If the National Mall is “America’s Front Yard,” then we have to talk about a serious case of NIMFY (not in my front yard). The Trump administration is going to tear up a popular protected bike lane as early as next week. The 15th Street protected bike lanes run North-South through the heart of Washington, DC. For over a decade, the 15th Street corridor has been a safe and convenient way for cyclists to travel throughout the city, accommodating residents and tourists alike. According to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), it’s one of the city’s highest ridership bike lanes. And bicycle counts along the route show huge increases in recent years:

Nonetheless, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and other advocates are sounding the alarm that a significant portion of the bike lanes will be torn up very soon, specifically the portion south of Constitution Avenue. This segment, which crosses the National Mall and is under federal control, was built in 2021.

15th Street with Bike Lanes

15th Street before bike lanes (2019)

I have not seen any justification for removing the bike lanes (if anyone else has, please share it). In fact, DDOT recently did an assessment of the project and found that it both led to increased bicycle use along the corridor and significantly reduced roadway crashes and injuries. DC residents are left, once again, scratching their heads at government decisions and wondering why it’s falling to them to stand up the fight.

Why is this happening?

The short answer: the Trump administration doesn’t like bike lanes. They’ve shown this through false claims, such as bike lanes cause congestion, and even more seriously, by pulling back millions of dollars in funding for bicycle infrastructure across the country. They are also seeking to do whatever they can to remove bike lanes within DC itself. This is in direct conflict with their claims of supporting safety and improving commutes. Protected bike lanes are well-documented for reducing fatalities, improving accessibility, and easing congestion. They’re even one of the federal government’s own proven safety countermeasures. President Trump and Secretary Duffy seem more concerned about getting headlines and causing outrage than saving lives. 

Another win for the “leadership” at DDOT

Over the past year, SGA has posted a couple of times about the troubling lack of leadership from DC on issues related to active transportation. The sun might be shining these days, but it wasn’t that long ago that people walking, biking, and rolling were left out in the cold, literally, as they waited for sidewalks, bus shelters, and other facilities to be cleared. While the federal government essentially has control over the National Mall, and working with them in this part of town has historically been challenging, this does not mean that city leadership and DDOT are blameless.

I will point out a couple of things. First, the project was installed as a collaboration between DDOT and NPS, so it’s not wild to think DDOT would have some role to play. Second, have they been aggressively pushing back against this project’s removal? If they’re doing it, I sure haven’t seen the evidence. While Thursday and Friday saw a flurry of activity in DC's bike advocacy community, trying to figure out how best to draw attention to this blatant government overreach and the rollback of safety, DDOT stayed quiet. Even an acknowledgment of the increased dangers this removal would pose would be welcome at this point. Let’s not forget that DDOT, on its own, has been removing bike lanes across the city in recent years, so their dedication to protecting cyclists and pedestrians is already in doubt.

When the bike lanes were installed, the goal was to “improve pedestrian safety...” so I guess that removing them can be read as an effort to reduce pedestrian safety. Terrific!

What does this all mean?

This bike lane removal is bad news. First and foremost, it will make life harder and more dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians, just as the Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off, bringing tons of tourists to the area, and warmer spring weather arrives in DC. Symbolically, it is another sign of the Trump administration’s fight against anything that doesn’t have at least four tires and a steering wheel. It’s also another sad case of the DC government caving to the administration’s attempts to score political points at the expense of people’s lives.

With the way things are going, Destination DC (the city’s official marketing organization) might have to update its website about the National Mall. Maybe a graphic counting the rising bike fatalities that will occur as a result of these actions, or a photo of the children forced to ride their bikes in the same lanes as oversized vehicles?

What can be done?

As we have seen with the White House East Wing, when the Trump administration wants to do something, they just do it, often without regard for laws, expert opinion, or even common sense. So, unfortunately, if they are determined to tear up this popular bike lane, it may already be too late. Here are some suggestions:

• Trump administration: Stop trying to turn bike lanes into a culture war issue. Bike lanes are safe, effective, and do not have negative impacts. Case closed.
• DDOT and the DC city government: You should at the very least make a statement asserting that they disagree with the bike lane removal. Beyond this, however, I suggest they aggressively install new bike lanes across the city to protect and improve bicyclists and other vulnerable road users.
• For those in the DC area: If you are in the DC area and want to show support, join the ride happening this weekend.
• For everyone else: Sign WABA’s petition calling on USDOT, FHWA, and NPS to halt the unilateral removal of the 15th Street bike lane.