Monday, September 1, 2014
Alexandria bikeshare system expands - Update
Fairfax County recently completed a study that concluded that bikesharing is feasible in Reston*. The City of Alexandria installed Capital Bikeshare in 2012 and they recently doubled the system with eight new stations. See Councilman Justin Wilson's report about the expansion from his newsletter, Council Connection:
Capital Bikeshare Grows
Late last month, the City's Capital Bikeshare network doubled. The addition of eight new stations in Del Ray and Carlyle showcases the bike sharing public/private partnership that now counts the District of Columbia, Arlington, Montgomery County and Alexandria as members.
The expansion did not come without a full performance review of the existing system, which was originally installed in the Fall of 2012.
The City's Capital Bikeshare system was originally funded using Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. The CMAQ funds now purchase new stations, while the City's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) now fund operations for existing stations.
Public transportation systems of all kinds depend on heavy public subsidies. In Alexandria, the DASH Bus system recovers approximately 30% of its costs from fare box revenue. Original estimates of Capital Bikeshare's performance were expected to be similar. Surprisingly, Alexandria's cost recovery in the first year reached 72% from rentals.
The system has provided a critical, low-cost connectivity option for short trips, used frequently by our residents and visitors alike. Current plans will allow continued expansion over the next few years. Please use this link to suggest station locations.
The new stations that were just recently added were:
- Eisenhower Avenue at Mill Race Lane
- Ballenger Avenue at Dulany Street
- Duke Street at John Carlyle Street
- Mount Vernon Avenue at East Nelson Avenue
- Mount Vernon Avenue at East Del Ray Avenue
- Mount Vernon Avenue at Kennedy Street
- Monroe Avenue at Leslie Avenue
- Potomac Greens Drive at Slater's Lane
Update: We've heard good news from county staff that they are making a concerted effort to update the Bike Pages site, including posting the Reston bikeshare report in the near future.
Labels: alexandria, capital bikeshare, reston
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