Dogs, Bikes and Nats

Last week, the District Council wasted no time in addressing a citywide issue that affects dog owners and restaurateurs alike. On Tuesday, Oct. 3, the Council voted unanimously to pass the Dining with Dogs Emergency Act of 2017. This act revisited an existing law that prohibited dogs from being on restaurant and bar patios.

When the District Department of Health started to enforce the dog ban, many residents and restaurant owners contacted Council offices asking for changes. The new law gives restaurant owners discretion in deciding whether to prohibit or to allow dogs at their establishments.

I’m happy to say that the Dining with Dogs Act took effect immediately upon its unanimous approval. I co-sponsored this legislation along with my colleagues, Council members Gray, Allen, Nadeau and Todd, who introduced the bill.

While dogs and dog owners are breathing a sigh of relief, new bike-share options are rolling out in the District. Capital Bikeshare will expand its fleet of bikes, adding docking stations throughout the city as competition from dockless bikes grows.

The addition of bike-share options comes as studies show that D.C. is on track to become the number-one city in the nation for bike commuters. Four and a half percent of Washington commuters travel by bike, and the number who do is increasing.

Over the past two weeks, four different dockless bike options have appeared around the city. This colorful two-wheeled fleet has been supplied by LimeBike, Mobike, Spin and, most recently, a company named Jump (the red electric bikes).

The District Department of Transportation launched a demonstration period in September to focus on the use of dockless bikes and to determine if additional regulations are needed. The demonstration period will last through April of 2018.

I want to hear your thoughts on the bike-share expansion and on the new dockless bikes. Feel free to contact me at jackevans@dccouncil.us.

As the Council transitions into our fall legislative sessions, we can’t forget that our Washington Nationals are entering the postseason as the number-one team in the National League East Division.

This was an exciting season for the best team in baseball. The Nats are now facing the reigning World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs, in the National League Division Series. I, for one, am hoping for a clean sweep of the Cubs. Let’s Go Nats!