The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) in Washington, D.C., will begin a year-long demonstration project this summer of bus lanes, which will help them study the performance of buses as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Shared bus and bike lanes will be installed on 14th NW Street between Euclid and Newton streets NW in Columbia Heights. The lanes, which will be physically separated from other vehicular traffic, will be marked with red-painted curb lanes and flex posts.
The average bus speed between Euclid and Newton streets NW is 3.6 miles per hour. The project is expected to improve the performance of Metrobus 52, 54, and 59 lines and the DC Circulator’s Woodley Park to Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro route, DDOT said. These bus lines transport more than 15,500 passengers daily.
“Washingtonians are riding the bus more than ever before, especially in the thriving 14th Street NW corridor,” DDOT Director Jeff Marootian said. “We expect this project to help us advance Mayor Bowser’s goal of improving bus service across all eight wards, particularly for transit-reliant residents.”
As part of the project, DDOT will consolidate bus stops to reduce travel time for passengers and will eliminate 64 parking spaces along 14th Street NW.
The project is part of DDOT’s Bus Priority Plan.