9TH STREET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Media Alert
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 10, 2021
CONTACT: ALLAN EBERT,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
202-409-4669
DDOT 9th St. Bike Plan Raises Problems
Rally, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2 pm
Businesses on the 1900 block of 9th Street NW fear that DDOT’s Bike Plan for protected bike lanes will reduce parking, exacerbate rush hour congestion, neglect loading zones thus creating a safety hazard, and fail to comply with ADA protections. As designed, the dedicated bike lane is “an accident waiting to happen,” according to Allan Ebert, Executive Director of the 9th Street Association. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) continues its efforts to move forward, fast and furious, without community engagement.
The project has received significant opposition from Shaw churches and others briefed on the plans. A city-wide Coalition pushing back on DDOT Bike Plans and seeking more participation and discussion includes Dupont East Civic Action Association and Shaw Main Streets, as well as other neighborhood organizations, churches, and large and small businesses.
“The pace of our city’s transformation seems often to result in decisions that prioritize politics over vested community stakeholders. The bike lobby has an increasing amount of influence in our city,” said Pastor Dexter Nutall of the New Bethel Baptist Church. “But it is the responsibility of DDOT to ensure that all concerned and impacted constituencies participate in the discovery of solutions that are safe, legal, and equitable for everyone,” Nutall said.
The portion of 9th Street known as Little Ethiopia faces the most dramatic impacts from the dedicated bike lanes. Traffic and double-parking on the 1900 block of 9th Street, NW, are constant during business hours, which extend until the early morning hours because of the high number of restaurants, bars and nightclubs open until 3:00 AM. “After the devastating year of COVID, Unconventional Diner and other businesses on the east side of 9th Street are now faced with more devastating news – the loss of our beloved and economically essential outdoor dining space to make way for two bicycle lanes,” said Eric Eden, co-owner of Unconventional Diner, which has the largest parklet on 9th Street, with 80 seats. “While we appreciate the environmental benefits of alternative transportation, we are baffled by the city’s plan to drop to one, north-bound vehicular lane on our super busy and blossoming street,” he said.
DDOT’s flawed plan, as an example, is that it uses outdated Google maps. One quarter of the northwest side of the 1900 block shows the bike lane passing a group of trees with no curb-cuts when in fact a large commercial and residential building is there with a driveway and garage and considerable pedestrian traffic.
The 9th Street Association has voiced it’s opinion previously and according to Allan Ebert, continues to emphasize, “This is not an issue of businesses opposing bicyclists or reducing our carbon footprint by 2030. No. This is an issue of competence and public engagement. DDOT has tunnel vision. It only sees bike lanes, not the impact of the design on the residents, businesses, and community in general. Let’s have a wholistic approach and find some alternatives that work for everyone and still reduce our carbon footprint,” Ebert said.
Join us on
A TOUR OF THE DDOT 9TH St. BIKE PLAN
THE 1900 BLOCK NW
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 11, 2021, AT 2:00 P.M.
GATHER AT 1917 9TH STREET NW,
IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT SPOT LOUNGE
The 9th Street Association is a non-profit organization located at 1208 9th Street NW Washington D.C. 20001. 202-409-4669.