Two changes, one in the short term and one in the long term, could make DCA an even easier airport to bike to.
In the short term, Capital Bikeshare is planning a big expansion in 2018, one that will include a bikeshare station at National Airport.
Capital Bikeshare is slated to widen its reach in 2018 with the addition of more than 100 stations, hundreds more bikes and a larger coverage area — investments that are worth more than $5 million of federal, local and private funds.
next year’s expansion, officials say, [will] put Capital Bikeshare’s distinctive red bikes in new territory from National Harbor to Hyattsville in Maryland, and Reagan National Airport and Falls Church in Virginia.
In Prince George’s, officials say they are reviewing vendor contracts before putting in an order for up to 325 bikes and 35 stations that will roll out in the spring.
Alexandria is planning to submit a $650,000 order for equipment this fall, including 10 more docking stations to be installed next spring. The city has funds for 50 stations through 2020, but officials say they will evaluate bike-sharing needs next year before proceeding.
Montgomery, which will have 73 stations at the end of the year, is planning about $660,000 in program expansion in 2018. That includes eight stations in the White Flint and Twinbrook areas and a seven-station network planned for the Rock Spring area of North Bethesda.
And Arlington is moving to acquire 15 more stations next year, including one for the airport.
At this month's DC Bicycle Advisory Committee someone announced that CaBi at DCA was going to happen by the end of the summer (I think. I'm going by memory.)
In the long term, but perhaps more consequential, is the possibility of a new bridge or tunnel to the airport from Crystal City first mentioned last summer. The two best paths between Crystal City and DCA are currently the tunnel and trail connection and a route across the unfriendly Airport Access Road. Both are longer than they need to be. A bridge or tunnel could shorten that route considerably.
In both options the facility would link to the Mount Vernon Trail (or at least "could"). Neither facility looks like it's designed for cycling (more pedestrian oriented) but it may be that cycling will be allowed. I don't expect the connection to be as crowded as the photos show.
There are no renderings of the MVT connections, but it looks like maybe they would be elevators (sigh).
The presentations also notes some possible upgrades to the current MVT spur (which would be "investigated" in the short term, but built ????). These improvements include widening the MVT spur's CSXT underpass, widening the George Washington Parkway underpass with a new tunnel adjacent to the current underpass, and adding a spur from the MVT to the airport garage.
The planning, design and environmental review process is scheduled to take 6 years so don't get too excited about this now.
A new, better connection between the MVT and DCA would be great as the current one is a little hard to follow. And I would love some better bike parking. Perhaps a cage or "pod" like this. Combine that with bike share and a bridge and it could be an easy bike trip for many.
From where did you excerpt the information on CaBi expansion?
Posted by: Jofi Joseph | March 28, 2018 at 11:01 AM
Whoops - here
Posted by: washcycle | March 28, 2018 at 11:22 AM