Spectacular. Chinatown.
The awesome new Klingle Valley Trail getting a bit of the Metropolitan Branch Trail treatment…
From the Cleveland Park listserv December 28th:
“Today at approximately 12:25 pm while walking up the Klingle bike path and nearing the Connecticut Avenue bridge, I heard a noise and turned around to see a silver car bearing down on me and my dog. I jumped out of the way and it sped past — going dangerously fast for conditions (around 30 mph at least). I yelled, waved my arms and screamed, but it didn’t slow down. A runner asked if I was okay and asked if I got the license plate — I hadn’t. He sped up trying to get close enough to see the license.
I called 911 as soon as I stopped shaking and reported it. On the way home (no lingering at 22 degrees to chat with 911), I saw a young man who’d been walking in the woods — he’d seen the car, described it as “seriously speeding” and said he thought it was a Toyota. Agreed it was silver.
I called 911 again when I got inside — they are sending an officer to take the report.
The fact is: THERE ARE NO EFFECTIVE BARRIERS TO CARS DRIVING ON THE BIKE PATH.”
And then on December 31st:
“Car on Klingle Trail New Year`s Eve. There is no visible marker and driver told us she was directed there by Google. Yikes.”
Multiple readers had reported that a cyclist had been struck by a car at 14th and Rhode Island Ave, NW earlier this morning but Tom shares that the scene was even uglier than first thought:
“I saw a beating happen at 14th at Rhode Island NW this morning. The driver and the cyclist we having an argument after the driver tried to turn and the cyclist was using the cross walk. The driver got out of his car and they exchanged words. The driver then started beating the cyclist. He hit him about 7-10 time in the face. Right in front of a police officer.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.
“Dear PoPville,
I’m reaching out because I had a very strange situation with my bike on Thursday night.
It was locked up on Capitol Hill with both a u-lock (on the frame) and a pretty hefty cord (the cord went through the frame, the bike rack, and the front wheel). When I came out to unlock my bike something didn’t seem right. As I started to unlock it I realized that the front wheel was not the correct one. My commuter wheel had been stolen but replaced with a smaller mountain bike wheel.
Someone had tried to cut the u-lock (there were a few marks which looked like an attempt had been made), successfully cut the cord (which was no where to be found), and then after taking off my wheel, replaced it with another one. Read More
Photo by PoPville flickr user Matt Calvert
From DDOT:
“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the design-build construction of the next phase of the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The Fort Totten section of the Metropolitan Branch Trail will connect from where it currently ends on John McCormack Drive in Brookland, to the Fort Totten Metro Station.
“This is the next major milestone in the District’s commitment to completing the construction of the Metropolitan Branch Trail,” said Leif Dormsjo, DDOT Director. “A design-build approach will help us engage the creativity of the construction community to bring their ideas to the final design and construction.”
The Metropolitan Branch Trail is an 8-mile multi-use trail that connects Union Station in the District of Columbia to Silver Spring Maryland. The new trail will provide a direct off-street route for bicyclists and pedestrians through the Fort Totten area.
The trail will include LED lighting, security cameras, and wayfinding signage. Read More
Photo by PoPville flickr user James Warner
“Dear PoPville,
Thought this was interesting. Folks should protect their rights.”
From Public Justice’s Opt Out of Capital Bikeshare’s Forced Arbitration Clause by Dani Zylberberg:
“In its most recent update to its “User Agreement,” Capital Bikeshare—the hugely popular bike program in the Washington, D.C. area—has slipped in a forced arbitration clause and class action ban that significantly affects the rights of Bikeshare members. In fact, this new “User Agreement” only benefits Capital Bikeshare, not its members. But if you are a Capital Bikeshare member there is something you can do about it: Opt Out!
Capital Bikeshare’s new “User Agreement” forces users to give up their right to go to court, and instead sends dispute that would typically be heard by a court into arbitration, which almost always favors corporations over consumers. That’s because arbitrators—who are often hired again and again by corporations to hear these disputes—unsurprisingly tend to rule in favor of the company that is bringing the arbitrator repeat business. Read More
Photo by PoPville flickr user LaTur
“I was hit by an Uber driver in the bikelane/crosswalk at 9:15am this morning, January 3, at the corner of 14th and V, NW. If you have a camera pointed at that intersection (say from Union Row or Langston Lofts) or witnessed the accident and got a look at the make/model of the car and/or license plate, I would really appreciate you contacting me. The Uber was a black four door car and the driver was a black male in his 50s and I was wearing a yellow and black jacket, black pants, orange helmet and a white bicycle. Luckily I am ok but I was too shaken at the time to get his license plate. Thank you.”
Anyone with info can also email me directly at [email protected] and I’ll put you in touch with OP.
You can see all forum topics and add your own here. If you are having trouble uploading your question please email me at princeofpetworth(at)gmail Please Note this is NOT an events calendar.
Photo by PoPville flickr user Kristine Marsh
“Dear PoPville,
A group of residents who live along Maryland Ave NE are gathering signatures for a Thank You letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser for her efforts to move forward a plan that will add bike lanes to the street all the way from near the Capitol to H Street / Starburst intersection. The Maryland Ave Safety Project will also narrow the road from four lanes to two lanes, add left turn lanes, and improve intersections to make them safer for pedestrians. Anyone who’s walked or driven along Maryland Ave NE probably knows how fast traffic currently travels along the street — this plan should slow traffic and dramatically improve safety.
The changes could be implemented as early as next spring. To learn more and help keep the project moving forward, sign on here.”
via google maps
A reader reports:
“Looked like a bike-car collision on southbound Kansas Avenue at the Kansas-Georgia ave intersection (there are bike lanes on Kansas in that area). Couldn’t see how bad the situation was, several police cars and a fire truck on the scene around 9AM. Not sure what happened in this situation, but from experience:
1) cars coming from Varnum St (either crossing Kansas to continue on Varnum, or turning onto Georgia) when cars on Kansas are bumper-to-bumper fail to notice that the bike lanes keep moving, and
2) cars heading south on Kansas and planning to make a right onto Upshur after they cross Georgia will often encroach onto the bike lanes in anticipation of the upcoming turn.”
“Hi, my friend’s bike was stolen today [Thursday] outside of her office on M and 20th downtown. She just moved to DC for an unpaid internship as a graduate student and can’t afford to replace it, so I was hoping the PoP community might help and keep an eye out for it–especially if it shows up online.
Frankly, I’m shocked that someone could have gotten away with clipping a bike lock in such a high traffic area … the Golden Triangle BID should be concerned about this.”
You can see all forum topics and add your own here. If you are having trouble uploading your question please email me at princeofpetworth(at)gmail Please Note this is NOT an events calendar.
