Building bikeshare together
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The document outlines the planning process for the Capital Bikeshare system in Arlington County, emphasizing the importance of convenient station locations for encouraging ridership. Resident input is integral, with opportunities for public participation through surveys and interactions with civic associations to determine optimal station sites. The document also details the considerations for station installation, including feasibility assessments and monitoring usage to improve service.
Building bikeshare together
- 1. Arlington County Capital Bikeshare Building Bikeshare Together: How Arlingtonians Can Participate in the Bikeshare Planning Process
- 2. 1 Capital Bikeshare is a great way to get around Arlington. Riders value the ability to use a bike when they need it while enjoying a healthy and inexpensive means of transport. An important part of making the system work well for Arlington residents is the planning and siting of new stations. Arlington County wants to encourage new riders by placing stations in locations that are convenient, visible, and provide quick access to easy, low-stress bike routes. Arlington also wants to make sure stations respect their surroundings, particularly in parks, residential neighborhoods, and similar locations. This brief guide explains how this process works and how residents and neighborhoods can play a role in shaping the network. Planning for Bikeshare in Arlington
- 3. 2 Much like the ART bus system, Capital Bikeshare is a public service owned by Arlington County and partner jurisdictions and operated under contract by a private company. The partner jurisdictions include Washington, D.C.; the City of Alexandria; and Montgomery County, Maryland. Decisions about where stations are located and how stations in Arlington are installed are made by Arlington County staff and consultants in partnership with County residents. Riders have the choice of several different membership options, ranging from day passes to annual memberships. Trips of fewer than 30 minutes are free. The idea is to incentivize short trips, as the concept of bikesharing involves ensuring that bicycles are widely available when needed. The system, which began in 2010 with only 14 Arlington stations, has since expanded to more than 80 stations operating here, with about 270 more in D.C. and beyond. Arlington County’s expansion plan calls for an eventual network of more than 100 stations to reach neighborhoods across the county. A quick primer on bikeshare in Arlington
- 4. 3 Here’s where the planning process begins. Bikesharing depends on having a closely- knit network of stations, so building from the foundation provided by our existing network is critical. In order to be useful, a new station needs to be relatively close to existing (or planned) stations – typically around 2 to 5 blocks (500' - 1,250') apart. The network Bikeshare locations in May 2015. See the full online map.
- 5. 4 So what makes a good location? Ideal locations are places where many people live or that are significant destinations – commercial areas, office districts, and so on. Having these near the station is important, because customers typically access stations on foot, not by driving. The best locations have a mix of uses (homes, shops, offices) which encourages use throughout the day so that bikes and docks are available. Another big factor is how comfortable a location is for biking. Streets with protected bike lanes or slower traffic are much more pleasant to ride a bike on, so they make the best locations. The presence of other transit options is important as well, as bikeshare trips are often part of longer trips involving bus or train. Typically, the busiest bikeshare stations are at Metrorail stations. Most of the bikeshare stations so far are in more urban parts of Arlington. But stations work in more suburban settings as well. Even though many residents in these neighborhoods own their own bikes, that doesn’t mean they won’t use bikeshare – in fact, nearly 60 percent of Arlington bikeshare members own bikes. These residents value having access to a well- maintained fleet of bikes available throughout the region. Bikeshare can work in urban … and less urban areas.
- 6. 5 Resident input Resident input is a big part of the station siting process. One of the resources the County uses in determining locations is its Crowdsourcing Map. This allows residents to suggest sites and add comments about why a location would or would not be a good addition to the system. Many of the network’s stations began as dots on this map. Crowdsourcing Map (www.CaBistations.com)
- 7. 6 County planners have developed an implementation plan, also with resident input, and review the Crowdsourcing Map to find sites that meet the technical requirements for a station. Criteria include: Enough room for the station and customers to access bikes (typically at least 42’ x 10’). More than four hours of direct sunlight daily (stations are solar-powered). Adequate sidewalk space. Stations can be installed on streets or sidewalks. If placed on a sidewalk, it needs to leave enough space for pedestrians, or at least 5’ – and more in busy areas. Feasibility assessment If a station is on-street, the street needs to be friendly to people on bikes. It should have bike lanes or not too much traffic (typically below 3,000 vehicles per day. Traffic data is available here). Stations need to not block access to utilities, such as manholes. Most stations are on public property, but the County often works with private property owners on a voluntary basis. For these sites, the County reaches a legal agreement with the owner for public access of the property. Engineering review of the site to ensure safety and functionality.
- 8. 7 Interaction with Arlington’s civic associations is baked into the County’s planning and siting efforts, and it takes place early on in the process. Once a potential location meets the County’s feasibility standards, planners reach out to the neighborhood where it is located to present the location to the civic association. There, planners talk about how the system works – because many residents are still learning about Capital Bikeshare – and the specific location being proposed. Your neighborhood These meetings are a two-way street – the idea is to talk about how the site would work and also get feedback from the neighborhood on the site. Arlington is building a bikeshare network, and that depends on having stations in most neighborhoods where density will support it. But if a specific site doesn’t work, planners will work with the neighborhood to find the right spot.
- 9. 8 Working with civic associations is a core part of the outreach process. To make public participation easier for everyone, planners also bring the information straight to residents through a station siting surveys. The survey is online and is quick and easy to fill out. It asks for input on sites under consideration from the neighborhood residents where the site is being proposed. Surveys include both an aerial image and a Neighborhood surveys ground-level view showing the footprint of the proposed site so more residents receive the same information and chance to provide input.
- 10. 9 Once civic associations and residents have taken a look at the proposed station location, planners finalize the design. This involves determining the right size based on expected demand and precise location. This includes a look at the need to change or add signs, street markings, reflective posts, or to make other adjustments to make the station easy to use. If the station is being installed on grass, a concrete pad is poured first. Station Design Examples of completed station plans can be found here.
- 11. 10 This is the fun part. Once all plans and approvals are in place, it’s time for installation. Before installing the station, the County informs surrounding residents and businesses about the upcoming installation. In some cases, parking spaces or a travel lane may need to be temporarily blocked to provide space for the work. The installation process is probably quicker than you think. For most stations, it only takes about an hour. The stations are Installation modular, so they only have to be unloaded, moved into place and connected. Once a station is installed, it’s ready for operation. But that’s not quite the end of the process.
- 12. 11 The planning process actually doesn’t stop with installation. Because Arlington wants to maximize the value of this public investment, planners closely track overall usage and other metrics to get a sense of how stations are performing and make adjustments as needed. If ridership is low, planners study whether there are any issues that might be hindering usage. Infrastructure or other improvements can be made that will make the station easier to use. Use Tracking Part of the beauty of bikeshare is that stations are flexible and can be easily expanded or contracted if needed. If riders often find themselves facing a station that is either empty or full, additional docks can be added to improve bike and dock availability. Continuing to track performance is a big part of planning for the future.
- 13. 12 Reach Capital Bikeshare at info@bikearlington.com for comments or questions.