DDOT “announced a year-long demonstration project of bus lanes on 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights designed to improve bus performance as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety.”

14th and Euclid St, NW looking north

From DDOT:

“Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced a year-long demonstration project of bus lanes on 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights designed to improve bus performance as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

“Washingtonians are riding the bus more than ever before, especially in the thriving 14th Street NW corridor,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “We expect this project to help us advance Mayor Bowser’s goal of improving bus service across all eight wards, particularly for transit-reliant residents.”

The demonstration project, set to begin this summer, will be installed on 14th NW Street between Euclid and Newton Streets NW.

It will include shared bus and bike lanes designated by red painted curb lanes and flex posts. DDOT expects the bus lanes to improve the performance of the DC Circulator’s Woodley Park to Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro route and Metrobus 52, 54 and 59 lines, which move over 15,500 people every day through the corridor. Currently, the average bus speed on 14th Street NW travels 7.6 mph, but speed is reduced by almost half– to just 3.6 mph–between Euclid and Newton Streets NW.

The project will also improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians by providing protected, shared bike and bus lanes that physically separates them from other vehicular traffic.

To allow space for the pilot bus lanes, DDOT will: (1) eliminate 64 parking spaces along 14th Street NW; (2) consolidate bus stops to reduce travel time for bus passengers; by placing bus stops on every other block, rather than every block. During the one-year pilot, DDOT will study the performance of buses, bicycles, and traffic in the study area to assess the benefits and impacts.

The Notice of Intent (NOI) was issued today and written comments must be filed by Thursday, April 2, 2020 with DDOT’s Transit Delivery Division, 55 M Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. For information about the NOI’s status, please click here.”