The Draft Report of the M Street SE/SW Transportation Study was recently released for comment, and the mixed feelings that most commenters had about it appear to have been widespread
Surprisingly, the input provided was broadly split amongst the three multimodal alternatives, with no clear “winner” rising to the top as the preferred choice by the public. A number of respondents indicated a preference for certain elements of two or more alternatives that would be considered more favorable if combined together to form a “hybrid” option. For instance, one comment might recommend moving forward with Alternative 1 but consider a revised concept to include a cycle track along M Street west of South Capitol Street or preservation of the bike lanes on I (Eye) Street. At the same time, other feedback included different combinations, such providing on‐street parking as an additional element to Alternative 3 within the specific segments of M Street and Maine Avenue. There were also concerns about M Street/South Capitol Street being brought to grade because of the impact on vehicular congestion and the challenges of the pedestrian crossing distance.
Ideas that might happen in the short term - beyond those that are happening already - include the conversion of on-street car parking to bike parking, road diets that allow for bike facilities,
Other long term ideas include making L and K Streets into bicycle boulevards; reconnecting N and O streets SW just for bicyclists,