Gordon Chaffin is a freelance journalist who focuses on infrastructure and traffic news and insights for Street Justice. You can support independent journalism by subscribing to Gordon’s newsletter. He’s offering a 20% discount to THIH readers. –Maria Helena Carey
Ministers’ Letter Sets Tone for Last-Minute 9th St NW Lobbying
On Monday, February 24th, the Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference of Washington D.C. and the Vicinity (“the Conference”) sent a letter to DC Councilmembers urging them to vote NO on emergency legislation compelling DC’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) to complete design and begin construction of the Eastern Downtown Cycletrack. The road safety project, which includes significant pedestrian safety upgrades, has for years been held up by Mayor Bowser and senior aides who opposed the project. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1) introduced this emergency bill in November 2019, then delayed a vote on it for greater community outreach and conversation with her fellow Councilmembers.
Last week, CM Nadeau told advocates and then the public that she would place this emergency legislation on the agenda for DC Council’s March 3rd regular legislative meeting. That’s next Tuesday! Super Tuesday! Advocates on all sides of the issue are organizing last-minute appeals to DC Councilmembers — 8 of whom will have to vote YEA for the legislation to pass. The same emergency legislation process was followed in 2019 to install interim pedestrian and bike safety features — including protected bike lanes — on Florida Avenue NE.
As CM Nadeau’s explanatory resolution states, DC Council has for years received no substantive update on the project from Mayor Bowser or her transportation agency. The Council specifically programmed budget money in DC’s current fiscal year to complete design and install this pedestrian, bike, and driver safety bill. Thus far, Mayor Bowser and DDOT have not shown public desire to use those funds. For greater safety to all road users, and to induce calmer traffic conditions on the very wide 9th Street NW, CM Nadeau is moving this bill.
Tuesday night, CM Nadeau announced she will speak with the Conference Monday afternoon, March 2nd. She wrote on Twitter: “ll be at a meeting of the Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference, who have kindly invited me to discuss the need for council action, the benefits of the project, and the protections put in place to keep/expand Sunday parking as a traffic calming measure.” Nadeau said also that “I’m continuing to build consensus around the need for this critical project.”
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DC Ends Sloppy Scooter Appeals Process, Kicks Lime and Bird Out
DC’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) did not reverse its decisions for the 2020 shared scooter and bike permits. The agency’s appeal process over the past 6-7 weeks did not save operators Bird and Lime, as first reported yesterday by Slate’s David Zipper and WAMU-FM’s Margaret Barthel.
Lime, Bird, Bolt, and Razor must remove their devices from public space by April 1st. Lyft, JUMP, Skip, and Spin will continue operating scooters and be able to expand their fleets to 2,500 each. Helbiz deployed their shared e-bikes starting a few weeks ago and JUMP will continue operating their own e-bikes.
DDOT’s permit evaluation and appeals process was sloppy, rushed, and opaque, according to Street Justice conversations with sources at appellant and successfully permitted companies.
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