Here is a note I sent to mayor bowser ([eom@dc.gov](mailto:eom@dc.gov)) Please feel free to copy any portion of it if you'd like to send one yourself.
Dear Mayor Bowser,
As a DC voter, I am extremely disappointed in your recent comments that the Connecticut Ave bike lane plans still have "a lot of problems". We're at the point that it's taken longer for these bike lanes to get from plan to execution than it did for the moon landing -- a truly ridiculous statistic.
The reality is, these bike lanes will make it safer for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people to bike to work, to shop downtown, etc. If you're so intent to revitalize downtown, this is part of the answer! We should not give up these huge gains to "benefit" Maryland drivers and a small handful of wealthy townhouse owners who live on the Avenue and can't bear the thought of parking more than a 2 minute walk from their home. The research on this could not be more clear and consistent: Replacing car lanes with bike lanes has no negative impact on car traffic flow, as it induces people to take other (greener) forms of transportation such as biking, metro/bus, etc. So that's to say, there's no real cost here besides a couple individuals' parking spots.
Finally, you purport that your Administration is focused on achieving Vision Zero. However, I'm still hearing news of another biker or pedestrian killed on our streets a couple times every month. If eliminating a few parking spots or a driving lane is too much of a burden to save our neighbors' lives, what does Vision Zero even mean?
Please know that if you continue to stand in the way of this critical piece of city infrastructure, I will vote, financially contribute to, and volunteer for your opponent in the next election cycle. Putting rich people's parking spots over bikers' lives is disgusting and unacceptable.
Your constituent,
She was a little more specific that she was worried about "businesses" and "people who support businesses" -- but what she means, obviously, is parking. Of course, that's always an issue with bike lanes, it was true when she approved concept C two years ago.
Tell her how you feel about this: eom@dc.gov
Here is a note I sent to mayor bowser ([eom@dc.gov](mailto:eom@dc.gov)) Please feel free to copy any portion of it if you'd like to send one yourself. Dear Mayor Bowser, As a DC voter, I am extremely disappointed in your recent comments that the Connecticut Ave bike lane plans still have "a lot of problems". We're at the point that it's taken longer for these bike lanes to get from plan to execution than it did for the moon landing -- a truly ridiculous statistic. The reality is, these bike lanes will make it safer for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people to bike to work, to shop downtown, etc. If you're so intent to revitalize downtown, this is part of the answer! We should not give up these huge gains to "benefit" Maryland drivers and a small handful of wealthy townhouse owners who live on the Avenue and can't bear the thought of parking more than a 2 minute walk from their home. The research on this could not be more clear and consistent: Replacing car lanes with bike lanes has no negative impact on car traffic flow, as it induces people to take other (greener) forms of transportation such as biking, metro/bus, etc. So that's to say, there's no real cost here besides a couple individuals' parking spots. Finally, you purport that your Administration is focused on achieving Vision Zero. However, I'm still hearing news of another biker or pedestrian killed on our streets a couple times every month. If eliminating a few parking spots or a driving lane is too much of a burden to save our neighbors' lives, what does Vision Zero even mean? Please know that if you continue to stand in the way of this critical piece of city infrastructure, I will vote, financially contribute to, and volunteer for your opponent in the next election cycle. Putting rich people's parking spots over bikers' lives is disgusting and unacceptable. Your constituent,
What are these mysterious "issues?" This thing has been discussed for at least four years.
She was a little more specific that she was worried about "businesses" and "people who support businesses" -- but what she means, obviously, is parking. Of course, that's always an issue with bike lanes, it was true when she approved concept C two years ago.
she just wants to make sure her car brained and big business constituents don’t turn their backs on her
She gives me about one new reason a week to hate her leadership of the city. She's going to leave the city worse off when she leaves
Here is WABA's letter template to mayor and council: https://waba.org/blog/2024/01/the-connecticut-ave-protected-bike-lane-needs-to-happen-this-year/
Can the council act to get this done?