One of the unfortunate effects of the upcoming consolidation
moves at Federal Triangle is the loss of EPA’s excellent bike commuting
facility at 1310 L Street. At L Street, we
estimate that approximately 20% of the employees, who work for the Office of
Air and Radiation (OAR), are bike commuting at least some of the time. Part of the reason for the high number of
bike commuters at L Street is undoubtedly the attractiveness and convenience of
the facility there – it is safe, it is clean, and it is well-designed
specifically to meet the needs of cyclists.
This July, the lease is up and OAR will leave L Street - and its
desirable bike room - behind. OAR
employees will be absorbed into the Federal Triangle complex and into the existing bike facilities, which are already crowded. The only attractive bike facility at Federal Triangle is in the Reagan Building, and it is at capacity, with a waiting list for lockers.
On May 14, 2014, the article “EPA Will Close Its Best Bike
Room” by Jim Titus, appeared on the Greater
Greater Washington blog. [ http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/22825/epa-will-close-its-best-bike-room/
] We highly recommend that article, which includes photographs of the L Street bike
room. The blog entry was widely shared,
“tweeted” and circulated throughout the bike advocacy community, generating
many helpful comments including one by “Sweaty Cyclist” who remarked on the
original blog post on May 27, 2014: “Sounds
like you need a union!”
In fact, your union has heard the concerns of our bike commuters
loud and clear. NTEU280 has been working
hard to get EPA management to fully grasp the advantages of providing all EPA
employees access to safe, clean, and attractive bike facilities. We understand that we could lose many bike
commuters if the L Street facility is not adequately replicated or replaced at
Federal Triangle. We continue to reach
out to management to get them to understand the same concerns that the union is
hearing from employees. We continue to seek solutions that will encourage bike commuting.
To this end, NTEU280 has submitted various move-related demands to management
to ensure that Federal Triangle is able to absorb 148 new cyclists without any
adverse impact upon those already at Federal Triangle and using the
facilities. EPA bike coordinators at
Federal Triangle and at L Street have identified the extent of existing bike
facilities and have outlined the needs and challenges. NTEU280 will continue our efforts to get
management to understand employee concerns and respond appropriately. Thus far, management has only offered an
inadequate number of racks and lockers in response to our demands, and they have offered no
new shower or other facilities. We hope
to change their minds through our continued efforts on behalf of employees who bike to work.
Each and every employee who rides a bike to work potentially
removes a car from the road. There is
typically a cost savings associated with bicycling – e.g., gas, parking, and
other transit expenses. Bike commuting
reduces emissions and promotes employee wellness. It is a win-win.
EPA has preached a message of bike commuting
and sustainability to others; it is time for our management to practice what they preach at our own headquarters!
