CommuterPageBlog

Take me out to the ball game

I had the opportunity over the weekend to spend July 4th on a boat on the Potomac, for what are arguably the best darn seats in the house to watch the national fireworks display. Considering that our nation's capital was purposefully built on a river, we generally don't take really great advantage of the waterway at our front door. Waterways are frequently used as great transportation options -- the Staten Island Ferry comes to mind, as does the Hong Kong-to-Kowloon ferry, etc. 

Anyway, after spending the night at a nearby marina, we got up this morning and took a stroll over to the new  Nationals stadium. It looks terrific from both land and water. I was particular impressed with the plethora of bike racks -- aren't they great looking?! I also saw a pretty big bike valet available. 

There's also good access to Metrorail, and Metro's Circulator bus (I believe), and parking for cars, of course. Great transit options and we are inspired to come back to the stadium in the very near future to grab a hot dog and catch a game. Maybe by bike! 

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Diana Sun is Director of Communications for Arlington County, a walking commuter, bicylist, and happy resident of the urban village of Clarendon. (dianasunVA on Twitter)

Baby Steps towards a Carpool Commuter Benefit?

I rather enjoy riding Metro to work. In fact, I have centered my search for housing based upon the proximity to the train. However, there was a time in my life that I was known to carpool a few days a week. If you aren't the driver, carpooling gives you the same benefits that transit does. Hopefully, if you are the driver, you are able to cut your costs of the commute by splitting it amongst those you drive safely and efficiently to end destinations. Your employer may even provide a preferred parking space for you.

Commuter Connections is thinking about taking carpool benefits one step further by PAYING YOU to carpool - that's right - $2/day. The pilot program will last 3 months. After all, if a program like this can be successful in cities like Atlanta and Los Angeles, surely it can succeed in the DC region as well. Stay Tuned!

Wendy Duren is a Business Development Manager at Arlington Transportation Partners, and commutes with Metrorail daily.

Zipcar: Making It Even Easier To Go Car-Free

From San Francisco this week came good news for area Zipcar members: Apple's Worldwide Developers' Conference was where Zipcar announced it would be introducing an application for iPhones that allows all Zipcar members to do all sorts of cool things, like:

- locate an available Zipcar near you using GPS and Google Maps technology;
- reserve said car;
and, best of all,
- have your reserved Zipcar honk at you if you can't find it.

You can sign up to learn about updates and find out when the app is available.  I've heard rumors that the app might have other features by the time it comes out; what else would you like them to add before the launch this fall?

Melissa Esposito is the Car-Sharing and Bike-Sharing Program Coordinator for Arlington County.

Fun for the Day: Arlington The Rap - Living the Car-Free Diet

It's cute because it shows our rappers living Arlington's Car-Free Diet lifestyle.'s Enjoy.

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County in the Transportation Division of the Department of Environmental Services, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a Metro/biking commuter from Rosemont in Alexandria.

On Two Wheels or Two Feet

There is a website that bicycle riders might find useful or helpful or just plain interesting. It’s called bikewise and it’s run by the Cascade Bicycle Club out of Seattle, Washington. The basic premise, according to the "About Us" page on the site is the belief that "we can make biking safer and more fun by gathering good data on the things that sometimes go wrong." What could ever go wrong when riding a bike? Well, here, according to the site, are some of the categories they hope to track:

"Crashes: It's estimated that 75% or more of all crashes go unreported. We believe that by gathering detailed information on how and why crashes happen, we'll be able to ride smarter. Also, we hope that knowing where crash hotspots are will help us to identify issues with traffic behavior and road design.

"Hazards: How many times have you ridden past a dangerous sewer grate or overgrown vegetation and wished there were someplace to report it? Now there is. We aim to not only collect hazard reports, but to pass these on to the appropriate authorities. (Please note: we're still putting this part of the system in place.)

"Thefts: Tracking where and how bikes get stolen is a key part of making preventing thefts. We're currently working on other pieces of this system, so that if your bike does get stolen, you have a better chance of getting it back. More to come on that.”

As you can tell, the bikewise website is still very much a work in progress.  But they have lofty goals and some of their plans could encourage jurisdictions to change the way that they collect and manage data on bicycle-related incidents. And, yes, they do have sights outside of Seattle: "this site is meant to be useful anywhere in the world." Here is a listing of incidents reported to them across the United States.

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Now that the bridge trail is open is will be so easy to ride between Maryland and Virginia and to connect to so many really cool, scenic places along the Potomac. It will not however reduce commuter congestion across the Wilson Bridge as Channel 7 reported this past weekend... do those reporters think about what they are saying before they open their mouths? A five-foot high wall separates the trail from the cars and trucks on the beltway and there are several pull-off areas at which to take a break or just enjoy the view.

For those who want to give it a try there are some rules--actually several --that you need to be aware of:

• Hours of operation:  5:30 a.m. to midnight.
• Speed limit is 10 miles per hour.
• The trail is a multi-use facility for cyclists, runners and walkers.  Users must be considerate of others traveling at different speeds. Slower traffic should stay to the right. Cyclists must alert other trail users before passing.
• Trail users who stop must move to the side of the path to avoid impeding other trail traffic.
• A dashed yellow line separates directional traffic.
• The bridge drawspan may open periodically. Cyclists and pedestrians need to be pay attention to the lights, bells and signs near the bridge drawspan. The drawspan will not open until all traffic is a safe distance away.
• In an emergency, users should call 9-1-1. The closest and most appropriate responder from Maryland or Virginia will be dispatched. The Park Police Emergency Telephone Number is (301) 459-3232.
• The bridge trail and Maryland deckover are in close proximity to moving traffic.  It is illegal to throw debris or obstruct traffic in any way.
• Pets are allowed but must be on leashes and have proper licensing.
• Bicycle helmet laws will be enforced.
• Parking is available in designated areas only. No parking after dark.
  

Wilson Bridge photo: City of Alexandria's LocalMotion

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Steve Eldridge is a long-time reporter, observer and commentator on the Washington region's transportation issues. You can contact him directly by writing to: Steve@SprawlandCrawl.com. Unless otherwise requested, letters or portions of letters can be used within future columns. Letter writers will be identified by their first name and city/neighborhood.

County Official Caught In the Act

I witnessed it literally moments ago... I spotted Arlington County Board Vice Chair Jay Fisette commuting to work... on his bike!

Mr. Fisette is a huge supporter of biking, and of our walkable/bikeable community in general. He's an ardent champion of our Fresh AIRE (Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions) program... and he's promoting green efforts across the Commonwealth, in a campaign he launched: "Go Green Virginia."

Ain't it great when elected leaders walk the talk?! Check out our Car-Free Diet to learn how you can occasionally use alternate ways to get around.

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Diana Sun is Director of Communications for Arlington County, a walking commuter, bicylist, and happy resident of the urban village of Clarendon.

April Cycling Classes Ride On

The cold weather has finally broke and now it's an ideal season to ride your bike. If it's been a while since you were last on your bike or you'd like to brush up on your knowledge on riding safely, this is your golden opportunity. BikeArlington and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association are offering two FREE beginner adult bicycle safety classes in April.

Confident City Cycling 1 is a classroom-only event. Participants will be provided with a written curriculum and will be taught bicycle selection and fit, gearing, nutrition and hydration, use of accessories, bike handling, hazard avoidance, traffic law, and simple bike maintenance. Whether weeknights or weekends are better timed for you, we've got both.

On Tuesday, April 7 from 6 - 9 pm at the Lee Community Center and Saturday, April 18 from 1 - 4 pm at the Shirlington Library, Confident City Cycling 1 will be offered. Registration is limited, so sign-up before the classes fill-up.

For more information on the free classes and to register, visit BikeArlington.com.

Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Obama's Task Force Goes Car Free (well, some, anyway)

I'm not certain  if they're familiar with the Car-Free Diet, but a couple of Obama's key appointees do not own cars as reported in this article in the Washington Post, which was also picked up by some blogs, including  DemConWatch and Kicking Tires.  Carol Browner, President Obama's Energy and Environment Czarina and Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, were reported to not own cars at all.  That's two out of the six high level appointees this article reported on.  Also, one of the ten aides on the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry also reported not owning a car.  That's three out of sixteen.  Clearly these individuals are making a conscious choice not to own a car, since I presume they could afford one if they wanted.  The article did not go into the reasons why they choose not to own a car, but one might guess that they just find it more convenient and cost effective to not have one--same as Arlington's Car-Free Diet.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

Skinny Tuesday

A spirited group of bicyclists, including bicycle repairfolk-in-training from Phoenix Bikes, rode together as BikeArlington in the Clarendon Alliance's Mardi Gras Parade this week, showing the onlookers how diverse bicycle transportation options can be. 

The front-mounted child seat, pictured here, seems to be popular in Europe and Asia as a way to haul kids around, but I don't often see it in the United States.  It seems to be infinitely more convenient than putting a child behind you where you can't see them, and you get to chat with each other on your way home from daycare or the grocery store.

The Strida in the background of this picture folds up in a way that lets you roll it onto public transportation.  It takes up no more of a footprint than those rolling briefcases do on the Metro (and your fellow passengers will actually be able to see this one before almost tripping over it, which cannot be said for the latter).  It's a great "last mile" solution, and can be brought upstairs to one's office, too.  (Plus, look at how visible those reflective tire walls are!)

The bike pictured below might not be the most practical for storing or for hauling anything, but it certainly would make other vehicles aware of its presence!  Add a flashing light to the top of the globe, and it's set as far as visibility goes.  The wizards at Phonix Bikes certainly could make you an eye-catching ride, if you have an equally excellent idea.

Whatever bike you have, outfit it for your specific needs.  Don't let anyone else dictate what you should or shouldn't have on your bicycle.  You'll be more likely to use it if it's actually convenient for you -- and more bike riding means a skinnier Tuesday (and Wednesday and Thursday and...) for all. 

Melissa Esposito is the Car-Sharing and Bike-Sharing Program Coordinator for Arlington County.

Equality At Last

As we all wait anxiously at our mailboxes for our next round of stimulus checks to come to the rescue (don't forget to SPEND it this time) I have been informed of another reason why I should like this bill. For the first time pre-tax transportation benefits, transit and vanpool are on equal playing fields with those who drive to work and park.

Being new to the region, one of the things I was looking forward to was living in a city that had decent transit and trains. Soon I realized that due to my attraction to transit I also needed to add value to my Smarttrip card constantly and when does someone really have time for those lines? I'm still trying to figure out if I can purchase fares online without purchasing a fare card and have it load the next time I approach a vending machine - but I digress. Back to the new bill.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment ACT of 2009 will provide a bundle of savings and unprecedented tax savings for transit and vanpool riders. The new stimulus bill, signed into law on February 17 by President Obama, included a provision that will increase the monthly pre-tax transit and vanpool benefit amount allowable to employees by their employers. As of February 17, 2009, employers can provide employees with up to $230 in pre-tax dollars for transit and vanpool use to and from the work site. For those of you who don't know, the new act nearly doubles the tax-free transit and vanpool benefit amount from January 1, 2009 which set the limit at $120. This is good for me since my current commute is over the $120 monthly limit.

Of course, the new bill is not going to entice everyone to leave their cars at home and start using transit or vanpooling, nor would I want to share MY train with all of those new riders, but it's more about making it a comparable alternative. The new provision is set to expire on January 1, 2011, but like most things approved by Congress, once the people get it, it's hard to take away. It is expected that Congress will make the increase permanent. If your companies offer pre-tax benefits, make sure they are taking full advantage - if not, what better time to start than now!

Wendy Duren is a Manager of Business Development at Arlington Transportation Partners, and commutes with Metrorail daily.