Often at this time of year Kojo Nnamdi spends a little time discussing "Cycling in Our Region" and this year is no different. This year Jim Sebastian, DDOT's Bicycle (and Pedestrian and TDM) Coordinator, Paul DeMaio, from MetroBike LLC, and Eric Gilliland (by phone) of WABA were his guests. They discussed the SmartBike pilot program to start by the end of the month (?). It's a three-gear bike with an internal hub I've learned. They discussed bike bunching, problems with installation of kiosks, what to do if the kiosk you want to park at is full (go to another kiosk or wait for someone to check one out and open a space).
"Bike sharing is not bike rental. You aren't supposed to take your bike into your office for 8 hours"
There were also discussions of the need for more facilities, the history of WABA, Bike to Work Day (which will be greener than ever this year), Competent Cycling Classes, legal and safe cycling, etc...
There was more coverage of SmartBike - and Arlington's program - in the Express
And already [DC is] about to face some competition from across the
river. Arlington is right on D.C.'s heels with its own bike rental
program, set to launch this fall.
The details are still a bit fuzzy, but Paul DeMaio, bicycle
promotions and car-sharing manager at the Arlington Division of
Transportation, predicts at least 100 bikes will be available,
scattered throughout the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
SmartBike customers can get wheels off electric racks with a swipe
of a membership card, while Arlington is considering a digital service
in which users could unlock their rides via cell phone.
DeMaio anticipates an annual fee but says Arlington will also offer
a weekly membership for tourists and those who want to try the system
without making the yearlong commitment.
WABA Executive Director Eric Gilliland says the dual programs demonstrate how far bicycling has come in the Washington area.
"It's not just the ‘men in tights' — the guys out training or the hard-core commuters. It's accessible to everyone," he says.
That includes Sarah Roque. The 31-year-old usually bikes from
her Bethesda digs to her day job at the Department of Justice on a
hybrid she bought off Craigslist. Even so, she often finds herself
without wheels when she wants to take a quick daytime excursion. "I
would love to go to certain places on an hour lunch break, but you just
can't get over to the Mall," she says. "I think this is a great idea."
The GWhatchet also has a write up on it.
"We are starting with a relatively small program compared to the
European states and seeing what happens," Sebastian said. "We will
accept two to three thousand subscribers, see how it's used and what
people like and don't like, and then expand it."
D.C. has over 30 miles of bike lanes, with plans for new lanes on G,
H, 21st and 22nd streets in Foggy Bottom. DDOT is also in talks to set
up a bike dock in Georgetown.
"I have seen bikers use sidewalks putting pedestrians at risk," said
David Lehrman, a Foggy Bottom Advisory Neighborhood Commission member.
"At least with Zipcar, a valid license and insurance is required. No
skills test is involved with a bike rider."
Yes, because clearly DC area drivers are highly skilled. [Nor is there a skills test for being an ANC member it appears.] Competent cycling classes, mentioned above - are free.
"This is a great idea for sustainability and turning D.C. into a
bike-friendly city," GW senior Maggie Desmond said. "It will cut down on the use of cabs
and Zipcar."
Additionally if you keep listening, Kojo interviews Jim Malusa, the author of "Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents" - the guy who biked to the lowest point of every continent (I've been to Bad Water in Death Valley but I didn't bike it. You could probably bike from near the top of Mt Whitney, the highest point in the continental US, to Bad Water in a single day - but I'd do it in the winter).
Addendum: The Gazette has a BTWD story as well - this one about Frederick, MD. Both the city and county transportation planners bike to work. It gives me great hope to see more transportation people - not just bike coordinators - biking to work.
Upon accepting a position with the county last year, John Thomas, Frederick County’s transportation planner and his
wife looked specifically for a home in Frederick city so he could ride
his bike to work. Selling one of their cars, Thomas said they were able
to buy ‘‘more house” with the savings by not having to pay insurance,
maintenance, gas and other expenses for one of the vehicles.
‘‘In my everyday job, I’m tasked with dealing with transportation and
traffic, one of the biggest issues in the county,” he said. ‘‘It is
hard to say biking is a valid transportation option if I don’t do it
myself.”
Tim Davis, transportation planner for the City of Frederick, admits
that while he is not on par with Thomas’ daily dedication, he too is an
avid biker who commutes from his home in Ballenger Creek to the city’s
Municipal Annex on West Patrick Street as much as he can.
Davis said the city’s Shared Use Path Plan is helping to create more
off-street recreational bike paths as well as link existing paths
around the city, including county paths. The city has also committed
$1.5 million to ‘‘Rails to Trails” program that turns former railroad
tracks to recreational paths.
Next year, he said, the city will undertake the development of a bicycle plan and network map for on-road streets in the city.
And more at RPUS.
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