People parking on the 4th Street NE bikeway is a problem. What are we going to do about it?
People keep parking in the protected bikeway on 4th Street NE, forcing cyclists into traffic and defeating the purpose of having a separate lane. In spite of seven months of efforts by local resident Paul Angelone using Twitter to highlight this persistent problem, drivers continue to park in it daily, with seemingly few (if any) repercussions.
The bidirectional bikeway on 4th Street NE connects the Union Market area across Florida Avenue NE to the M Street NE bikeway, which continues to the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the 1st Street Bikeway. In its design, it resembles the 15th Street bikeway, with bicyclists heading in both directions using a lane adjacent to the curb. It was installed in 2017 as an upgrade to the former one-way painted bike lane.
Paul Angelone started highlighting the problem of drivers parking in the bikeway in July 2017, reporting the issue to @311DCGov. The DC Department of Public Works is the agency responsible for parking enforcement and 311 requests (either by phone, through the 311 app, or via twitter) are the way that they're alerted to send enforcement.
Everyday folks block #bikedc lane on 4th St NE between M and Florida. I'm getting feeling that nobody cares about #VZDC! pic.twitter.com/17iWFhslR3
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) July 28, 2017
Another day, more of the same lack of concern about #bikedc and pedestrian safety. pic.twitter.com/D2Bnl9N8Dg
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) August 1, 2017
It's pretty common for there to be issues with illegal parking when a new bikeway is installed. Sometimes it's from drivers not understanding the new arrangement or just continuing past behavior from force of habit. When Paul first started reporting the problem, the bikeway was still under construction. There was no green paint or flex posts or other blatant visual cues that are normally present with the installation of a cycletrack.
Generally, the kind of recurring parking problem that Angelone reported sorts itself out over time as drivers learn the new arrangement and as the bikeway assumes a more finished state. This wasn't drivers making a quick stop and throwing on their flashers (as is unfortunately far too common in many bike lanes citywide), but instead, cars being left in the bike lane for hours at a time.
In the meantime, Angelone continued to report it.
The pictured truck has been parking in the #bikedc lane nearly every day. Please send enforcement. pic.twitter.com/3TDdtTsc7s
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) September 18, 2017
Here's the same truck again. Saw a cyclist need to merge into traffic due to #bikedc lane blockage. pic.twitter.com/p2w6z3tGVB
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) September 19, 2017
Part of the issue might have been confusing signs, which indicated a commercial loading zone in the same place as the bikeway.
Parked here again today but apparently commercial trucks can park in lane here. What defines commercial? This seems more like commuter. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/zYbrdR814d
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) September 20, 2017
Here's the confusing sign. There's a $5 all day parking lot on other side of sidewalk. Do commercial vehicles need permit? 2/2 pic.twitter.com/WZBjCIh3Zp
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) September 20, 2017
In an attempt to provide greater clarity to the situation, in October DDOT painted a ‘loading zone’ in the lane next to bikeway to further clarify where drivers were supposed to be. They also added more flex posts in the middle of the lane in an attempt to provide an engineering solution to the problem.
Improvements looking good! Thank you!!!! pic.twitter.com/2Ubub7clqQ
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) October 6, 2017
But things haven’t improved since October. In spite of the additional markings, flex posts, and parking stops, drivers continue to use the bikeway as parking.
Two more vehicles blocking #bikedc lane near 4th and M St NE. Clearly outside of loading zone. More than paint/bollards is necessary! pic.twitter.com/wennAHMn5o
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) October 16, 2017
Today’s update at 4th and M NE. I worry about the children who bike school and the #bikedc lane being blocked. pic.twitter.com/Y1msfM4SMS
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) December 8, 2017
From this morning and afternoon. pic.twitter.com/9oHizjrW17
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) August 3, 2017
Here’s the white truck from a few minutes ago still in #bikedc lane. Note that the loading zone is not where truck is parked. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/9lkJAyxoHR
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) January 3, 2018
From this morning’s truck blocking #bikedc lane. Note the front wheels are in a different position so means that it’s been moved recently. There’s a $6 all day lot with empty spots. Though that’s more expensive than free street parking! pic.twitter.com/tgfZlApE3M
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) January 5, 2018
Several trucks blocking #bikedc lanes this morning. Loading zone clear and nearby streets have open spots. Plus open spots in surface lot. This is dangerous for parents bringing kids to Two Rivers school across street. pic.twitter.com/EpqOWOT1mP
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) February 7, 2018
Last week, DPW sent parking enforcement and said that they would follow up with the business owner.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Bike lane enforcement is something we take seriously. We sent a parking enforcement officer out today and issued some citations. Please continue to call @311DCgov. pic.twitter.com/CKmZNJjBCH
— DC DPW (@DCDPW) February 7, 2018
We will be having a follow-up conversation with the local business owner about customer/employee parking in the bike lane, and will be increasing our enforcement presence in this area. Appreciate everyone's diligence and patience. @charlesallen
— DC DPW (@DCDPW) February 8, 2018
But sporadic enforcement did not seem to do the trick and it was back to business and usual soon enough:
Good morning! Here’s today’s update. Thanks! pic.twitter.com/pW6dLY2QCk
— Paul Angelone (@PaulAngelone) February 9, 2018
Even Councilmembers seemed frustrated with the lack of response.
I appreciate you being there yesterday afternoon, but violations occur every day on this block & create dangerous conditions. It’s been reported almost every day - by residents & my office. Consistent enforcement needed to make sure its clear riders & the bike lane are protected. https://t.co/vu1ffjats2
— Charles Allen (@charlesallen) February 8, 2018
@DCDPW, it looks like this location is in great need of diligent parking enforcement -esp if there are regular parkers as the resident has noted
— Mary M. Cheh (@marycheh) February 7, 2018
Bicycle planners talk a lot about the E’s: education, enforcement, and engineering. This is a scenario in which all three Es have been tried, but to no avail. Changing signs and painting the loading zone was an attempt to educate drivers on the new arrangement. Tickets (enforcement) have been issued, though inconsistently. Adding flex posts, green paint, and a separate loading zone was an attempt to engineer a safer solution. However, none of these efforts has worked in any kind of meaningful way. Perhaps the planned meeting will finally resolve the issue.
A protected bikeway is only as good as its weakest link and the continued, deliberate parking in the bikeway essentially renders the 4th Street NE lane unusable on a consistent basis. Clearly the problem isn’t going to resolve itself and this situation questions the resolve of the DC agencies responsible for making our roads work for all users. Neither DDOT nor DPW has been able to fully address a known issue for over seven months, in spite of consistent reporting of the issue.
Moreover, for as much as these agencies rely on (and encourage) citizens to report known issues, having this information and failing to act on it to achieve a workable resolution creates a huge trust gap. Not every person is like Paul and will continue to report the problem each day they see it for seven months, and it seems unreasonable for this to be the expectation. No one expects local government to be able to immediately solve every problem upon its first mention and in this case, intermediate steps were taken to try to fix it. However, when those steps were shown to not be working, there seemed to be no backup plan in spite of continued prodding.
Parking enforcement is hard. There are limited resources available and thousands of miles of streets in the District to patrol. There will always be drivers who get away with parking in a bike lane or overstaying a meter, and it's unrealistic to believe that we could enforce our way out of every single infraction. But it's not clear that the kind of enforcement that's being prioritized is the kind that would most help vulnerable users. The lingering problem of the 4th Street NE bikeway shows the costs of this.
Parking enforcement should prioritized behavior that prevents crashes and injuries, or is a threat to public safety (blocking bike lanes, crosswalks, fire hydrants & bus stops) over expired parking meters & residential permit parking. #VisionZero
— Greg Billing (@gregbilling) February 14, 2018