Consideration of Cyclists for E. Monroe Ave Traffic Calming

Tue Sep 4 13:39:48 CDT 2007

Thank you for taking the time to email your suggestions, which we will 
certainly consider as we move forward with this project.  I am copying 
staff from DASH, police and the City arborist, so they can see your 
comments as well. 

The traffic calming proposal for E. Monroe will hopefully help cyclists by 
lowering vehicular speeds and all traffic calming devices constructed will 
be designed to accommodate bicyclists.  Currently Windsor is identified as 
the major east-west bikeway between Route 1 and Braddock and the section 
of E. Monroe between Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth was not identified as a 
bikeway, however, after discussing this with Yon Lambert I am happy to 
bring up the possibility of including sharrows on this plan at the meeting 
tomorrow.  Please let me or Yon know if you have any additional thoughts 
on this issue.

Thanks again for your comments and for your interest in safe streets in 
Alexandria.

Sandra Marks

***********************************************************
Sandra Marks, AICP
Traffic Calming Coordinator
City of Alexandria
Transportation & Environmental Services Department
sandra.marks at alexandriava.gov
www.alexandriava.gov
703-838-4411 x119
703-906-5184

"Clarence Dillon" <cwdillon at gmail.com> 
09/03/2007 09:42 AM

To
<sandra.marks at alexandriava.gov>
cc
<bsc at bicycle.alexandria.va.us>, <yon.lambert at alexandria.gov>
Subject
Consideration of Cyclists for E. Monroe Ave Traffic Calming

Ms Marks,
I will not be able to attend Wednesday's 7pm meeting at GW Middle School 
on the proposed traffic calming project, but I have some input that I hope 
you will consider.  I live on E. Monroe Ave and feel I am attentive to the 
traffic along this street.  My family and I walk in our neighborhood quite 
a bit, so I am generally in favor of traffic calming throughout the 
neighborhood.  I am also a bicycle commuter and so I pay close attention 
to efforts that are supposed to calm traffic and enable cyclists and 
pedestrians.  I have made these observations about traffic on Monroe Ave: 

1.  The Alexandria DASH buses are some of the worst offenders, speeding 
along E. Monroe Ave.  Speeding cars are dangerous and noisy; speeding 
buses so much more dangerous and noisy. 
2.  As the pear trees along E. Monroe Ave disappear (the city arbor cuts 
the dying ones down but does not replace them), the street opens up and 
people seem more inclined to speed.  I suppose, because the street has the 
look of a bypass and not a tree-covered lane...  I can think of at least 5 
trees that have been taken down and none have been replaced. 
3.  The traffic calming on Monroe Ave, near CVS and the YMCA has made that 
area more difficult to navigate on a bike.  Because many drivers do not 
recognize the legitimacy of cyclists in the traffic lanes, and cyclists 
ride in the far right side of the traffic lane, motorists do not yield the 
lane to cyclists who are forced to move closer to the center of the lane 
at bump-outs.   (In all my years of riding I've never seen a cyclists 
suddenly disappear while riding, though the roadway afforded to cyclists 
comes and goes!) 

...and I have these recommendations:
1.  Alexandria Police should occasionally enforce the speed limit along E. 
Monroe Ave, especially watching for DASH buses.
2.  The City Arborist should replant trees along E. Monroe Ave, especially 
taking advantage of the new bump-outs at crossings. 
3.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE paint "Sharrows" on E. Monroe Ave (and all 
traffic calming projects) where the road narrows or lanes shift.  This 
indicates to motorists that cyclists should be in the middle of the 
traffic lane, not forced into the gutters when the road narrows. 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or follow-up.

Respectfully,
Clarence Dillon
223 E. Monroe Ave
Alexandria, VA 22301
703-981-6593

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