This morning at 15th & Caroline NW: Mayor Adrian Fenty and Councilmember Jack Evans go for a quick ceremonial ride.
This thing has practically become a tourist attraction for the Dupont Circle-Logan Circle area.
Here is one more story about the 15th Street bike lane. This one started with a flurry of activity outside our house this morning: numerous trucks, mini street sweepers and DDoT workers were cleaning 15th Street. (The sweeping is nice since the city has already stopped with regular sweeping for the winter.)
Then, around 11:15 came the event. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and DDoT Director Gabe Klein arrived for a [Fenty] press conference about 15th Street, bicycles and the new bike lane.
Remarks were made, photos were snapped, footage was shot (NBC-4’s Tom Sherwood was on hand) and a red ribbon was cut at 15th and Caroline. And, I can assure that 15th Street remained open for regular traffic.
Fenty noted–and it is important to remember–that the southbound contraflow bike lane next to the curb is a one-year pilot program. DDoT will then decide whether to keep the lane, make changes or come up with another configuration for 15th Street between Massachusetts and U NW.
After the ribbon cutting Fenty, Evans and Klein all made ceremonial rides down the southbound contraflow bike lane on the west side of 15th Street on SmartBikes. At this point, Lupe (our dog) barked at our city officials, startling them and the crowd. Fortunately, no one fell off their bike.
City Paper’s LooseLips column points out “In a WaPo letter, a call to make the 15th Street NW bike lane two-way.” I would agree with that. Of course, I still want 15th Street to be a two-way street between Massachusetts and Florida Avenues.
