WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A move that was intended to enhance safety has instead caused more safety concerns for bicyclists along a busy road in Northwest D.C.
New flexible bollards have been installed in the middle of New Jersey Avenue in Truxton Circle, but some say they are making things worse.
“As a cyclist that lives on the street, uses the lane, I’ve been pushed out of the lane repeatedly, a lot of times where I have to physically bang on the car windows to keep it from happening,” said Justin Siemaszko.
One year ago on Dec. 19, 2023, a bicyclist was riding North on New Jersey Avenue when a car speeding southbound crossed into the northbound lanes and began turning left onto Morgan Street. The bicyclist was hit, and the following week on Dec. 28 he died from his injuries.
In response, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) installed yellow bollards to prevent that from happening again, but Siemaszko says it’s not helping.
During DC News Now’s interview with the bicyclist, numerous cars inched into the bike lane.
“The cars avoid those yellow–see that truck right there? He’s across the line. Now we’ve got cars in both lanes moving over. And when the left-hand lane moves over, the right-hand lane has to move over,” Siemasko said.
Parts of New Jersey Avenue have bollards for the bike lane, but not the section just south of Morgan Street.
“I took videos before they put the pylons in and they were getting like maybe 10% of the cars. Now … over 50% of the cars are [in] the bike lane,” Siemasko said.
Siemaszko wants to see change so he and others don’t get hit.
