Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

DC Region Thinks Bigger for Bike-Sharing

10:58 AM EDT on August 27, 2010

Metro DC has a vision for a regional network of shared bicycle infrastructure, one that would connect not only Arlington and Washington, but Alexandria, College Park and Fairfax County.

The region has applied for $12 million from the federal TIGER II program to expand its soon-to-be-launched Capital Bikeshare program to serve the wider DC area. The funding would expands current plans for 1,110 bikes at 114 stations in Arlington and Washington to encompass 3,578 bikes at 431 stations extending well into Maryland and Virginia. The expansion would make DC's bike-sharing program the largest in the country by far.

6a00d83451f42669e20133f357f1be970b_500wi.jpgU.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signals his approval for DC bikesharing. Photo: Commuter Page Blog

Project advocates like Paul DeMaio, of MetroBikes, LLC, writing for the Commuter Page Blog, are excited to see the project taking on a bigger scope:

While (Metro Washington Council of Governments) wasputting together this grant application with the assistance of thejurisdictions, it was great to see the region coming together overbike-sharing and bicycling. With many other transport needs, the regionchose this project as being our collective future. Now that's exciting.

The TIGER II grant application is a follow-up to the region's TIGER I grant application last year which was unsuccessful at securing funding due to the high demand of projects for the amount of available funding.Hopefully, this time the application will meet with better luck.

Also on the Network: Kaid Benfield at NRDC's Switchboard features a video showing how to plan a suburb using sustainability criteria; AK Bike Ped Alliance examines how the interests of cyclists and pedestrians were ignored on a $2 million road project; and Cyclicio.us follows three bicyclists preparing to challenge the legality of a bicycling ban in Black Hawk, Colorado.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Trending Down

An estimated 19,515 people died in car crashes during the first half of 2023, which is down 3.3 percent but still 19,515 too many.

October 3, 2023

What Do ‘Livable’ Streets Look Like in an Era of Driverless Cars?

Does a world of autonomous cars really have to make our streets less human?

October 3, 2023

Why Chicago Advocates Are Providing Bikes to Migrants

Unless funds are freed up from a larger entity, bike distribution to asylum seekers is going to stay in crisis mode indefinitely.

October 2, 2023

Monday’s Headlines Are Open for Business

Monday will be just another Monday for federal employees, as Congress avoided a government shutdown. Plus, declining gas tax revenue provides an opportunity to rethink transportation funding.

October 2, 2023
See all posts