The Washington Nationals: Winning at Sustainable Transportation?
Ever wondered how your favorite sports team is doing in the sustainable transportation arena? Many urban stadiums have some transit connections and some bike racks. From there, though, it can be difficult to measure success.
Maybe what we need is a scoreboard for these things. Darren Buck at Network blog Bike Pedantic has done some preliminary legwork for Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
In order to determine what percentage of fans are biking, he took to counting bikes at a recent NL Divisional Series game. He counted Capital Bikeshare bikes in their docks (about 160). He counted the contents of the Nats' bike valet (120). He counted racks (250) and he counted spillover, locked to trees, posts and fences (98). What he came up with was a rough bicycle mode share for Nationals Park at the height of playoffs excitement:
By my count, that’s a total of 628 bikes. Only 530 (or 84%) were accommodated by official parking/storage, including the 26% of all riders who used Capital Bikeshare (above my estimate of CaBi comprising 11% of all ridership in DC/Arlington, it should be noted).
With a stadium capacity of around 45,017, that’s about 1.4% of people biking to the game. Following an odd DC trend, this is far lower than our commute-to-work share of 3.3%, and right on par with Washington DC’s estimated bike modeshare for all trips of 1.5%. Given the unfathomably awesome weather, the fact that transit is beginning the rush-hour meltdown everyone knew was coming even as I type this, and the fact that Nats Park lies right in the heart of Livable Walkable Ward 6, I would have expected more (acknowledging that looking solely at the one transportation mode I obsess about is a distortion). What’s missing?
More than usual appeared to take Capital Bikeshare, and perhaps the promise of a guaranteed “dock” influenced that choice. Some additional bike parking, even as a temporary measure, would at the very least save folks from the slightly shameful act of having to lock up to a tree or fence. Some sheltered bike facilities anywhere in the SE/SW quadrants would boost ridership for everyone. And on and on.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Cap'n Transit has some advice about applying the transportation planning philosophy of Hans Monderman, inventor of the "woonerf." Systemic Failure looks at a California town poised to repeat a familiar narrative: bypass kills Main Street. And Market Urbanism examines Washington, DC's inclusionary zoning policies, and how they affect urban development in expected and unexpected ways.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Are Friday’s Headlines the New Normal?
Transit ridership hasn't come all the way back from the pandemic, and they're going to need more federal help, along with other changes, says Governing magazine.
Friday Video: How to Make Places Safe For Non-Drivers After Dark
A top Paris pedestrian planner, a leading GIS professional, and Streetsblog's own Kea Wilson weigh in on the roots of America's nighttime road safety crisis, and the strategies that can help end it.
OPINION: Congestion Pricing Will Help My Family Get Around As We Navigate Cancer Treatment
My partner was recently diagnosed with cancer. Congestion pricing will make getting her to treatment faster and easier.
Talking Headways Podcast: Money is a Lot of Different Things
It's Part II of our discussion with Jim Kumon!
If Thursday’s Headlines Build It, They Will Come
Why can the U.S. quickly rebuild a bridge for cars, but not do the same for transit? It comes down to political will and a reliance on consultants.
