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Community Corner

Capital Bikeshare Responds to Public Input Over New Stations

Capital Bikeshare invited the public to take a more active role in helping select the final sites for the new stations scheduled for the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Here's the result.

Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) just released the results of the in conjunction with Arlington County.

There appears to be a general consensus in favor of most of the original proposed stations, with just a few locations drawing any negative feedback. The preferences Arlingtonians expressed through this process will help finalize the locations where CaBi hopes to place new stations later this year.

The public input process for the coming Rosslyn-Ballston corridor CaBi stations was much broader than the initial efforts that resulted in the first Crystal City and Rosslyn locations.

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According to CaBi, this expanded public outreach resulted in "over 300 comments from the public through [their] online interactive mappublic meeting, civic association meetings, and emails." 

For the most part, the CaBi-proposed locations were met with public approval, and so CaBi plans to move forward with those sites.

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At the moment, the actual installation dates appear to be slipping to the end of the year, if not later.

This appears to be primarily a function of release dates for grant funds and the order process. The manufacturer of CaBi bikes doesn't keep any inventory, so there's a significant lag time between order placement and actual delivery.   

Some proposed locations – like that at the corner of Danville Street & Fairfax Drive or at Adams and 14th streets – caused residents concern.

Some objections were based on anticipated encroachment of sidewalk space, while others simply thought that adding bike traffic to existing auto traffic was a bad idea. CaBi has committed to working to address these concerns, and if they cannot be resolved, to locate the stations elsewhere.

CaBi acknowledged the public pressure for stations elsewhere in the county – like Columbia Pike – but reiterated its present goal of "a dense network of stations throughout the Rosslyn–Ballston corridor [with] stations roughly every 2 – 3 blocks apart."

The idea is to "create a spine from the Rosslyn to Ballston Metrorail stations and then grow outward from the core to connect additional neighborhoods to the network of Capital Bikeshare stations."

Those who wants to see these additional connections into neighborhoods beyond the corridor are advised to let their Arlington County elected representatives know that additional funding is needed to expand service sooner than later.

While the ever-creeping station installation date will disappoint some of those who have been eagerly anticipating the expansion of CaBi in Arlington, this release of the public input results indicate that CaBi is making significant progress toward putting more people on CaBi bikes on our streets. 

Mark Blacknell is chair of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee, a member of the board of directors of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, and a League Cycling Instructor.

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