DDOT plans bus lane demonstration project on 14th Street NW

A year-long demonstration project of bus lanes on 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights has been announced by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), which is designed to improve bus performance as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

“Washingtonians are riding the bus more than ever before, especially in the thriving 14th Street NW corridor,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “We expect this project to help us advance [Washington, D.C.] Mayor [Muriel] Bowser’s goal of improving bus service across all eight wards, particularly for transit-reliant residents.”

The demonstration project, set to begin this summer, will be installed on 14th NW Street between Euclid and Newton Streets NW. It will include shared bus and bike lanes designated by red painted curb lanes and flex posts. DDOT says it expects the bus lanes to improve the performance of the DC Circulator’s Woodley Park to Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro route and Metrobus 52, 54 and 59 lines, which move more than 15,500 people every day through the corridor. Currently, the average bus speed on 14th Street NW travels 7.6 mph, but speed is reduced by almost half— to just 3.6 mph—between Euclid and Newton Streets NW, according to DDOT.

The project will also improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians by providing protected, shared bike and bus lanes that physically separates them from other vehicular traffic.

To allow space for the pilot bus lanes, DDOT will eliminate 64 parking spaces along 14th Street NW; and will consolidate bus stops to reduce travel time for bus passengers by placing bus stops on every other block, rather than every block. During the one-year pilot, DDOT will study the performance of buses, bicycles and traffic in the study area to assess the benefits and impacts. 

The Notice of Intent (NOI) was issued today and written comments must be filed by April 2, 2020, with DDOT’s Transit Delivery Division. Bus Priority Program

This project is part of DDOT’s ongoing efforts to improve bus transit in the district. Through the Bus Priority Plan, DDOT is identifying a pipeline of bus priority corridor projects and developing a toolbox of improvements that can be installed with minimal construction, such as painted bus lanes and flex posts.