Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Contraflow Bike Lanes

Streetfilms: Contraflow Bike Lanes — A Capital Idea

While we were down in Washington, DC for the National Bike Summit, Streetfilms got the chance to check out some of the capital's innovative new bike infrastructure.

Tops
on our list: the city's first protected, contraflow lane for
bicyclists. The district DOT has redesigned 15th Street NW between U
Street and Massachusetts Avenue to accommodate two-way bike traffic on
a one-way street. Northbound cyclists get a shared lane moving in the
same direction as car traffic, and southbound cyclists ride in a
parking-protected lane. The treatment has also slimmed down the street,
removing a vehicle lane and calming traffic.

DC transportation
officials say that when designing this protected bike lane, they looked
to New York and Montreal for inspiration. Contraflow
lanes could help make critical new connections in New York's bike
network, like the gap between Park Slope and Fort Greene that Brooklyn CB 2 recently asked DOT
to take a look at. So hopefully some of that inspiration will work its way back up the Acela corridor to NYC.

Although not captured in the video, DC has also just
finished a curbside, un-protected contraflow lane on the narrower Champlain Street in Adams
Morgan. See pics after the jump.

champlain 1
false
champlain 2
false

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Just Absurd’: Adams Calls Unsafe McGuinness Blvd. Compromise a ‘Win’ Despite Lewis-Martin Bribery Indictment

The mayor sees no reason to revisit McGuinness even though the safety redesign was tainted by what the Manhattan DA calls a "classic bribery" scheme.

August 22, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Ingrid’s Side Gig Edition

The mayor's former top adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, thought she'd gotten a big acting break. But it was the beginning of the end. Plus other news.

August 22, 2025

‘Classic Bribery’: How a Powerful Brooklyn Family Crashed and Burned Over a Simple Bike Lane

Imagine destroying everything you've spent decades building to stop the city from building a bike lane. Welcome to Gina and Tony Argento's world.

August 22, 2025

Katie Wilson’s Success in Seattle Shows Again that Urbanism Is A Winning Campaign Issue

The advocate's strong early performance in Seattle's mayoral primary — following Zohran Mamdani's similar triumph — shows what you can do when you focus on transit.

August 22, 2025

Friday Video: How to Gear Up For Your Fall Bike Commute

The only must-haves for a cycling commute are a bike and a place you feel safe riding — but a few accessories don't hurt, either.

August 22, 2025

READ IT: The Argentos Bribed Lewis-Martin to Halt McGuinness Bike Lane, DA Says

Two members of a powerful Brooklyn theatrical production family bribed Mayor Adams's chief adviser to block the safety redesign of McGuinness Boulevard, court papers show.

August 21, 2025
See all posts