More (not just) bicycle stuff

1. Our erstwhile bicycling advocates at Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA) have worked with other partners to create a bike-valet program for the Inauguration. See "Wheeling on big day" on page B2 of today's (Wednesday) Washington Times (the online edition doesn't seem to be working well today and I couldn't find the link to the story) and the America Bikes To The Inauguration section from the WABA site.

2. Congressman Earl Blumenaur gets a write up in the New York Times, "Earl Blumenauer, a Bicycle Evangelist With the Wind Now at His Back."

3. He sounds better than the earmark loving Representative Ray LaHood, soon to be the next Secretary of Transportation. See "LaHood Sponsored Millions in Earmarks" from the Post.

4. And the Frederick News-Post reports that an outlet mall for Frederick, just north of Montgomery County, is dead, at least for now. See "Prime Retail drops out of Urbana outlet project." However, the property owner is proceeding with retail-oriented zoning, figuring that Prime Retail will come back to the project when the credit markets are better. From the article:

The zoning change, which the Frederick County Commissioners are considering tonight, would allow the developer to build 593,000 square feet of retail and restaurant uses, about 80,000 more than previously allowed. It would also eliminate an already approved movie theater use.


Although there is a great deal of turmoil in the retail industry now, with many companies likely to go out of business. Still, the outlet sector, offering coveted brands at reduced prices, seems positioned to maintain if not increase market share in a down economy.

5. Last night's North Capitol Street Urban Design and Transportation Study public meeting was typical of ward 5 events. No fun. Somewhat out of hand. (Although I even contributed to this I suppose.) The study is overbilled. It's more of an urban design study of how to make North Capitol and Irving Streets less freeway like, and while considering transportation issues, a broader and more if not all encompassing transportation study for the area is still to come.

6. Something that came out at the meeting is that DCOP and DDOT are not happy with how the MWCOG trip generation model undercounts bus use, walking, and bicycling, and they are looking to develop a DC-specific model. Brooklanders think that this new model will justify their concerns about automobile trips. It will, but not in the same way, because a DC-specific model, based in part on adding residents to areas near transit, will produce reduced trip volumes compared to the broad modeling characteristics used by the Council of Governments.

The Brooklanders seem to not want to acknowledge the results of the WMATA Development-Related Ridership Survey, which found that within 1/2 mile of Metro stations, the total transit use for residents ranged from 36% of all trips (1/2 mile away) to 55% (0 miles away), and for work trips, the use of transit ranged from 13% (1/2 mile away) to 46% (0 miles away). Note that many of the catchment areas studied were in the suburbs, in-city compactly developed areas show the highest numbers. Add streetcars to the mix, and you can really do something.

7. And at the meeting, I raised again the idea of testing HOV-2 restrictions during rush periods on streets such as Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street as most of the car trips during rush are for single occupants, and many of the trips are to/from Maryland. As well as transportation demand management planning for the Washington Hospital Center and the creation of a Transportation Management District in that area to reduce automobile trips.

HOV 2 lane in Alexandria, Virginia.

8. And Froggie writes to tell us that plans to add bicycle accommodations to the Wilson Bridge are behind schedule according to documents from the bridge project.

Sierra Club rendering, pedestrian-bicycle walkway and WMATA subway line on Wilson Bridge.

9. I came across this blog from Sioux City, History and Culture by Bicycle, which describes historic buildings and sites accessible by biking trips. It's an example of the point I try to make, that all destination management organizations should provide walking, bicycling, transit, and driving tour information. Groups tend to focus on walking and driving, but we shouldn't forget transit and bicycling... In DC, bicycling is a great way to get around on a tour of public sculpture.

10. Bikes for the Rest of Us mentions these two bicycle oriented blogs from Europe, Amsterdamize and Copenhagenize.