The Morning Commute is an occasional look at meetings or other #BikeSpecific discussions and stories happening in the District. It also looks at interesting bike, scooter, or urban related ideas or concepts from other places across the globe that could possibly work here. Again, this isn’t journalism, just fun.
Today’s commute includes:
- In Paris, maybe there is no place for a car
- WUSA almost gets it right
- Capital Bikeshare may be a victim of its own success
Paris En Commun
The phasing out of cars to make Paris accessible. In what #VisionZeroDC SHOULD look like news, Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris is a strong advocate of changing how the city approaches moving through it. This represents a dramatic change in how cities view moving within them and could provide a template that other cities, like the District could use to transform itself.
According to Forbes, the mayor’s dramatic plans call for building a “city of fifteen minutes”. The aim of the plan is to transform Paris into a people – friendly city by continuing transport changes made during her current term of office, which has included removing space for cars and boosting space for cyclists and pedestrians.
The image above contains five core elements that the city says will help transform Parisian streets:
- Parking spaces transformed into terraces and gardens
- A peaceful street for pedestrians and bikes
- Sidewalk gardens
- Safe areas for children
- Creating commercial and other opportunities to allow for more services on a street and within a community
Paris would move from a car-centered planning paradigm to one that focuses on human scale urban movements. “Rather than building out-of-town shopping malls, the 15-minute city would feature “hyper proximity,” with accessibility to “essential living needs” always close at hand, and certainly within short walking or cycling distances.”
In addition, communities would have enhanced cleaning services, police protection, and streets that are built using a “gentle mobility” perspective that creates streets that have a strong focus on bicycling. Forbes
‘It makes no sense.’ Montgomery County residents and politicians want to end recently implemented mandatory bicycle registration program. WJLA
Cycling advocates, environmentalists, and city planners are showing support for a new protected cycle track on Dalecarlia Parkway. The Northwest Current
As more options become available, Capital Bikeshare experienced a decrease in usage last year. According to WTOP, the recent increase in micromobility in the form of electric bikes, scooters, and most recently mopeds, Capital Bikeshare monthly user statistics for last year reportedly dropped by 50 percent for single use and multiple day user, down from 80,000 trips to about 40,000 trips per month in the District last year.
The article adds that while annual members’ trips remained steady at around 230,000 trips per month, the drop in casual users has meant a significant decline in the system’s revenue of about 10% year-over-year, according to documents submitted to the D.C. Council by the District Department of Transportation. WTOP
Despite the reported decrease in non-annual member usage; however, new electric Capital Bikeshare bikes are coming and may be semi-dockless. WTOP
What are the most dangerous roads for bicyclists and pedestrians? In a comprehensive report, WUSA analyzes three years of crash data to determine which regional roadways had the most collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians. Using this data, the news organization constructed a mapping tool that tracks crashes regionally.
They were doing really well, too, until they made the following observations:
Will filming this story, WUSA9 cameras caught pedestrians jaywalking and looking down at their phones while crossing D.C. streets – and even a few cyclists blowing past stop signs without slowing. It’s not unprecedented for MPD officers to cite cyclists for illegal traffic actions. WUSA
Tweet of Zen:
Dear @MayorBowser: as a long-time District resident and advocate, you face strident criticism of your administration with regard to #VisionZero, #WalkDC, and of course #BikeDC. The most toxic of that criticism likely shapes you interpretation of all advocates. 1/x
— Randall M (@ranpuba) January 18, 2020