More Bicycles, Greener Alleys and Performance Parking

• May 11th 2011

by Mark Wellborn

For the smart growth set in DC, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells continues to be “the man.”

Greater Greater Washington had a post earlier today that outlined recommendations in a draft report from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation (Wells is chair). Here are just a few:

• $2 million in funding to add 40 Capital Bikeshare stations to the DC area, doubling the size of the bikeshare system within two years of launching.
• Keep Circulator fares at $1 per ride, rather than the proposed increase to $1.50 or $2.
• Start a Green Alleys program, which would repair and greenify alleys around the city “with permeable paving, energy-efficient LED lighting, trees, and more.”
• Create another performance parking zone for the H Street Corridor, which would mean that parking on one side of certain streets would be limited to neighborhood residents.

There are a number of other recommendations offered up in the report that GGW does a great job of describing, along with the committee’s plans for funding these things. One peculiar recommendation that caught our eye, however, was funding for a “bait bike” in which the police would “place a bike which looks ripe to steal, and watch to catch people who try to steal it.” (Isn’t this entrapment?)

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/more_bicycles_greener_alleys_and_performance_parking/3472.