Pentagon reluctant to allow CaBi stations on property

At the November Arlington BAC meeting, Paul DeMaio - the county's bikesharing consultant - presented information about the Capital Bikeshare expansion in the county.

The new locations will tie the two pods of existing CaBi stations in Arlington - the RB corridor and Crystal City - together. One unfortunate piece of news is that thus far the Pentagon has been resistant to the idea of CaBi. But CaBi users should be encouraged that the county is looking into what is needed to expand to Washington National Airport. Future expansion will go out Lee Highway and towards East Falls Church. The BAC was interested in strategies to reach out to the Pentagon to allay their concerns about the stations. 

Comments

[SJE]

Note to Pentagon: a red colored bike share program sounds socialist, but its not a communist plot

[ACyclistInTheSuburbs]

I assume the objection is to the repositioning vans - I would think if WMATA, DASH, and ART drivers can be certified to drive that close to the Pentagon, Cabi van drivers could too. I am personally disappointed - a Pentagon CaBi bike station would make it seriously possible for me to bike commute.

[SJE]

I think the objection is that the security state likes to control everything down to the last minutiae.

[JJ]

Under the Obama Administration, the Pentagon has gone to great lengths to promote biofuels for its military vehicles. Odd that it would balk at a small CaBi station.

I would also note that there is a CaBi station at the White House -- and directly on WH property. Hard to understand why the Pentagon can't make the same accomodation.

[JJJJJ]

Thousands of cars?

Ok.

Bikes? THINK OF THE SUICIDE BOMBERS.

[Jonathan Krall]

The actual problem is that bicycles are not "normal." The DOD only likes "normal" stuff.

They need to hear messages to the effect that bicycling is now a standard feature of all federal agencies. Further, we are all deeply concerned that their workforce activity and transportation standards are falling behind the norm.

[Michael H.]

The Pentagon is also resistant to extending the bike trail from the Humpback Bridge to Boundary Channel Drive. Something to do with security concerns at a small facility next to the road.

The small building is visible to anyone driving or riding on that road. There is only a simple chain-link fence protecting it. People can already drive, run or ride right up to that fence from the other direction. Google Maps Street View even shows someone running on the grass right by the fence.

http://goo.gl/maps/DP0K9

While there are legitimate security concerns on the Pentagon reservation generally, a bike/ped trail to Boundary Channel Drive isn't one of them.

As for CaBi, I can see why the DOD would have some concerns about the rebalancing vans. But they could check each of those vans before they are allowed onto the reservation.