NOI # 21-195-PSD

Re: Notification for the Installation of Contraflow Bike Lanes on 1900 - 2100 blocks of 17^th Street NW

Dear Commissioner Irani ANC Commissioner Warwick

Pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Amendment Act of 2000” D.C. LAW 13-249 (48 DCR 3491 April 20, 2001), the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is required to give a written notice of our intent to install contraflow bike lanes on the 1900 – 2100 block of 17^th St NW within ANC 1C.  This letter is being forwarded to you for the purpose of notification and solicitation of comments on our intent to implement the following in your jurisdiction.

DDOT proposes to install a contraflow bike lane and sharrows on the 1900 - 2100 blocks of 17^th St. NW.

The existing condition on these blocks is a single 11’ one-way southbound travel lane, a 5’ southbound bike lane, and 8’ parking zones on both sides of the street.  The proposed condition is to install a 5’ contraflow bike lane in the opposite (northbound) direction, a 1’ double yellow centerline, and shared lane markings (sharrows) in the 11’ vehicular lane, while retaining the 8’ parking lanes on both sides of the street. 

This project is an important step in expanding the bike lane network, now also used by scooters and other personal mobility devices.  This facility will allow non-motorized users the ability to travel two-way north of T St – protected bike lanes were recently installed south of T St. However, in this section, the roadway is narrower so there is not room available to install a barrier for the bike lane without removing parking from one side of the street.

We anticipate the following benefits:

• Expanded biking / scooter route options for people traveling in and through the area
• Reduction of conflicts between drivers and bikeway users
• Reduction of sidewalk conflicts between people walking and people on bikes/scooters
• Reduction of vehicular travel speeds
• Improved safety due to reduction of existing conflicts

All comments on this subject matter must be filed in writing, no later than September 10^th, 2020, fifty (30) business days after the date of this notice, with the District Department of Transportation Planning and Sustainability Division, 250 M Street, SE, 5^th Floor, Washington, DC, 20003 or via email at will.handsfield@dc.gov.  If you would like to check the status of this Notice of Intent (NOI), please visit DDOT’s website at https://wiki.ddot.dc.gov/display/NOI. In addition, if you have questions, have trouble accessing the NOI site or are unable to do so, please contact me at 202-705-7845.

Sincerely,

Will Handsfield
Bicycle Program Specialist

Planning & Sustainability Division

Cc:       Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council of the District of Columbia

            Tania Jackson, Chief of Staff, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau

            Brian Romanowski, Constituent Services Coordinator, Councilmember Brooke Pinto

            George Branyan, Active Transportation Branch Manager, DDOT

            Cynthia Turcios, Ward 1 Community Engagement Specialist, DDOT

            Andrew DeFrank, Ward 2 Community Engagement Specialist, DDOT