D.C.'s transportation grid is anything but static. From streetcar lines to bike share programs, the city's moving to change the ways people move around. Kojo talks with Gabe Klein, the District's point person on transportation issues.
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The Kojo Nnamdi Show airs Monday-Thursday Noon - 2p.m. (ET)
Kojo also hosts The Politics Hour Fridays Noon-1 p.m. (ET)
Comments
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I think that adding different modes of public transportation to DC is a great idea to increase the use of public transportation. How does increasing the cost of both Metro and Metro Parking help to increase use of public transportation?
In my opinion Mr. Klein's agenda is at the very core of making DC an even higher quality place to live. There are a couple of details I would like to hear his view about.
Instead of third-world style speed bumps everywhere has Mr. Klein tried better enforcement. That should be the first approach.
Second and unrelated, has he thought about contra-flow bike lanes. They may be much safer.
I agree about the need for more enforcement. I commute to my job in downtown DC via bike. I ride all over the city almost every day. After 3 years of doing this I have two questions: 1.) Why do we even bother with the pretense of calling them "bike lanes" when everyone knows what they are are double parking lanes? and 2.) What's the deal with 7th St NW (the part through Gallery Place)? There's a lane that's marked as "bus and bikes only" but I have ONLY ever seen cars in that lane. I think I might've seen a bus in it once. Bicyclists just take what space they can get just like on any other road. Again, what's the point of having these things as bike lanes if the cars don't respect them and flaunt the law all the time? It seems to me without enforcement of these things they are just window dressing.
I carpool with my wife from Glenn Dale/Bowie and drop her off at Union Station on my way to Arlington. We often take Benning Rd./H street, and it has been under horrible construction for a very long time. I realize you're installing the street car rails, but the congestion and road conditions for such a long time are abhorable. 295 in the district seems to also be under constant construction. Why has it taken so long? Anything you can do to speed it up? When will it all end?
Could Mr Klein consider designing some easy icon that shows bike friendly sites and bus times for each business/location that each place can place in their advertisements etc?
Perhaps a simple circle with a bike and bus number with a stop time for that location. it would help so much As I read through the places I wish to frequent and make schedule choices instead of a separate reference. I can only see that it would further the interest of each place to do so.
thanks
Oso ( Oh-so)
Quote of the hour: "We are giving priority to the folks who live here in the city."
Thank you, Gabe Klein. You've been a godsend.
Now let's get those pedestrian signals fixed.
A question for anyone who lives near a heavily traveled street in the District:
Could there ever be a possibility to follow New York City's lead and post signs reminding people to not HONK and to not "Block the Box"?
Thanks!!
Mr. Klein really seems to have a good attitude and approach. I bike in the city often and notice that often bikers run stop signs and red lights. Cyclists should not do this! We need to slow down, look both ways, and yield to people with the right of way at every stop.
That said, drivers need to also slow down and share the road with the bikers. We have as much right to be there as you do. Some drivers forget this.
Finally, Mr. Klein -- Is it a ticketable offense to park at a meter which is non-functional (i.e., it will not accept or register money inserted)?
Thanks for your time.
You're kidding me right? Cyclists are not the main danger in this city, cars are. In my experience, cyclists are one heck of a lot more scrupulous about yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians, and they run stop signs in exactly the same rate as car drivers: which is to say, when they have the right-of-way, they slowly roll through--just like 99.99999% of drivers do.
Cyclists often treat red lights the same way that pedestrians do, which as long as it's done with care, is completely benign.
Are there unsafe cyclists? Of course. That problem pales in comparison to the threat posed by your *average* driver.
You're kidding me right? Cyclists are not the main danger in this city, cars are. In my experience, cyclists are one heck of a lot more scrupulous about yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians, and they run stop signs in exactly the same rate as car drivers: which is to say, when they have the right-of-way, they slowly roll through--just like 99.99999% of drivers do.
Cyclists often treat red lights the same way that pedestrians do, which as long as it's done with care, is completely benign.
Are there unsafe cyclists? Of course. That problem pales in comparison to the threat posed by your *average* driver.
Gabe Klein's successful efforts at selling the desirability of streetcars would have been better put toward making buses cool. Streetcars were eliminated for good reasons! Why haven't we learned lessons from the past? Buses are so much more flexible if neighborhoods and communities change. Buses can respond to changes in demographics, or even temporary route changes. The cool new Circulator proves that buses can be popular. Metrobus could be resold to be just as cool.