On January 12th, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized expenditures of $1.6 million for the purchase of bikeshare equipment and implementation of the bikeshare program in Reston and Tysons. Bikeshare stations are projected to open in the fall of 2016.
Photo courtesy of Sam Kittner, Capital Bikeshare.
Bikeshare is a transportation system that allows individuals to check out a bike and ride short to moderate distances from station to station. A system of bikeshare stations and bicycles are set up in an area to allow participants to travel between destinations that are generally further than walking, without driving. As a result, roadway congestion is reduced.
In the Washington D.C. area, Capital Bikeshare is the existing bikeshare system that operates in Washington D.C., Arlington County, Alexandria, and Montgomery County. There are currently over 370 stations in the Capital Bikeshare system in these jurisdictions.
In 2014, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) awarded Fairfax County a Transportation and Land Use Connection grant to study the feasibility of launching a bikeshare system. The results of the study showed that bikeshare could succeed as a viable transportation option in Reston.
The Reston Bikeshare system will consist of 15 stations and 132 bicycles located between the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station and Reston Town Center area. Reston Bikeshare received grant funding from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The Tysons Bikeshare system will consist of 11 stations and 80 bicycles located in Tysons to the east of Route 7, north of Route 123, and south of the Dulles Toll Road. Tysons Partnership is providing a financial contribution of $110,000 towards capital cost of the Tysons system.
The two Fairfax bikeshare initiatives should be fully operational by the Fall of 2016. For more information on Capital Bikeshare and how to become a member and/or how to use bikeshare, go to www.capitalbikeshare.com.