Three New “Car Free Lanes” Coming at the end of July

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced plans to install Car Free Lanes in high-traffic corridors that will support improved efficiency in bus travel and create space for bicyclists.

“We know that dedicated bus lanes make public transportation more efficient and reliable. As we continue reimagining public spaces, these lanes will help us encourage bus and bicycle travel, reduce traffic, and build a greener DC,” said Mayor Bowser.

The DC Car Free Lanes, which will be designated by red paint, will be installed at the following locations beginning in late July:

· 7th Street, NW between Massachusetts Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. This location will be restricted to buses, bicycles, and trucks 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

· Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE between W Street, SE and St. Elizabeth’s East Campus. This location will be a northbound bus lane during the morning rush hour between 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and a southbound bus lane during the evening rush hour between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

· M Street, SE between 10th Street and Half Street, SE. This location will have bus lanes operating in both directions during the morning rush hour between 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and during the evening rush hour between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

“Improving bus transit and creating bike facilities are critical to achieving Mayor Bowser’s sustainable transportation goals,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “The Car Free Lanes improve the reliability of DC Circulator and Metrobus service and create space for cyclists to safely traverse some of the District’s busiest corridors.”

The Car Free Lanes are part of DDOT’s Bus Priority Program initiative to enhance bus speed and reliability across all eight wards. Other Bus Priority Program projects include the H/I Street bus lanes launched in June 2019; the 14th Street NW bus lanes pilot that is currently under construction; and the 16th Street NW bus lanes that will be constructed later this summer.”