D.C. cyclists, you can breathe a sigh of relief: You’ll be allowed to navigate the treacherous streetcar tracks on H Street NE after all.
In September, the District Department of Transportation aroused the ire of bicyclists by proposing rules that would have banned biking “within the streetcar guideway” along the H Street-Benning Road corridor where the city’s first streetcar line is supposed to begin operation later this year. DDOT emphasized that cyclists could use bike lanes on parallel G and I streets, but to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, that wasn’t good enough. “Streetcar tracks can pose a legitimate hazard to bicyclists, but banning bikes is not an acceptable solution,” the organization wrote at the time.
Today, DDOT republished its proposed rules for the streetcar operation—-this time without the biking ban.
“Safety is our first priority as we restore Streetcar service to the District,” DDOT Director Matt Brown said in a statement. “While we recommend cyclists utilize designated bike lanes on streets adjacent to the Streetcar line on H Street, NE, we understand and have responded to public concerns about prohibiting bikes on the Streetcar guideway.”
Cyclists, you’re free to ride between or alongside the perilous tracks on H Street. Just remember to cross them at a sharp angle!
Photo via DDOT