Draft map – 2013 Alexandria CaBi expansion

[PotomacCyclist]

The D.C. and Arlington CaBi expansions still haven’t been finished, and those were initially supposed to be wrapped up in 2012, I think. Then it became spring, and summer and soon fall. I’m not complaining about it. I understand that these things happen, and they have managed to add many of the new stations already.

Montgomery County is still claiming that their initial roll-out is still on track for September. But it’s hard to see how they will meet that schedule, if the stations, bikes and moving equipment aren’t available for all of the D.C. and Arlington expansion locations.

Probably best to add 3-6 or 6-12 months to any CaBi expansion timelines, to minimize dashed expectations.

[creadinger]

@PotomacCyclist 54814 wrote:

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/localmotion/info/programs/2013060DraftExpansionMapWebsite.pdf

Five proposed stations in Del Ray/Slaters Lane and three in the Carlyle area. Five other stations to be added by others (developers, associations?) at an unspecified time.

Many people had asked for stations in Del Ray and at Slaters Lane, on the crowdsourcing map and through other channels.

The Monroe Ave. and Slaters Lane stations will serve as good intermediate points for trips between Del Ray and Old Town, and between Crystal City and Old Town.

I’m looking forward to the Alexandria CaBi expansion (as well as the completion of the Arlington and D.C. 2013 expansions).

The PDF you linked too is now gone. Where were the Del Ray stations going to be located? Nearby stations could be great for my wife to bike to or Crystal City or Braddock Metro and back instead of taking the bus.

[PotomacCyclist]

I’ve seen a few different maps. The plans keep changing. The latest I heard was that Alexandria would focus on Del Ray and Carlyle for this expansion round. This map was updated on July 1 and indicates the proposed locations in those two neighborhoods:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209109927891733107407.0004e0731b7cabe82e5d6

The master CaBi expansion map shows those locations plus the Slaters Lane station in green. The green markers show locations for the current round of expansion (2012 to Winter 2013-2014). The blue locations are proposed for later rounds. (The blue locations plus many others could be added if new sources of funding are obtained, whether through gov’t programs or advertising arrangements. Could happen. Or not.)

https://www.google.com/fusiontables/embedviz?viz=MAP&q=select+col4+from+1e106RvSSB_V0LAm-UJ29J2V-dg8kb8TSOj0ApKM&h=false&lat=38.880159386248486&lng=-76.89843893051147&z=11&t=1&l=col4&y=1&tmplt=1

[You can find the older map here, but it was posted in June. It seems to be outdated already:

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/localmotion/info/programs/20130603DRAFTExpansionMapWebsite.pdf%5D

FYI – I never heard back from the Potomac Yard shopping center owners about adding bike stations there.

[creadinger]

@PotomacCyclist 61994 wrote:

I’ve seen a few different maps. The plans keep changing. The latest I heard was that Alexandria would focus on Del Ray and Carlyle for this expansion round. This map was updated on July 1 and indicates the proposed locations in those two neighborhoods:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209109927891733107407.0004e0731b7cabe82e5d6

The master CaBi expansion map shows those locations plus the Slaters Lane station in green. The green markers show locations for the current round of expansion (2012 to Winter 2013-2014). The blue locations are proposed for later rounds. (The blue locations plus many others could be added if new sources of funding are obtained, whether through gov’t programs or advertising arrangements. Could happen. Or not.)

https://www.google.com/fusiontables/embedviz?viz=MAP&q=select+col4+from+1e106RvSSB_V0LAm-UJ29J2V-dg8kb8TSOj0ApKM&h=false&lat=38.880159386248486&lng=-76.89843893051147&z=11&t=1&l=col4&y=1&tmplt=1

[You can find the older map here, but it was posted in June. It seems to be outdated already:

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/localmotion/info/programs/20130603DRAFTExpansionMapWebsite.pdf%5D

FYI – I never heard back from the Potomac Yard shopping center owners about adding bike stations there.

Awesome thanks! Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth would be perfect for us. It makes a lot of sense too because it’s a pretty major intersection for Del Ray and there’s park land there where it could easily go.

[PotomacCyclist]

There will also be a new bike/ped path from Potomac Ave. to Braddock Road. It will connect the southern end of the upcoming Potomac Yard Park with Braddock Rd., along the railroad tracks. Part of it is already paved. (Don’t ask me how I know this…) It’s scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

[Kolohe]

From the DelRay Patch today (h/t froggie)

Four Capital Bikeshare stations will be installed in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood this winter and the locations will not require the removal of any street parking.

2213 Mount Vernon Ave. — This station will be installed in the loading zone in front of Bean Creative across the street from Del Ray Pizzeria. “It’s in the heart of Del Ray,” Sanders said. “We’re excited about that.”
501 E. Monroe Ave. — This station will be installed on the north side of the intersection of E. Monroe and Leslie Avenues, across the street from Swing’s Coffee and adjacent to Simpson Stadium Park. E. Monroe Avenue is slated for bike facilities improvements, including the installation of bike lanes with no net loss of parking.
1504 Mount Vernon Ave. — This station, which will be a little smaller than the others that will be installed in Del Ray, will be installed on the sidewalk in front of Al’s Steak House.
Intersection of Commonwealth and Mount Vernon avenues — The exact siting is to be determined, Sanders said, as to accommodate the solar-powered station.
The city will install a smaller station in the no-parking area on Potomac Greens Drive near Buzz Bakery, Sanders said. The exact locations of three Carlyle stations are to be determined.

http://delray.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/alexandria-to-double-its-capital-bikeshare-station-network-this-winter

[cyclingfool]

I might be able to see the station in front of Al’s Steak House w/o even leaving my apartment! Who needs Spotcycle?!

Once it’s in, it’ll be time to finally consider an annual membership.

[cephas]

@PotomacCyclist 55211 wrote:

Mystery solved re the possible school in Potomac Yard. I wrote to ARLnow about it and they did some digging.

InfiLaw System, a Florida-based consortium of independent law schools, was planning to open a new law school at National Gateway. Though the site plan amendment was approved to allow for educational use, InfiLaw System has decided not to follow through on their plans for the school. It’s kind of odd. The amendment was approved this spring and then the consortium almost immediately changed their minds about the project. It’s not as though the economy or the legal market changed that suddenly in a matter of weeks.
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/06/14/plans-for-arlington-law-school-fall-through/

Actually, it was right about that time that there was (continual) uproar about law school’s being a waste of money, with finger pointing at law school admins as a get rich quick scheme, and as exhibit A the tons of under- and unemployed law grads. Don’t ask how I know, but as an underemployed lawyer, I may have time to read too much…

@PotomacCyclist 62092 wrote:

There will also be a new bike/ped path from Potomac Ave. to Braddock Road. It will connect the southern end of the upcoming Potomac Yard Park with Braddock Rd., along the railroad tracks. Part of it is already paved. (Don’t ask me how I know this…)

I’m sure you saw it from the VRE train, just like I did.

[PotomacCyclist]

The legal industry took a serious downturn in the 2007-2008 recession, changing it permanently. It’s still odd that the InfiLaw group thought a new large law school in a competitive market was a good idea last year.

***
According to this post, Alexandria could add 14 more stations next year. That’s in addition to the 8 existing stations and the 8 new stations this winter/spring (Del Ray, Slaters Lane, Carlyle).

http://alextimes.com/2014/01/capital-bikeshare-is-on-the-road-to-success/

Is this accurate? If so, where will the stations be installed? Maybe north and south of Old Town and/or additional coverage of Del Ray and Carlyle. Or finally some locations in Potomac Yard? I’ve never seen any proposed locations in Potomac Yard, other than those added by members on the CaBi crowdsourcing map.

[Kolohe]

I presume Mr. Krall knows further details; he’s a member of this forum, is he not?

edit: but he should know that we (in Alexandria or any other participating jurisdiction) can’t do sponsorship because Arlington prohibits it. (pdf:page 6-4)

[PotomacCyclist]

Alexandria posted an update about their Capital Bikeshare expansion in today’s e-newsletter:

Expansion in Alexandria

New Capital Bikeshare stations will be added in the Del Ray and Carlyle areas in the summer of 2014. Station locations were selected from locations suggested by the public, and preferences shown on the interactive crowdsourcing map. Staff attended over 5 community meetings to gain input from residents on the expansion map.

http://www.alexandriava.gov/localmotion/info/default.aspx?id=55082

[PotomacCyclist]

Over a year later and still no stations in Del Ray, although the stations are supposedly on their way soon.

In other thread news, I read an interesting article about InfiLaw in The Atlantic. (I thought The Atlantic had changed to CityLab, but it seems that The Atlantic is still around as an independent publication, online and maybe still in paper form.)

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/08/the-law-school-scam/375069/

InfiLaw is described as a private-equity-financed scam, one that feeds off the trough of unlimited federal loans, reaps profits and churns out unemployable graduates. In case you haven’t read through this thread, InfiLaw was planning on opening a new law school in the mostly empty National Gateway building in the Arlington part of Potomac Yard, on S. Glebe Rd. I had spotted the red notice on the front of the building, which indicated a proposal to change the zoning of the building from office to educational. Soon after the proposal, InfiLaw backed out of the plan, with no explanation.

The Atlantic article provides more details. In the summer of 2013, InfiLaw was facing a severe decline in applications to its three existing law schools (all of which are described as marginal). Applications had fallen by 37 percent between 2010 and 2013. Florida Coastal saw the number of applications drop by more than half. They fired 20 percent of their almost overnight. Already low admission standards dropped even further.

[While InfiLaw may be among the worst of the for-profit schools, they are only the worst example of the problem with student loans and student debt in the U.S. But that’s a bigger issue for a different forum. There are other issues like law school education/loans/debt in general, except at a small number of top schools. Also a matter for another forum.)

This is about the same time that InfiLaw dropped its plans to open the new law school at National Gateway.

So now you know. Law school education is in a time of upheaval nationwide. InfiLaw has even more problems than law schools in general.

As for National Gateway, the building remains empty, except for the LA Fitness gym on the lower levels. The building owners began promoting the building more aggressively over the past year, with large signs and banners on the side facing Rte. 1. They trumpet a shuttle service to the nearby Metro station (probably Crystal City). Still no takers.

Meanwhile, construction has started on the Metroway bus rapid transit route, which runs directly in front of National Gateway. The Alexandria section appears to be complete. The BRT service begins next weekend, even though Arlington has just started construction on the exclusive bus-only lanes. The buses will use regular traffic lanes in the Arlington part of the route for now.

We’ll see if the Del Ray CaBi stations are installed this summer, as promised. Both Arlington and DC have added a few new bike stations this summer, despite media reports that the Bixi bankruptcy would halt all bikeshare expansion.

[lordofthemark]

since there are now 3 stations in Fairlington and two in Shirlington, does it make sense to begin thinking about stations in NW Alexandria? IE Park Center, Bradlee, Park Fairfax, etc?

[PotomacCyclist]

Hmm. It’s odd. I posted on the thread a few days ago. Then Alexandria adds 3 new stations in the Carlyle area yesterday, and finally 3 stations in Del Ray today!

The Mt. Vernon Ave./Kennedy St. station is also within walking distance of the Birchmere (about 4 or 5 blocks).

As for NW Alexandria, I don’t think that’s on the radar yet. I’ve never seen any proposed stations in that part of Alexandria, at least not for the medium term. They want to fill in the coverage area in Old Town, Del Ray and Carlyle. I would think that Potomac Yard would be another key area, but maybe not until more of the new development is finished. Eventually there could be very large demand for bikeshare in Potomac Yard with all of the new residents, some office buildings, new retail and existing retail and the movie theater at the shopping center.

[Sunyata]

I would LOVE to see some bike share stations in Park Fairfax, especially near the 395 pedestrian bridge. In case anyone that matters reads…

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