CommuterPageBlog

Carsharing Is Pro Transit, Bike and Walk

People often ask me why a local government like Arlington would support a private sector company like Zipcar with its carsharing program. I tell them that research shows when people sign up for carsharing, they walk, bike and take transit more, and they often, over time, go car free. And that for every carshare vehicle we can save about 15 parking spaces. And all of this is good for our quality of life and business climate. That's why we do it. Well here's more proof from the City of Baltimore. 

One year after launching their program in Baltimore (Hon), Zipcar found:

• 14% bike more
• 21% walk more
• 11% use public transit more
• 18% have sold their vehicle
• 46% put off buying a vehicle

According to FastCompany, the Zipcar's impact on how people use cars is enormous. Here's the money quote from FastCompany:

"These aren't just good stats for the recently public company to show that people love their service. It shows that car sharing--by Zipcar or others--can have a strong effect on a city's car ownership rates and public-transit use. That means less traffic, easier parking, and a generally more pleasant living experience for all citizens. As the benefits of taking cars off the roads start to become more clear, expect more and more municipalities to start working with car-sharing programs, or even launching their own."

Enough said. Oh, if you want to see some of our own studies on the subject visit our carshare page and read our initial reports or visit our Research site and check out the studies done by us and MWCOG.

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter ServicesTransportation Bureau Chief for Arlington County in the Department of Environmental Services, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a biking/Metro commuter from the LeDroit Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

 

Hi Boston. Welcome to Our Bixi Family.

Congrats to the City of Boston as their new bike sharing program called Hubway launched today (Hubway Bikesharing Gets Rolling, by Kimberly Adams, 90.9WBUR, Boston's NPR Station). The cool thing about Boston's new 61-station service is that it will look and feel very familiar to CaBi (Capital Bikeshare) members here in the District and Arlington. That's because they are using the same Bixi hardware (bikes and stations) that we are. Bixi was developed by our good friends in the city of Montreal and also powers the systems in Minneapolis (Nice Ride), London (Barclays Cycle Hire), and Melbourne (Melbourne Bike Share). I still think our little red bikes are the smartest looking of the family - or any other bikeshare system for that matter. Our hope is that someday if you are traveling to one of these great cities that you can use your CaBi key to access the systems in our sister cities. Wouldn't that be a nice bonus. 

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Bureau Chief for Arlington County in the Department of Environmental Services, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a biking/Metro commuter from the LeDroit Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

 

Think about it...

Here's a link to an article about the PXP or Prius Bike. It's a really cool, futurist looking bike, but what is different about this bike and other bikes is its thought-controlled gears. Just think about the possibilities...

I'm a serious biker now, time to upgrade!

...still working on that flash of light deal...BUT...

After a year and a half on my 1980’s Fuji I’ve decided to upgrade. Deciding on the right bike is my next step. My colleagues at BikeArlington are steering me in the right direction and I have started to look at a few women’s road bikes from Trek and Fuji. There are so many options out there! I know I want to stick with a road bike model but not much more. What pedals do I choose? What gear system do I choose? And what the heck is a Rear Derailleur – I don’t even want to go into my first thoughts of what this was, possibly something with the seat?!? – I kid, I kid. I had some great suggestions after my last post for some electric bikes which are really cool and thank you for the suggestions but I think I will go with the old leg-powered approach – which p.s. ladies; helps with the old dirty C-word – CELLULITE! (yikes, I actually said it!) I will update the blog as soon as I purchase my new bike, because I know everyone is dying to find out...

Morals of the story:

• Do some research, check out the local bike shops, get fitted for the right size bike, and take a few test drives before making a decision. And in true girl fashion, I have to like the colors and match my helmet so there are some decisions to make in that area as well!
• I’m hoping one of the bike shops picks up on this blog and sponsors my next purchase – I am willing to wear whatever promotional item you give me on my daily commute for a discount on a bike! – shameless plugs, I’ve never been scared of them. In all seriousness though our region has amazing bike shops with incredibly helpful staff; visit Revolution, Conte’s, Performance Bikes, or any one of the others to begin your decision process!
• Outfit the bike with safety!  - lights, reflectors, horns, bells, possibly add some pegs to the back wheel and have you friend be your personal sound machine, whatever it takes to safely navigate the region’s trails and streets.
• Rear Derailleur (wikipedia definition) - variable-ratio transmission system commonly used on bicycles, consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another. Although referred to as gears in the bike world, these bicycle gears are technically sprockets since they drive or are driven by a chain, and are not driven by one another. Absolutely nothing to do with the seat!

Another attempt to be funny, educate people and get more people out there biking! Who’s in for the inaugural ride of whichever bike I choose?

Cheryl O'Connor works for Arlington Transportation Partners, she is the Program Manager for the Residential, Visitor, and Site Plan Development Services. If you have any questions about the above information, please contact her at (703) 247-9295 or shoot her an email at Cheryl.oconnor@transpartners.com.     

 

CaBi Fosters Culture of Urban Chivalry

 
I was struck by this morning's Washington Times story (D.C. bike-sharing program crippled by own success, by Luke Rosiak, July 28, 2011) about CaBi's (Capital Bikeshare) struggles brought on by its own popularity. With 16,000+ annual and 30-day members combined with 12,000 casual (24-hour) members per month using a 1,100 bike system, at certain times of day at some stations it can be hard to find a bike or hard to find a place to park it. I've encountered this at times myself in hopping to and from my neighborhood in Le Droit to fun places from 14th Street to H Street to Nats Ballpark. But as frustrating as this can be to users, reporter Luke Rosiak picked up on something we hoped would happen when we built the system. People have embraced CaBi as their own and are looking out for one another and the system. Says Luke in his story:

"...Despite such frustration, an unexpected side effect is emerging: A culture of urban chivalry, where peddlers go out of their way to look out for one another and synchronize handoffs. "My parent's generation had this thing where everyone who had a VW bug would wave at each other when they passed," Tim Holland says as he drops a bike off at an otherwise-vacant station. "This is our equivalent."

That's pretty cool to see people helping each other. And we see this in other ways. At public meetings I've attended and in online feedback on our social media/web places, even when customers tell us of their frustrations, they do so civilly and with the genuine hope of helping CaBi out and making it better. It's amazing to see how quickly and how hard folks in the area have fallen in love with our little red CaBi bikes. And that love is reciprocated by all the staff that works on and with CaBi.

And help is on the way. With CaBi adding 32 new and expanding 18 existing stations in the District and adding another 30 new stations in Arlington, there will soon be more capacity for everyone. And there are tools you can use now. Members can plan ahead by using Spotcycle on the web or your phone, Bixou on your phone or the web tool that CaBi Balancing staff uses in the field O'Brien's Bikeshare Station Map. And rest assured that DDOT, Arlington and Alta continue to explore ways to better balance the bikes and we're open to suggestions.  Together with our customers we can make CaBi a great part of our city.

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter ServicesTransportation Bureau Chief for Arlington County in the Department of Environmental Services, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a biking/Metro commuter from the LeDroit Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

A Ride With BikeArlington

Earlier this week the BikeArlington team attended a Transportation Enhancement grant workshop at one of VDOT's district offices in Fairfax.  Rather than drive (who want to sit in traffic?), take a bus (sitting in traffic some more), or take the metro (we'd have to transfer to a bus afterward), we decided that we'd just bike there.  Practice what we preach!  After scoping out the 20 mile route, we decided it would probably take us about an hour and half of biking time with a little and we built in a little extra time to clean up and change clothes.

So with that, we were off!  Follow along our commute in the pictures below: 

We headed out from our office in Rosslyn and picked up the Custis trail.



We knew that we had made the right decision as we easily skirted see the regular morning backup on I-66.

Talk about a great commute--we passed a number of regulars on the W&OD Trail, including the League of American Bicyclists' Executive Director, Andy Clarke.

With only one wrong turn that was quickly corrected, we made the 20 mile trip in just over an hour and a half.

 

There was convenient bike parking out front and we had the entire rack to ourselves.

 

Then disaster struck!  With 15 minutes before the start of the workshop we had to scramble to find an open restroom.

 
Victory!  We emerged looking fresh and clean and feeling energized, ready for the meeting.

 

 
After the meeting had finished, we grabbed a quick lunch and we're headed home retracing our route.

 

After last week's heat wave, the temperatures seemed cool and the route we had taken was easy and scenic.  

Ok, 20 miles each way for a work related trip is pretty extreme, but the point is, biking is a convenient way to get around and that includes trips during the workday. Whether it’s on Capital Bikeshare or on your own bike, give it a try. Not a bad way to spend a morning!

 Tim Kelley is the Marketing Manager for Bike Arlington. BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

A Solution for Broken Escalators?

How often do you come across a broken escalator and wish you could find a faster way down the stairs? Well, if you were a resident of Utrecht, in the Netherlands, such a solution has presented itself in the form of a fun, handy slide. Dubbed a 'transfer accelerator', this slide was recently added to the Overvecht railway station as a playful way to engage residents and commuters in the neighborhood. So far, it seems to have worked.

I've often thought about what it would be like to slide down the median between the escalators at Rosslyn station on my way home from the office...and this seems to reinforce just how fun that would be. The folks in this video sure seem to be having a good time.

Would you take a slide down to the Metro platform? What station would you most like to see something like this implemented?

Brett Jones is a Business Development Manager for Arlington Transportation Partners, and patiently awaits the day when he can incorporate a slide into his daily commute.

Walk Score 2011 ranking validates Arlington gold status for walkability.

Walk Score published its brand new ranking of America’s most walkable cities, and Arlington has been ranked 25th among America’s largest cities.  Washington DC was ranked 7^th of the top 10 most walkable cities. 

Walk Score’s walkability ranking is the only national, quantitative ranking of walkability in the U.S. Cities and neighborhoods are ranked on a scale of 0-100.  Walk Score is informed by an Advisory Board, which includes urban planning, environmental and technical experts. 

According to Walk Score, 86% of Arlington’s neighborhoods have a Walk Score of at least 50 out of 100.  What’s more, these Walk Score numbers make Arlington the most walkable jurisdiction in Virginia!  Coming in at the top of the Walk Score ranking for Arlington neighborhoods are Clarendon-Courthouse, Ballston-Virginia Square, and Lyon Village.  

What makes a neighborhood walkable?  Walk Score’s criteria:

• A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it's a main street or a public space.
• People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently.
• Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
• Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.
• Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are relegated to the back.
• Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk from their homes.
• Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit.

Why does walkability matter? According to Walk Score…

“With rising gas prices, Americans are looking for alternatives to long commutes and driving around town to complete their errands,” said Walk Score CEO Josh Herst.  “America’s most walkable cities and neighborhoods make it easy for residents to leave their cars at home more often. The latest real estate trends show that homes and apartments in walkable areas are in higher demand and are worth more than their less-walkable counterparts. According to independent research conducted by CEOs for Cities, one point of Walk Score is worth as much as $3,000 in home value.”

The impressive Walk Score ranking follows Arlington’s recent designation as a Walk Friendly Community by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.   A Walk Friendly Community is defined as a city or town that has shown a commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies.  Arlington received a Gold Level Walk Friendly designation, one of only four communities to be honored at this level nationwide.

If you are interested in exploring the walkable neighborhoods listed on Walk Score, go online to WalkArlington.com and check out the Walkabouts tab.  WalkArlington’s Walkabouts are self-guided neighborhood walking tours that let you discover the beauty and history of Arlington’s neighborhoods.

And join WalkArlington for our next “live” Walkabout, a guided tour of Columbia Pike Town Center West led by County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman, on Sunday, August 14. Click here for details on the “Pike Hike II” Walkabout.

Teresa Westfall

     WalkArlington, an initiative of Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services, gets "more people walking more of the time" by promoting the health, environmental, community-building, and commuting benefits of walking.

Farragut "Virtual Tunnel" close to reality (after only 3 years!)

The Washington Post reported today that Richard Sarles has included in his first 6-month report as full-time Director of Metro, that the "Virtual Tunnel" between the Farragut stations will be functional this fall.

I first promulgated this idea almost three years ago on the CommuterPage blog and have followed up numerous times since (More of the Invisible Tunnel, Testing the Invisible Tunnel, Now Even More Invisible?, Metro's response).

 

Here's what the Post said today:  "In his first six-month report since being hired as Metro’s permanent chief, Sarles also said the agency will create a 'virtual tunnel' between Farragut North on the Red Line and Farragut West on the Orange and Blue lines, allowing riders to go from one station to the other without paying a new fare."

 

Why it took this long is a bit of a mystery.  Metro has been tying this service to changes in the SmarTrip card, which are finally just now being completed.  However, I learned way back in 2008 that the capability has always existed--even with paper farecards--to implement this service. It will be interesting to see how popular the tunnel is once the ridership is educated about it.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington, has x-ray vision and can actually "see" the invisible tunnel.

 

Transportation Theme Continues at VA Planning Conference

On Day 2 of the American Planning Association Virginia 2011 conference, I learned that congestion, affordable housing, and mass transit were major topics at the National Conference on City Planning held in Washington, D.C. in 1909. We are still discussing these topics today, but with a difference. The Housing Affordability session by the Virginia Housing Development Authority included transportation costs as a component of affordability. Some really cool web tools to evaluate afforadability were presented:

• Virginia Housing Search
• Sourcebook by Housing Virginia
• Transportation and Housing Alliance Toolkit
• H+T Affordability Index
• HUD User

The hallmark of good planning, we are taught, is communication and coordination. So the 2035 Virginia Surface Transportation Plan received the Planning Innovation Award since it was the first time in the history of Virginia that VDOT and DRPT released multimodal planning recommendations in a single document. The plan can be viewed in a web-based format and also includes an easy-to-read map that summarizes the report.

But the highlight of my day was the session by the City of Falls Church on their process for developing a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle plan. The City used a web-based crowdsourced map along with field investigations by their team to identify the universe of problems (opportunities?). Then working with a citizens' advisory committee, they identified community values and prioritized recommendations. I was impressed by the tools of public participation used as well as the logical and objective methods of selecting projects for funding. But most of all, I think it is commendable that the City looked at sidewalks as a complete system and intends to have a coordinated plan for installation (capital) and maintainance (operational) funding in the future. Download Falls_Church_PedBike_Plan_ppt


I realize that each of these projects may have drawbacks. The housing affordability tools are limited by the available data, so the analytical reports may not be as specific or accurate as you may need them to be. And it is great to have a well-crafted, publicly supported, and even award-winning plan, but implementation will still be a challenge. However, every journey begins with the first step, and it is heartening to learn about so many projects that are headed in the right direction.

Sonali Soneji, AICP, Research Manager, Arlington County Commuter Services.