Capital Bikeshare

Ballston to Get Its First Bikeshare Station

By Katie Pyzyk

Ballston will be getting its first Capital Bikeshare station next week, as CaBi continues its westward push.

The station will have 19 docks, and will be set up on N. Stuart Street at 9th Street, in front of Welburn Square. The station is scheduled to be installed from noon to 2:00 p.m. next Monday, with a ribbon cutting event to follow.

“Ballston already has a number of transit options, and this is a great addition to that,” said Ballston BID Executive Director Tina Leone. “We see this as a great asset for Ballston, and for Arlington.”

CaBi stations have been popping up quickly throughout Arlington, particularly along the Orange and Blue Line corridors. The most recent additions came yesterday, when stations were installed along Key Blvd at N. Veitch Street in Courthouse, and N. Quinn Street in Rosslyn.

There’s an online map showing where future stations are expected to be built. CaBi takes suggestions for new station locations online.

Feedback Wanted on Bikeshare Expansion Plan

By Katie Pyzyk

Earlier this year, Arlington announced plans to create a six-year plan for the growth and utilization of Capital Bikeshare in the county. Now, the public is being asked to weigh in and give suggestions on the plan.

An online forum has been set up for gathering feedback about the plan, which will cover fiscal years 2013-2018. Four scenarios were created and posted on the BikeArlington website as a general guide for expansion. Users are asked to comment about the favorable and unfavorable aspects of each scenario. Designers expect that none of the existing scenarios will be strictly adopted, but rather that elements of each will contribute to the final proposal.

One of the goals of the plan is to project costs and adjust budgets accordingly. All transit agencies in Virginia are required to complete a transit development plan every six years.

Comments can be posted at the online forum until April 13. There will also be a public meeting to address expansion on March 29, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus (3351 N. Fairfax Dr). The public is encouraged to attend and provide input.

Coupon in Mail for Free Bike Helmet, CaBi Membership

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) If the lack of owning a helmet has been holding you back from riding a bike, you’re about to lose an excuse. An offer for a free helmet is in your mail.

Check your pile of mail for last week’s edition of The Citizen, which contained a BikeArlington pamphlet. It offers a plethora of information, including a large map highlighting local biking routes, tips for safe cycling and information about Capital Bikeshare.

Attached to the front is a coupon for a free helmet and reflective clip-on light.  There’s also a coupon for one free 24-hour membership to Capital Bikeshare. The Bikeshare membership can be redeemed online using the individual code on each coupon. The bike helmet coupon can be redeemed at any Commuter Store around Arlington, while supplies last.

Right now, there are 550 helmets and 1,100 lights available. If there is a high demand, the county says it plans to purchase additional helmets.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

DUI Checkpoint on Columbia Pike — As promised, Arlington County Police (and the Sheriff’s Office) conducted a DUI checkpoint on Friday night. The checkpoint was set up near the intersection of Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive. Some 400 vehicles passed through and one DUI arrest was made, according to police.

Arlington’s Bikeshare Strategy — Arlington is currently in the process of creating a six-year strategic plan for the continued growth and utilization of Capital Bikeshare in the county. The plan is expected to be presented to the public in June. An initial draft of the plan includes some data from 2011: the county’s cost per Bikeshare trip ($8.18), average Bikeshare trips per day in Arlington (166 — though Bikeshare didn’t expand into North Arlington until April), and percentage of female Bikeshare members (42 percent). [TBD]

Urban Agriculture in Arlington — County officials plan to establish and appoint members to a new “Arlington Urban Agriculture Task Force” next month. Among other assignments, the task force is expected to focus on a proposal to allow residents to keep egg-laying hens in their backyards. Hen advocates from the Arlington Egg Project recently gave a presentation to the Arlington County Republican Committee and were reportedly well-received by supporters of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

New Capital Bikeshare Stations Built in Virginia Square

By Katie Pyzyk

Capital Bikeshare’s expansion along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor continues its push westward. In the past week, two new stations have popped up in the Virginia Square neighborhood.

A 19-dock Bikeshare station was installed near the Virginia Square metro station (901 N. Monroe St), and another one went up directly in front of the Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St), with 11 docks.

The stations, which appear to take very little time to install on location, have been spreading rapidly throughout Arlington since the fall. In October, we reported that the Central Library had been hoping to have a Bikeshare station by some point in the spring, but it was already installed last week.

There are at least a dozen additional stations approved to be built in Arlington this spring, and another dozen proposed stations awaiting approval from various sources. All are concentrated near the orange line corridor, with locations in the works from Rosslyn to the Bluemont neighborhood.

You can suggest locations where you think stations should be installed on Capital Bikeshare’s website. The interactive map also allows you to see where other people have suggested installing stations.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Wakefield Advances to ‘It’s Academic’ Championship — The Wakefield High School ‘It’s Academic’ team was a runner-up in the Northern Region tournament and is advancing to the state championship later this month. [Sun Gazette]

Norovirus Outbreak in Arlington Schools — A minor norovirus outbreak has been reported in two Arlington County public schools. So far, none of the norovirus cases have required hospitalization. [Arlington Connection]

New Capital Bikeshare Station Near Rosslyn — A new Capital Bikeshare station is coming to North Meade Street Park, near Rosslyn. [Ode Street Tribune]

Java Shack Takes Part in Transit Screen Pilot Program

By Katie Pyzyk

Visitors to Java Shack (2507 Franklin Rd.) in Courthouse can now pick up more than just a coffee and bakery item. A transit screen fixed near the register lets them pick up a better idea of what transit options are available in the neighborhood.

The pilot project came about when Arlington County Commuter Services offered to put up funding for creating systems that help people better understand their transit options. They collaborated with Mobility Lab to come up with some ideas, and the transit screens were born.

David Alpert is Mobility Lab’s Project Manager for the Transit Tech Initiative, and was a bit surprised by the request. He says it’s fairly unusual for a local government to push for this kind of research and development.

“We wanted to push the envelope with this technology,” Alpert says. “It’s really great that Arlington is able to provide that.”

The screens display constantly updated times and availability for a variety of transit options, including Metrobus, Metrorail, ART Bus and Capital Bikeshare. Alpert believes more people would use public transit if they realized how many options are readily available in real time. He said public transit not only helps people get around, but improves the quality of their lives.

“Arlington has had so much growth in the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor, but not a ton of traffic growth, because so many options are out there,” Alpert said. “Buses, metro, biking. It improves, of course, the environment but people’s happiness as well.”

So far the only other location to be included in the pilot program is The Red Palace in Washington, DC. Java Shack owner Dale Roberts was approached due to his previous work with ACCS. Roberts says the screen, which hangs unobtrusively from the ceiling near the cash register, doesn’t interfere with his business at all. In fact, customers are asking about it and have given a lot of positive feedback.

“The idea is to get people to be aware that there are lots of options besides just using their own car,” Roberts said. “Seeing that screen lets me know how many options are right there at the corner of the coffee shop.”

Mobility Lab is still working out how it will fund the project in order to expand it. The equipment costs about $400, and businesses will likely have to foot the bill. Alpert says the pricing structure hasn’t been formulated yet and  many different ideas have been floated.

(more…)

Holiday Discounts on Capital Bikeshare Memberships

By Katie Pyzyk

If you’re looking to give the gift of fitness and transportation this holiday season, Capital Bikeshare may have the answer. It’s offering gift certificates for memberships at discounted rates until Christmas.

The annual membership is going for $65, down from $75, and the 30-day membership can be picked up for $20 instead of $25.

Bikeshare set up several new stations in Arlington last month, and has plans for more expansion throughout the county in the spring.

We’re told the discounts will be in place until December 25. You can find more information about the four options available for memberships, or make gift certificate purchases here.

New Bikeshare Station Comes to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:25 a.m. — Readers report that a station was installed at Wilson Boulevard and N. Highland Street last night.

A new Capital Bikeshare station was installed in Clarendon this morning, according to a tipster.

The station was installed at the corner of Clarendon Boulevard and N. Fillmore Street, near the Cheesecake Factory.

The station joins two other recently-install stations in the Clarendon-Courthouse area: next to Walgreen’s at Wilson Boulevard and N. Edgewood Street and next to California Tortilla at Wilson Boulevard and N. Uhle Street. Additional planned station installations this month include Wilson Boulevard and N. Franklin Street (next to Java Shack), Wilson Boulevard and N. Highland Street (next to Clarendon Metro) and Fairfax Drive and Wilson Boulevard (next to Northside Social).

Photo courtesy Lowell Perry

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

It’s 11-11-11 — Today’s Veterans Day holiday falls on a uniquely symmetrical date: 11-11-11. In addition to ties to doomsday myths, the 11-11-11 date has produced some actual trends, including increased sales of lottery tickets and a crush of wedding ceremonies.

Bikeshare Expands in Courthouse, Clarendon — A new Capital Bikeshare station was installed near the Courthouse Metro at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and N. Uhle Street yesterday. Another station is expected to be installed at Wilson Boulevard and N. Edgewood Street in Clarendon by the end of the day today. [Bike Arlington]

Bondi Announces County Board Candidacy — Democrat Melissa Bondi has formally announced her candidacy to replace state Senator-elect Barbara Favola on the Arlington County Board. In a press release yesterday, Bondi touted her civic leadership experience and said she would bring  a “fresh approach” to the Board. “I am prepared to lead important community conversations about what will make Arlington a stronger, more competitive and desirable place to live in the next 30 years,” she said.

Flickr pool photo by Schlickw

Choose Your New Bikeshare Locations

By Katie Pyzyk

During its year in existence, Capitol Bikeshare has seen a rapid expansion, including planned expansions into Alexandria and in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Now you can help choose where that next wave of growth will occur.

By using a new interactive map, you can click on locations where you think Bikeshare stations should be built. The map also allows users to “like” or “dislike” suggested stations.

Staff will consider all of the suggestions and will base station decisions on criteria such as property ownership and feasibility.

Flickr pool photo by Chris Reed

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