Mobile Bike Clinic & How to use Capital Bikeshare

Join us on Sunday.  WABA and the Bike House will be hosting a FREE Bike Repair Clinic.  The Hillcrest Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee will be on hand to talk about the Capital Bikeshare program and we will demonstrate how to use the bikes.

How to use Capital Bikeshare!!!!

Due to scheduling conflicts we have to cancel this weekend's How to Use Capital Bikeshare scheduled for Skyland/Good Hope & Fairfax Village.  Weather permitting we'll see you next Sunday at:

Penn-Branch (Shopping Center) - Sunday September 18th, 1-3pm


Please come out to learn about the benefits of the program and ask questions. We will be giving away FREE 24-hour coupons so residents can "test-drive" the program.

Even if you can't make it out for our events, join us at the District Department of Transportation One-Year Anniversary Celebration of the Capital Bikeshare program on September 22nd, 6-9pm at Yards Park (behind the US DOT building in the Navy Yard)

Car-Free Pledge

Take the Car Free pledge and be entered to win great prizes like an Apple ipad.

Ways to get around without a car

Walk - Feet are free.  If you are physically able, consider walking to run errands or any other trips that you make in a day.


WMATA - The 32, 36, 39 M2, M6, V5, and W4 bus lines all serve the Hillcrest community.  To plan your trip, use the WMATA trip planner.

Capital Bikeshare - Stations are located at Skyland/Good Hope Shopping Center (Alabama Ave SE & Naylor Road SE), Fairfax Village (38th St SE & Pennsylvania Ave SE) and Penn-Branch (Penn-Branch Shopping Center.  Visit the website to join.

How to use Capital Bikeshare!!!!

Ever wonder what those red bikes around Hillcrest? Our community is fortunate to have three Capital Bikeshare stations. Many residents are curious how to use the bike, but don't know who to ask. The Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee will be at the bikeshare locations on the following dates:


Skyland/Good Hope Marketplace (Good Hope Rd and Alabama Ave SE) - Saturday September 10th, 11am-1pm



Fairfax Village (38th St and Pennsylvania Ave SE)- Saturday September 10th, 11am-1pm


Penn-Branch (Shopping Center) - Sunday September 18th, 1-3pm


Please come out to learn about the benefits of the program and ask questions. We will be giving away FREE 24-hour coupons so residents can "test-drive" the program.

Even if you can't make it out for our events, join us at the District Department of Transportation One-Year Anniversary Celebration of the Capital Bikeshare program on September 22nd, 6-9pm at Yards Park (behind the US DOT building in the Navy Yard)

Fairfax Village gets a bikeshare station

Summary of Meeting with DDOT: BikeShare

Commissioner Robert A Jordan (ANC 7B06) and I met with Chris and Josh from DDOT regarding a BikeShare station near the Fairfax Village section of Hillcrest. We appreciate they took time out of their day to meet us on-site in Fairfax Village. Robert and I communicated the residents of Fairfax Village in Hillcrest and our neighbors across the street in Fort Davis have been begging for a BikeShare station.

The location that looks promising is the sidewalk on 38th Street at the triangle park between 38th St, Pennsylvania Ave and Alabama Ave. DDOT has to check to see if the City owns the sidewalk or National Park Service. Another possible location is the Fort Davis Shopping Center. DDOT is going to touch base with City Interest to see if it's feasible.

DDOT did state the Penn-Branch station was going to be reinstalled "soon". However, the bad news is it will be located west of Branch Ave. The reason is DDOT tries to keep the stations within 0.5 mile of each other, which makes it easier for the operator to rebalance the system (i.e. making sure their adequate empty docks and bike available).

Here is the follow-up email sent to DDOT.

Chris/Josh,

Thank you for meeting with us in Fairfax Village/Hillcrest today. The residents of Fairfax Village/Hillcrest and Fort Davis communities strongly believe that our community should be first on the list for any new stations East of the River. We have all the elements for success:

• Bike lanes on Alabama Ave SE
• Majority of the existing membership in 20020 zip code, which includes Historic Anacostia. Anacostia has 2 stations and we have 0.
• Residents who want to be members contingent upon getting a location close to our community
• Dedicated members of the community willing to go door-to-door in a grassroots campaign to register new members if we get a station
• Residents willing to conduct "lessons" at the station on how to use the program

We have our fingers crossed that the location at 38th and Alabama Ave SE or Fort Davis Shopping Center fits within the criteria for a BikeShare station. We understand the challenges that DDOT faces as the program continues to expand. The residents of Fairfax Village and Fort Davis communities, not only want to see the program succeed East of the River, we want to be part of that success.

Please let Robert and I know how we be of any assistance in this process.


Cheerfully,
Veronica

Capital BikeShare Meeting Tonight

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is preparing to expand Capital Bikeshare throughout the District and is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, May 25 to solicit input.

Capital Bikeshare Expansion (206x155)
Media Contacts

John Lisle, (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is preparing to expand Capital Bikeshare throughout the District and is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, May 25 to solicit input from the community on the proposed locations for new stations.
Starting this summer, DDOT is planning to expand the current system with 25 new stations and 250 new bikes. The expansion is set to be completed by Fall 2011.
At the meeting, DDOT officials will provide an update on the expansion plan, explain the process for evaluating new stations, share the feedback that has been received from the community about the potential locations for new stations, and solicit additional feedback from the participants.

A listing of the proposed station locations and a printable map is available online at ddot.dc.gov/capitalbikeshare. Comments may be submitted via email to ddot.bikeshare@dc.gov.
Capital Bikeshare is a bikesharing program developed through a partnership between DDOT and Arlington County and operated by Alta Bicycle Share, Inc. Capital Bikeshare offers four different membership options: Annual ($75), Monthly ($25), 5-Day ($15) and 24-hour ($5) for access to a fleet of 1,100 bicycles located at over 110 stations across the District and Arlington. Additional information about Capital Bikeshare is available at www.CapitalBikeshare.com A page will open in a new web browser window..

What Public Meeting for the Expansion of Capitol Bikeshare

When Wednesday, May 25, 2011
6 – 8 pm
Where 441 4th Street, NW, Room 1107
Washington, DC

The meeting location is in close proximity to the Judiciary Square Metrorail Station on the Red Line and accessible via several bus lines.
__._,_.___

Testimony - FY12 Budget DDOT

RE: Public Testimony for Fiscal Year 2012 Budget for the District Department of Transportation
Wednesday April 13, 2011

We would like to thank Councilmember Wells and the honorable members of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation for the opportunity to submit testimony on the Fiscal Year 2012 budget for the District Department of Transportation. We are submitting specific recommendations on general infrastructure improvements, Circulator, and the BikeShare Program.

Infrastructure Improvements
There are several streets in Hillcrest that have incomplete sidewalks or no sidewalk at all. For example Camden Street, Fort Baker Drive and Hillcrest Drive do not have sidewalks, so pedestrians walk in the street. The presence of a complete sidewalk network is important to improving safety, and encouraging walking. We understand that resources are limited. We request that DDOT prioritize installation of complete sidewalks on streets sides of the street that have a bus stop and streets that do not have a sidewalk on either side of the street.

As gas prices climb, residents are choosing alternative modes of transportation such as walking and biking. A vital link from our community to Capitol Hill is the Sousa Bridge (Pennsylvania Ave SE). The street geometry makes it difficult for motorists to see pedestrians and bicyclists. Couple this with motorists who disobey the law by turning right on red from the off-ramp of Southeast/Southwest Freeway creates unsafe conditions. The Hillcrest community would like to see DDOT implement safety solutions in the areas where motor vehicles conflict with pedestrians and bicyclists.


CIRCULATOR
The Hillcrest community has been very vocal in our desire to have a Circulator that serves our community. Two of the proposed Circulator routes would connect Wards 7 and 8 with Barracks Row/Eastern Market. DDOT has selected the Eastern Market – Giant Shopping Center Route as the first route East of the River. This route does not serve Ward 7 or our community. The proposed Eastern Market-Minnesota Avenue line would connect some of the commercial areas in Ward 7 to each other, Historic Anacostia in Ward 8, and destinations in West of the River.

DDOT proposes the Eastern Market-Minnesota Ave line would start at the Minnesota Avenue Metro station, and run south down Minnesota Ave to Naylor Road, where it would turn east. After a major stop at the soon-to-come Skyland project, the route turns west onto Good Hope Road to Historic Anacostia. The route would cross the 11th Street Bridge to connect through Barracks Row.

The Ad-Hoc Ward 7 Circulator Group, which was formed in January 2010, proposed a similar route with one major difference: Instead of connecting Minnesota Ave to Skyland via Naylor Road SE, the group proposed using Branch Ave SE and Alabama Ave SE to make that connection.

DDOT's justification for using Naylor Road is to build ridership for the proposed streetcar that will run almost the entire length of Minnesota Ave. However, the residents think the Branch Ave and Alabama Ave connection is extremely important. For one, it would bring Penn-Branch Shopping Center into the fold, which houses the only Department of Motor Vehicles East of the River.

Second, there are no bus lines that currently service the 0.7-mile stretch of Branch Ave between Pennsylvania and Minnesota Ave. On the other hand, there are currently three WMATA bus routes that service Minnesota Ave SE between Good Hope Road and the Minnesota Ave Metro Station. Third, the section of Naylor Road between Good Hope and Minnesota Ave is narrow.

The Hillcrest community is excited about the possibility of a connection to Barrack’s Row, Historic Anacostia and East River to eat at Ray’s the Steaks in a one-seat ride.


BIKESHARE
Bikeshare usage is low in Ward 7. In the low-income areas the annual membership is a barrier. However in middle-income areas such as Hillcrest usage is also low. One reason usage is low is location of bikestations. For example:

• Pennsylvania-Minnesota Ave SE: the bikestation located at Pennsylvania and Minnesota is located in front of a carry-out that usually has people loitering outside. Some residents do not feel comfortable wading through people in order to access a bike. DDOT should consider relocating this station across Minnesota Ave SE in the pocket park or across Pennsylvania Ave SE in Twining Park.
• Benning Library: The bikestation at the library is located in the rear tucked in the corner. DDOT should consider either relocate the station to the front of the library or provide wayfinding signs to the rear of the library.
• Fairfax Village/Ft Davis Shopping Centers: A missed opportunity for a station is either the Fort Davis or Fairfax Village shopping center located at the intersection of Alabama and Pennsylvania Ave SE. A station here would connect these shopping centers to Good Hope Shopping Center, Penn-Branch when reinstalled, East River (Benning-Minnesota Ave) and Historic Anacostia in Ward 8.
• Benning Metro Station: The Benning Metro Station is a missed opportunity to create a link between the Blue line (Benning) and Orange line (Minnesota).

Submitted by
Veronica O. Davis
Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee Chair

DRAFT Recommendations

Some members of the Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee sat down with all the studies, presentation, and recommendations that have been provided over the last year. We prepared this presentation with draft committee recommendations. We intend to meet again as a committee to rank our priorities. Click Here to download the images with additional text.

Please provide comments via commenting on this blog or send Veronica an email at vod2@cornell.edu by January 15, 2011.





Currently, DDOT is only proposing studying Alabama Ave between Branch and Penn Ave. We proposed looking at Alabama Ave from 31st to Penn Ave. The stretch between Branch and 31st has no traffic signal, which leads to speeds above the posted speed limit. This summer two pedestrians were stuck in this area.

Capital Bike Share

**Originally Posted on the Blog "Life in the Village" on October 6, 2010**

At this Hillcrest Community Civic Association Meeting someone asked about the station thingies with the bikes. These stations are part of the Capital Bikeshare Program. YOU, residents of Hillcrest can use these bikes to commute to work, the grocery store, the library, or where ever your little heart desires. Visit the Capital Bikeshare Program website for more information and station locations, but Miss V will give you the scrolling marquee version of how it all works.

1. Pay an annual membership ($50 for limited time)
   
2. Get a "key" in the mail that is unique to you.
3. Use key to borrow a bike for up to 24 hours (free for first 30 minutes then nominal fee after)
   

Okay Miss V, how does this work in practical terms? Alright, let's say for example you want to go from Hillcrest to Anacostia Library.

1. Walk to the nearest station. Since you live in Hillcrest it's either at Good Hope or Penn Branch Shopping Centers. As a side note: Miss V is advocating for a third one closer to Fairfax Village at the triangle parcel between 38th Street, Alabama Ave, and Pennsylvania Ave SE. Putting one here would link Good Hope, Penn Branch, Fort Davis and Fairfax Village Shopping Centers. Not to mention service Fairfax Village which has about 1,000 units. But I digress...
2. Use your key to get a bike from the station
   
3. Put on your helmet (safety first, people)
4. Ride bike to Anacostia Library
5. Place bike in station at the library

That's it. Five easy steps. I hope that some of you will become members of the program.