ANCs in Ward 6 Want to Make K Street NE Safer for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

K Street Makes Moves. Image: Author

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) discussed the K Street NE Traffic Study at the 6C Advisory Neighborhood Commission's (ANC) September meeting. One alternative would add bicycle lanes along K Street NE, potentially creating what would be one of the few direct, crosstown bicycle routes in the city. As expected, there were concerns about the loss of vehicle parking for all 4 presented alternatives, however; DDOT will continue its study.

As reported by Elizabeth O'Gorek of the HillRag, Washcycle, and WABA,  ANC 6C contacted DDOT requesting that it initiate a study to determine how to create safer streets for pedestrians and bicyclists. The corridor, from approximately North Capitol Street to Florida Avenue NE, is prone to speeding and other forms of aggressive driving.

In May of this year, ANC 6C and 6A jointly requested that DDOT examine bicycling along K Street. DDOT presented preliminary findings in August as part of its K Street Corridor Safety Assessment to analyze safety concerns. The assessment included the evaluation of vehicular crash history and existing traffic operations along the corridor. The assessment also discussed the potential impact of the NoMa Bicycle Network study currently underway. That study will review existing transportation plans to determine how they relate to the current and planned bicycle network, overall travel demand, and safety road user safety.

Community Response

According to HillRag, the committee noted it had received considerable feedback, particularly from residents of K Street and especially regarding to the parking aspects of proposals. The committee’s representative said they were sensitive to parking concerns but, as the overall purpose of the study was to enhance safety, felt bike lanes were the most important addition to K Street, the only corridor proceeding both east and west for that distance.

The committee chair noted that cyclists will continue to use K Street regardless or what actions are eventually taken, it was thought. The representative emphasized that this was only a preliminary study and would also affect ANC 6A.Community members voiced opposition to the four proposed plans, especially option four. Concerns about the elimination of parking safety and the necessity for bike lanes were expressed, especially by residents of the 600 block of K Street NE.

Presented Alternatives

The HillRag states that while the study is ongoing, DDOT presented four traffic-calming measures, each instituting a road diet: removing rush-hour no parking restrictions and making parking full-time for residents, among other actions.

Study Corridor. Image: DDOT

Alternatives 1 through 3 are generally car-specific options that provide increasingly longer  vehicle turning queues. They include a reduction in the total number of travel lanes from 2 peak lanes in each direction to one in each direction at all times, adding left-turn lanes along the corridor. These alternative reduce current off-peak parking from a total of 216 to 171 full‐time on‐street parking spaces in alternative 1, a total of 155 full-time spaces in alternative 2, and 144 full time spaces in alternative 3. The alternatives also adds protective bulb outs also called curb extensions to reduce the crossing distances for pedestrians and an school drop‐off zone at the 600 block of K Street.

Road Diet Alternative #4 - Bike Lanes. Image: DDOT

Alternative 4, recommended by the study and moveDC, adds east and west bicycle lanes along the corridor. This option eliminates on‐street parking on south side of street and retains the fewest number of parking, 110 full-time spaces. This option maintains school parking and a drop‐off zone on north side of the street, curb extensions or on north side of roadway as seen in the other alternatives, but appears to eliminate turning queues that appear in alternatives 1 through 3.

Typical cross section of K Street NE. Image: DDOT

Other Alternatives

NoMa Bike Study looks at the feasibility of bike route through the area. Image: DDOT

While the K Street option is attractive, other bike-related studies being evaluated. Related to the K Street safety review, the NoMa Bicycle Network Study currently underway is examining existing and planned bike facilities through and to this area. The study is also examining the feasibility of creating new or extending current bike routes from east-to-west along M, N, L, and K Streets. Just as K Street is in the MoveDC plan with bike lanes, the plan also anticipates the extension of the L Street protected bike lanes from their current terminus at Massachusetts Avenue NW to 1st Street NE. While currently not a fully-realized bike route under consideration, L Street NE is used by bicyclists as an alternative to K Street as it generally sees fewer cars moving at high speeds.

In the East West Corridor Feasibility and Barriers to Cycling image above, DDOT identifies impediments to connecting NoMa to its eastern neighbors. DDOT seems to suggest that an L street bike lane from east to west might be marginally more feasible. South of K Street, I (eye) street has shared lanes or contraflow bike lanes. Containing less vehicle traffic and fewer stop lights it provides an alternative to the busier K Street but ends at 2nd Street NE.