below) to see how you can play a role in the future of our region. 

Managing Change and Being Good Neighbors with Federal Properties in the DC Region ( Download FINAL Federal Local Program Session Notes)
This session addressed the coordination of policies and creation of partnerships between local and federal agencies. The session identified lessons learned from recent BRAC experiences in the DC region that can help manage the impacts of policy changes and direct resources appropriately for future federal actions. Challenges and successes from various federal properties around the region were also highlighted. New ways to integrate large secure campuses into existing communities in a way that helps revitalize neighborhoods and promote economic development were discussed.

Complete Communities – Creating and Achieving Livable DC Area Communities 
How do you create affordable communities at the neighborhood level? The elements of an affordable community include a range of housing and local business opportunities and necessary services (transit, grocery, healthcare, banking, etc.). Several D.C. area locations with excellent potential for affordable neighborhoods due to existing or planned rail transit stations were examined: Tysons Corner, VA (Metrorail); Purple Line communities; Manassas, VA (new commuter rail station); and East of the River, DC (existing Metrorail stations and planned DC Streetcar stops).

The Jobs-Housing Balance in Metro DC: A Region Undivided 
What if the Washington, DC region’s growth patterns were redirected to reduce lengthy commutes and driving time, increase access to jobs, and offer more mixed-income housing opportunities and great walkable neighborhoods? How can the DC region capitalize on its potential for transit-oriented development on its east side? How will the next generation of transit link jobs and housing throughout the region? This session examined these questions -- and possible answers – with local and national experts.

Sonali Soneji, AICP, Research Manager, Arlington County Commuter Services.

Capital Bikeshare featured in Washington Post

 The Washington Post ran a Local Opinions piece last Saturday (How those red public bikes are changing D.C.) by local blogger and founder of the Greater Greater Washington blog, David Alpert.  The article laid out all the great reasons Capital Bikeshare is doing well and should be supported and expanded.

Here's an excerpt:

Building roads or trains is expensive, while growing CaBi (usually pronounced “cabbie”) is one of the cheapest ways we have to quickly improve mobility. Consider this: Simply rebuilding the Gainesville Interstate 66 interchange will cost about 18 times as much as setting up the whole CaBi system.

Paris has 20,000 bicycles at 1,202 stations (vs. our 120) in a space smaller than inside-the-Beltway Washington. We should have that many, too, and could for about the same price as that Gainesville interchange. Not that CaBi has to limit itself to inside the Beltway: Rockville is getting a small set of bikes and stations. College Park wants in, too. Something in Tysons Corner could ease the third rush hour that occurs when office workers drive to nearby restaurants.

A fascinating consequence of CaBi’s success has been more people taking their own bikes. Many people started riding around the District or Arlington with CaBi, then began riding more overall. I’m one of those people. Previously, I used my bike only on occasion, but I now ride it, or CaBi, much more often. Even for those who primarily use personal bicycles, CaBi is handy for one-way trips or quick lunchtime errands.

It's worth reading the whole article, and then run out and get your membership, if you haven't already.

================    (photo by M. V. Jantzen)

Steve Offutt is a founding member of Capital Bikeshare and member of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee