One example that comes to mind is the bike station at Pentagon Row (http://goo.gl/maps/cC78P). It’s a great location but the curbs do not allow for easy access to the station. Members have to ride on the sidewalk well in advance of the station, or else they have to stop and pick up the bike to lift it over the curb. It’s probably not a good idea for anyone to try to bunny-hop that curb on a CaBi bike. (Maybe some of the expert cyclocross riders could do it, but very few other people.)
I know that there are long-term plans to renovate the entire courtyard at Pentagon Row (more space for a larger seasonal skating rink and the summer outdoor concerts, new structures near Joyce Street). Since there will be a lot of construction going on at some point, it would be a good idea to see if the developer would add a curb cut in front of the courtyard to allow for easier access to the sidewalk for CaBi users.
Another example is the station at 18th & S. Hayes St., near the Aurora Hills fire station and public library. (http://goo.gl/maps/gJ0pK) Riders have to remember to turn onto the sidewalk via the driveway of the fire station. Otherwise, they have to stop and lift the bike over the curb as they approach the station. Riding down to where 18th & Hayes merge is not a good option because 18th St. is one-way. A cyclist who tries to turn down 18th St. to reach the curb cut and sidewalk would have to salmon down 18th St. Traffic is usually light but it’s never a good idea for a cyclist to ride the wrong way on a one-way street.
Even riding down the sidewalk from the fire station is less than ideal. The sidewalk is narrow and bumpy. If there are pedestrians walking on the sidewalk, there is little room for a cyclist to pass by. A bike-sized curb cut closer to the station would resolve the problem. (So would moving the station to another nearby block, but that’s a separate issue.)
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I’m a fan of Capital Bikeshare in general, so I’m not criticizing the entire system. I’m just pointing out a minor inconvenience with a few of the stations in Arlington (and in D.C.).
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