Bikes Forgotten by NPS on National Mall

A friend sent me this interesting and frustrating piece on the WABA website:
http://www.waba.org/new/issues/NPSMallStudy.php

In a nutshell, this draft Environmental Assessment for the Visitor Transportation Study for the National Mall and Surrounding Park Areas failed to take into account the thousands of visitors and commuters that bicycle in the National Mall. But they did include Segway users. That's amazing. Did the company who drafted the assessment actually go to the mall to evaluate anything? Did they do it on a snowy 10 degree day when no bikers are out? (Even on that kind of day, there may actually have been a bike or two out there).

I actually read parts of the Assessment. Bikes are mentioned, but with equal weight to Segways and with no real commitment to the current status quo:

All alternatives would include the following
provisions at a minimum:

continued access for pedestrians and
bicycles on all multimodal trails within
national park system areas

continued access for persons with disabilities
by Segway® HT and electric
scooter throughout the National Mall &
Memorial Parks. This access would not
be changed under any alternative. All
other use of Segway® HTs or electric
scooters within this document is referred
to as “recreational use.”

replacement of bicycle racks in disrepair
and the installation of additional bicycle
racks at key locations throughout the National
Mall & Memorial Parks, specifically
focusing on the East Coast Greenway.*
Through the National Mall & Me-
public transit access to the visitor core
and improved visitor information about longterm
parking facilities adjacent to public
transportation, and encourages tour bus management
and increased bicycle use (NCPC
2004).

Bicycles
Bicycles would continue to be permitted on
any designated multi-use trail within the
National Mall & Memorial Parks. Use regulations
as described above under “Proposed
Policies” would also apply to all bicycle riders
in park areas. As previously stated in “Planning
Considerations and Assumptions,” existing
bicycle racks would be upgraded and
additional racks installed, with particular
focus on the East Coast Greenway route.
Constitution Avenue NW (west of 15th Street
NW/SW), Independence Avenue SW, Ohio
Drive SW, and other select locations throughout
the National Mall.

So there is a way to take action on the WABA website. A letter is a available to use as a template to send comments to the NPS. Do what you think is necessary.