BeyondDC

The other new cycle track: 1st Street at Union Station

The new L Street cycle track has been getting lots of attention, but it’s not the only one to open in DC this fall. DDOT has also opened the first segment of the 1st Street NE cycle track, to much less fanfare.

The 1st Street cycle track will eventually go from Union Station north to M Street, where it will provide a handy connection to the Metropolitan Branch Trail (though there will be a 1 block gap). The part that’s been installed this fall is a short segment of only about 30 feet, right in front of Union Station.

It’s a bit of a mystery when this 30 foot stretch opened, but I happened to be at Union Station on Friday, and there was the cycle track.

Here are a couple of pictures:

November 5th, 2012 | Permalink | {num}Comments
Tags: bike, transportation

http://profile.yahoo.com/HDHIYHHRJO6CQVK2LSRLP7RILI Vincent J

It opened about a week ago. It’s a bit of a mess so far; people seem to think that it’s where you’re supposed to stand when you wait to cross Mass Ave.
KG

It’s basically been finished for a few months now, but the bicycle markings are only a few weeks old. I usually (try to) use it when I’m biking to a morning train from Union Station and the inbound MARC/Metro commuters are walking out of the station. And I haven’t seen it without pedestrians in it even once. The markings seem to help a little bit, but the way it’s designed I can’t blame pedestrians for using it.
Jbfiets

my favor part of the giant clusterf*^&k that is 1st St between G and Mass Ave is going north from the section picture above. Scenario 1: The northbound lane is full of delivery trucks (postal trucks as well) parked facing south so you ride on the sidewalk dodging peds or ride the double yellow line squeezing between trucks and oncoming traffic. #2: someone is double parked in the southbound lane so you end up playing chicken with southbound traffic in the northbound lane.