The Long Bridge Project Public Scoping Meeting

The District Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration will hold another public scoping meeting for the replacement of the Long Bridge. The meeting will be Wednesday, September 14 from 3p to 6p at the L’Enfant Plaza Club Room, Promenade Level, 470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW.

The Long Bridge connects the District to Virginia, between East Potomac Park and Long Bridge Park, respectively.

According to DDOT, the Long Bridge Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) provides an opportunity to comment on a comprehensive study to address long-term railroad capacity and reliability issues for the Long Bridge and focuses on recent project activities, next steps in the study process, the proposed EIS Study Area, and the purpose and need for the project.

While the project’s main focus is on the movement of freight and passenger rail across of the Potomac, alternatives included provisions for pedestrian, bicycle, and streetcar connections.

As of the most recent meeting held February 10, 2016, the project contains six alternatives, of which 4 include provisions for bicycle or pedestrian access. These are the most recent alternatives under consideration.

The scoping meeting will be conducted as an open-house with no formal presentation. Interested members of the public are welcome at any time during the three-hour meeting period. DDOT and FRA are accepting public scoping comments on these topics until September 26, 2016.

New District Grant for Vision Zero Ideas

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will provide a new grant opportunity to help implement Vision Zero strategies. The total grant award is $600,000 and will be available during Fiscal Year 2017; helping to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries to people walking, biking, and driving within the District’s transportation system by 2024.

The grant, open to local 501(C)(3) organizations and District agencies, may be granted up to $200,000 for individual proposals. The proposal deadline for grant submissions is 5:30 p.m., October 3, 2016. All grants must be spend during the 2017 fiscal year, which is from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017.  Applications should be sent to District Department of Transportation, c/o Jonathan M. Rogers, 55 M St. SE, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20003. Applications may also be submitted by email to jonathan.rogers@dc.gov.

The grant application suggests grant requests should focus on Vision Zero strategies that include physical improvements or better instruction to reduce or eliminate harmful or fatal interactions; specific improvements that protect the young and elderly or encourage these groups to use bicycle or walk; or reducing aggressive, inattentive or impaired driving.

Below is a copy of the application, which can also be found on the DDOT website.

Capital Bikeshare celebrates the opening of its 400th station

According to a District Department of Transportation email sent to subscribers this morning, Capital Bikeshare not only celebrated the installation of its 400th Bikeshare Station but they are having a one-day contest where 10 lucky people can win an annual membership.

The bike station dock was installed at the intersection of Division Avenue and Foote Street, NE, in Ward 7 in the District — marking the 400th publicly accessible station to be added to the Capital Bikeshare system, which abuts Marvin Gaye Park.

To celebrate this station and its six year anniversary, Bikeshare is holding a one-day system-wide scavenger hunt for all riders. One hundred limited-edition Capital Bikeshare CitySeat padded seat covers have been randomly placed on bicycles throughout the system, and today, September 2, riders are eligible to find and claim the seat covers. Those how find the seat cover should post on twitter, Facebook and other social media a photo of the cover with the hashtag #cabi400 for a chance to win one of 10 annual Capital Bikeshare membership gift certificates.

Winners will be announce at the end of today, September 2, on Capital Bikeshare’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.