Author: Colin Browne

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| Colin Browne

Volunteer at Open Streets!

| Colin Browne
Our pumpkin pop-up protected bike lane!

DC is bringing back Open Streets!

Join us on Saturday, October 2 to see and celebrate what our streets look like when we close them to cars and open them to people for walking, biking, dancing, and playing. 

The District closes three miles of Georgia Ave NW, from Barry Pl to Missouri Ave, for you to enjoy. As you make your way up and down the corridor on foot or bike, you’ll see lots of businesses and organizations with plenty of activities going on. WABA will be there, teaching bike riding skills and asking people to join us in asking for even more Open Streets from District leadership.

We’ll be out asking folks to sign a petition for more streets for people.

Trouble viewing this form? Click here.

Workshop: Getting Safe Streets that Work for Everyone

| Colin Browne

In this workshop, WABA’s Organizing Manager walks through some of the specific ways that we approach making streets safe, comfortable, and accessible. We review our proven strategies for getting attention and action from DC agencies on sidewalk fixes, intersection improvements, traffic calming, and more to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic crashes.

Agenda

  • Basic steps for interacting with DDOT and city agencies—getting the most out of 311 and traffic safety assessments
  • What to ask for—effective changes for more walkable, safe, and low-stress streets
  • Building support—looping in elected officials and civic groups to get things done
  • Tactics, tips and resources for escalating—proven strategies for demonstrating support and how WABA can support getting results

Download the slides here.

Next Steps

Do you have a street safety issue that affects walking, biking or traffic safety that is not getting traction with a DC agency? Do you have an idea for a design change to make a street near you more walkable and bikeable? We would love to hear about it and connect you with people and resources to make it happen. Email garrett.hennigan@test.waba.org to get started. Learn more about our campaign to build DC’s Low Stress Bicycle Network and get involved at waba.org/network.

Bike Maintenance 201

| Colin Browne

Have you been riding a lot more lately? If you ride often, regular maintenance can help your bike parts move smoothly and last longer! We know that wear and tear on your bike can happen so join the Bike Ambassadors as we discuss how to maintain your bike. In this webinar we’ll go over pre-ride inspections, securing bolts, and cleaning and lubricating key components. We’ll show you the tools needed (plus how to use them) to perform bike maintenance in the comfort of your own home. At the end of the webinar you’ll learn some helpful skills needed to keep your bike rolling smoothly.

Register

How do I get a bike rack?

| Colin Browne

We get a lot of questions about bike parking. Dero, a company that makes racks, has a really great summary of how to do bike parking right. You can read it here: dero.com/bike-parking-guide.pdf

If you are wondering how to how to have bike parking installed somewhere, here’s a quick breakdown:

To request bike parking in public space:

  • In Alexandria, use this web tool.
  • In Arlington, use this form.
  • In Fairfax County, call (703) 877-5600
  • In Montgomery County, use this form. Find more info on this page
  • Prince Georges County does not have a way to request bike parking, but some of the cities and towns within the county do. We recommend calling your city hall directly.
  • In DC:
    1. If the space is in a Business Improvement District, start by calling your BID.
    2. If you’re not in a BID or your BID doesn’t help you, submit a request through 311 for Bicycle Services. Include a a photo and detailed description of the location.
    3. If you are a business and want to install your own racks in public space, you’ll need to purchase your own racks (be sure they comply with DDOT’s design guidelines), get a permit for each installation (like any other public space construction/installation), and find a contractor with the necessary tools (a hammer drill) to do the installation.
WABA repaired & installed rack

Regulations and guidelines for bike parking in private space (which includes things like store parking lots and apartment buildings) vary across jurisdictions.

  • DC – Regulations and requirements, Design Guidelines (PDF)
  • Arlington – Bike Parking Specifications (PDF)
  • Alexandria – Bike Parking Standards
  • Fairfax County – Bike parking guidelines are written and in the process of being approved. Check here for updates.
  • Montgomery County – Bike parking requirements depend on size and zoning. They are described in section 6-2.4.C of the recently approved zoning code (very large PDF). Bike parking standards are in section 6-2.6 of the same document.
  • Prince Georges County’s bike parking requirements and design guidelines are in section 27A-707 of the Zoning Code, which you can find here.  Note: because of the structure of the site, we can’t link directly to the relevant section. You’ll need to click through the table of contents (Zoning > 27A > 707), and the actual Zoning Code is provided as a Microsoft Word file. :/

Historical Note: In 2013, WABA was the contractor that installed bike racks for DDOT. This is no longer the case.