Massive Update on Push for Protectes Bike Lanes on 11th St SE
Some huge advocacy news for the community: The DC Council has earmarked $750,000 in the FY27 budget for the planning and installation of a protected bike lane on 11th St SE! This is a massive step toward turning 11th St into a fully protected north-south "bike spine" all the way to Lincoln Park. This was a huge coordinated effort between Hill Family Biking, CM Charles Allen’s office, ANC 6A, ANC 6B, and WABA.
Quick Background:
The Launch: Hill Family Biking launched the Safer 11th St SE project at Open Streets Capitol Hill in 2025 to upgrade the current paint-only lanes (which are constantly blocked by double-parking and pose major door-zone risks).
The Groundwork: Since then, the community has gathered over 700 petition signatures, secured unanimous letters of support from both ANC 6A and 6B, and consistently beat the drum—including crashing a DDOT strategic bike plan open house with our giant 11th St posterboard.
The Catalyst: Recently, DDOT announced the next phase of an I-695 off-ramp widening project at 11th St SE, which included a protected lane only up to just south of I St SE.
The Push:
We saw a critical window to fix a disconnected lane. Hill Family Biking, ANC 6A, ANC 6B, and WABA sent a joint letter to the DC Council demanding funds to extend this protection north all the way to Lincoln Park so it actually connects the neighborhood and safe routes to local schools (like Chisholm and Watkins).
We quickly followed up with CM Allen’s office, and as Chair of the Transportation Committee, Charles was able to secure and earmark the $750k in this year’s budget report.
What's Next:
The funding is locked down, but the work isn't done. We’ll need to stay loud when DDOT transitions into the design and planning phases to ensure they build a continuous, high-quality, family-friendly protected cycle track.
Huge thanks to everyone who signed the petition, wrote postcards, or advocated for this! 🚲🔥