The latest bike lane obstacle: giant saw blades
“Giant death blades” on Florida Avenue by Geoff Hatchard used with permission.
People riding bicycles have to contend with a wide range of obstacles, from moving trucks to construction sites. On Florida Avenue Thursday, people ran across this sight — two giant buzzsaws literally embedded in the roadway.
No, it’s not the latest experiment in pop-up urbanism to create a video game-like experience. A construction crew was trying to cut a hole, and their blades got stuck.
Hey @DDOTDC @TrafficEnginerd @WHands80 @311DCgov, after blocking the Fla Ave NE cycletrack between 7th & M for hours w their truck, the construction crew LEFT THE SITE LIKE THIS. Those are SAW BLADES sticking out. No one is at the site to remove them pic.twitter.com/ONeUYH65dH
— Stephen Cobb (@StephenACobb) July 23, 2020
Stephen Cobb also said that “the crew working on this property has been a nuisance for months now, blocking the sidewalk & bike lane with no safe accommodations whatsoever.”
People quickly pointed out on Twitter how this seemed to perfectly encapsulate the way bike lanes can still pose hazards. Here, the hazard is just more stark than usual, in the actual shape of a saw blade as opposed to a more everyday object that’s nevertheless a danger.
“This photo says a lot about how various construction crews & utility companies treat our #bikedc lanes,” wrote Twitter user Mr. T in DC. “They regularly place signs, leave tools, park trucks, dig holes, dump gravel in them. Note how careful they were not to block the ‘real’ traffic lane at left.”
Others explained why this would happen. According to @pauljc1171, this “happens to me sometimes when it gets too hot out,” and “when you cut through the concrete, it expands and sticks the blade in the concrete.” When asked why workers wouldn’t anticipate this, @pauljc1171 said, “I try to do all my concrete cutting in the am, but sometimes it heats up quickly and then you get locked up. They come right out when it cools down at night.”
There was widespread consensus, however, that leaving the blades there, especially protected just with cones and not caution tape at first, was very dangerous and inappropriate.
According to Geoff Hatchard, DDOT inspectors quickly came on the scene and promised to fine this construction crew “the maximum amount possible.” The blades were still in place Friday morning, Hatchard said, but the crew was on site trying to remove them.