After a decade of civic engagement, the office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (oTIS) released the revised mixed lane plan for Washington Avenue at a public meeting on March 1st, 2022. Since then the Kenney Administration has been waiting for City Council to approve the curb parking and loading legislation before starting the re-paving and laying down the new configuration.
On Tuesday, June 7th, Council Member Squilla’s curb parking and loading legislation that would make oTIS’s mixed lane configuration work in his district (from 4th St. to 11th St. on Washington Ave.) passed out of committee, however Council Member Johnson did NOT amend the legislation to include the 2nd District (11th St. to Grays Ferry Ave. on Washington Ave).
If Mayor Kenney doesn’t implement oTIS’s Mixed Lane Configuration, the current five lane configuration will return on the newly repaved Avenue.
Why we are opposed to the five lane configuration being returned when Washington Avenue is repaved:
1. There will be no protected bike lanes from Grays Ferry ave. to 11th along with no traffic calming measures;
2. oTIS deemed the existing five lane layout “less safe” and removed it from consideration when they studied various options (see slide 49 of this presentation) and therefore will be contradicting itself if it allows that option to prevail;
3. The striping will be the same as now but as a newly paved road without traffic calming (14), motor vehicles will speed even more down the Avenue because of the smoothness of the road. Washington Avenue will remain on the High Injury Network.
A safe Washington Avenue will benefit all community members throughout the District; school children, the elderly, business owners, customers, bicyclists, transit users and motorists. Ask Mayor Kenney to put safety first and implement oTIS’s Mixed Lane configuration on ALL of Washington Avenue.
If you are interested in providing testimony at the next City Council meeting to support Council Member Squilla’s legislation on June 16th please email nicole@bicyclecoalition.org