The following statement was submitted to the District Department of Transpostation on October 3:
On behalf of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Sierra Club, I am writing to express our continued support for the 16th Street NW Bus Lanes project. The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Sierra Club is a grassroots environmental organization whose 10,000 members and supporters are working to combat climate change by shifting away from fossil fuels and moving toward a clean energy economy. According to the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, about a quarter of the District’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. The vast majority of that comes from automobiles. To tackle climate change locally, we must encourage people to use transit, biking and walking to commute to work.
The chapter strongly supports the District Department of Transportation's (DDOT) initiative to establish dedicated bus lanes on 16th Street NW, expand the number of S9 express buses, improve bus stop safety, implement off-board fare payment, and alleviate bus-bunching problems. As you know, the 16th Street corridor bus route accommodates 20,000 passengers each weekday and for those who rely on the bus to get to work or school, the proposed changes couldn't come soon enough. We strongly urge DDOT to expedite completion of the project to ensure the route remains a reliable and safe mode of transportation.However, the chapter cautions against the use of reversible lanes, including the reversible center lane proposed by DDOT as Option 2. Existing reversible lanes elsewhere in the District have a mixed safety record and only offer minor increases in throughput.
The chapter greatly appreciates the opportunity to comment on the proposal and appreciates your consideration.
Sincerely,
Ryan Crowley
Smart Growth Committee
Washington D.C. chapter, Sierra Club