This is a modified version of a guest post written by Zach O’Connor, Communications and Publications Coordinator for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), for Adventure Cycling Association’s Building the U.S. Bicycle Route System blog. I thought it worth sharing, with the author’s permission, on the Green Transportation blog. In it Zach explains how his coworker’s multi-modal bicycle commute from the suburbs to the heart of Washington, D.C., makes use of the District’s newly improved bicycle facilities.
Most of us commute to work in our own way, whether it’s by bike, car, walking, mass transit, or a combination of two or more of these. My commute is boring compared to those of some of my co-workers at AASHTO; I walk to my nearest Metro station, transfer downtown, and walk to the office. I pass by two Capital Bikeshare (DC’s awesome bike share system) stations on my way to work. I could use this method; however, I tend to be a bit of a transit nerd and enjoy taking Metro. AASHTO Communications Director Lloyd Brown’s commute is far more adventurous.
Lloyd commutes to work from his home in Bethesda, a Maryland suburb. At least twice a week he’ll commute by bike all the way to AASHTO’s headquarters in DC. The District has recently become known for investing in bicycle infrastructure, but how do the suburbs score? It all depends where you live.
Lloyd will leave his home and take Old Georgetown Road to either the Metro or, on the days he bicycles all the way to the office, to the Capital Crescent Bike Trail. This first leg on Old Georgetown Road is where he feels he’s taking his life into his hands, as he rides 3.5 miles on this four-lane highway full of potholes and traffic. It can be risky for a cyclist during any time of the day. Once he reaches downtown Bethesda, Lloyd is able to hop on the Capital Crescent Trail, a rail-to-trail project that is a backbone of transportation for pedestrians and bicycle commuters. The trail, which serves more than a million bikers and walkers a year, ends in Georgetown, where Lloyd will utilize the city’s bike lanes for the rest of his commute.
Although DC’s bike lane network is extensive, Lloyd has noticed some problems with both cyclists and motorists. “Cars don’t make it easy for bikes, but bikes don’t make it any easier for cars,” he says. On occasion he’ll see both drivers and bicyclists ignoring signals, while car drivers often ignore bikes on the road. The DC government banned U-turns on Pennsylvania Avenue, where there is a two-way dedicated bike lane in the middle of the street. There have been blog articles, videos, and photos posted of cars breaking the law, and thankfully their actions come with the consequences of a hefty fine. But there is equal blame to go around. On the bike trail into DC, Lloyd often wishes cyclists would show one another some common courtesy, such as alerting other riders when turning or passing another rider.
This isn’t a car vs. bike scenario, but more commuter vs. commuter. The point is to be courteous, no matter which modes of transportation you utilize. That way we can all reach our destination—the weekend—safely.
Photo by Elvert Barnes