Proposed Capital Bikeshare Locations opposed by Bluemont Civic Association – vote

[arlmom]

I am a resident in Bluemont, in North Arlington, and I read in the latest issue of the Bluemont Civic Association’s newsletter that there was a resolution put forward at the March 25, 2015 meeting to oppose placement of two Capital Bikeshare stations as supported by Capital Bikeshare, Arlington County, and residents that suggested those locations. I think that opposing the stations is a step in the wrong direction for supporting a bike friendly Arlington.

Please consider coming to the April 22 General Membership meeting to speak in favor of these Capital Bikeshare locations and voting to support them and oppose the resolution. The meeting is at 7:30 pm at Arlington Traditional School, 855 N. Edison St., Arlington, VA 22205.

I very much support the proposed locations and hope that others will too.

Here’s the language on the resolution found in the April 2015 newsletter:

The Bluemont Civic Association (BCA) welcomes the interest expressed by Capital Bikeshare and Arlington County in locating additional Bikeshare stations within Bluemont and notes that Bluemont residents recently supported such an expansion in its Neighborhood Conservation Plan.
Notwithstanding that general support, the BCA is particularly opposed to certain proposed Bikeshare locations on N. Harrison Street and along the Bluemont Junction Park for the following reasons.

N. HARRISON STREET
A letter, dated March 11, 2015 signed by Mr. Jason Hardin, consultant to Arlington County Commuter Services proposed a Capital Bikeshare Station located on North Harrison Street and Fairfax Drive.

The BCA is particularly opposed to this location because of the potential safety hazards having a Capital Bikeshare station at North Harrison Street. The potential safety hazard includes traffic obscuration based on the 6’x3’ Bikeshare station marketing and mapping sign from the St. Ann parking lot; the potential safety hazard to the bike renter exiting the bike rack directly onto a heavy residential traffic flow with no bike paths or speed controls except speed bumps placed on North Harrison Street to calm the traffic; the potential safety hazard to the St. Ann elementary school children by increasing access to school grounds by bike renters, short cutting to Custis Trail and; the potential safety hazard caused by a dangerous dip in the road that obscures the full view of the Capital Bikeshare station until the last few seconds traveling south from Washington Boulevard on North Harrison Street between 11th and 10th Streets.
 The BCA is also opposed to the location based on its close proximity to single family residences, the change in the neighborhood appearance, and potential parking complications.
 As an alternative Bikeshare station location to serve the same general area, the BCA suggests that Capital Bikeshare consider locating a station ¼ mile west down Fairfax Drive at the junction of Westover Park and Bon Air Park.
Therefore,
Be it resolved that BCA opposes the location of a Bikeshare station on any part of North Harrison Street with particular emphasis at the location close to Fairfax Drive as detailed in the March 11, 2015, letter referenced above to residents of the Bluemont neighborhood.

BLUEMONT JUNCTION PARK/BIKE TRAIL
Capital Bikeshare, through an Arlington County Commuter Services consultant, has also advised BCA of plans to install a bike rental station along the Bluemont Junction Trail between N. Emerson St. and N. Jefferson St. With regard to this proposal, BCA calls attention to the following:
 BCA has worked closely with County staff for many years on the use and appearance of the beautiful and unique stretch of the Bluemont Junction Park between N. Emerson and N. Jefferson Streets.
 This stretch of open park is used by many neighbors and Arlington Citizens for many purposes and is one of a very few unbroken open green spaces in any neighborhood in Arlington.
 The bike stations comprise an approximately 45 foot long concrete slab, commercialized signage, and brightly painted metal structure that is inconsistent the with open green space character of the Bluemont Junction Park.
 The stretch of the Bluemont Junction Park between N. Emerson and N. Jefferson traverses a narrow area that is close to single family homes which will be disproportionately affected by the look, use, and truck servicing of the station.
 Neighborhood streets along the Bluemont Junction Park have experienced problems with commuter parking and neighbors are concerned about parking connected to the bike station.
 BCA neighbors have made constructive suggestions and offered to work with BikeShare on reasonable alternative locations, including along Wilson Boulevard, where bike lanes will be created this Spring.
 BCA neighbors are deeply troubled about setting a precedent of installing single purpose infrastructure in the Bluemont Junction Park between N. Emerson open green space.
Therefore,
Be it resolved that BCA opposes the installation of a bike share station at any location in the stretch of Bluemont Junction Trail between N. Emerson and N. Jefferson Streets.

Here’s a link to the newsletter: http://www.bluemontcivic.org/newsletters/BCA_News_201504.pdf

Topic

[dasgeh]

@DismalScientist 114092 wrote:

Why doesn’t anyone propose moving the Harrison St. station to the cul-de-sac on Frederick on the Custis trail?

Personally, I’d want it on Harrison because it’s a better bike connection both north and south.

[baiskeli]

@DismalScientist 114092 wrote:

Why doesn’t anyone propose moving the Harrison St. station to the cul-de-sac on Frederick on the Custis trail?

I was thinking that too. On the other hand, the Westover Park locastion makes more sense to me because it’s a destination.

I’ll certainly try to remember to make it to the next BCA meeting.

[DismalScientist]

I thought they wanted to serve St. Ann’s. Frederick and Harrison are equally good substitutes. I don’t get the north/south connection argument. There aren’t CaBi stations to the north or south. And then there is the difficulty of crossing Washington Blvd at Harrison. And also that god-awful hill going northbound on Harrison.:rolleyes:

[dasgeh]

@DismalScientist 114100 wrote:

I thought they wanted to serve St. Ann’s. Frederick and Harrison are equally good substitutes. I don’t get the north/south connection argument. There aren’t CaBi stations to the north or south. And then there is the difficulty of crossing Washington Blvd at Harrison. And also that god-awful hill going northbound on Harrison.:rolleyes:

There will be CaBi at Lee/Harrison IIRC. There’s no southern connection from Frederick, so all of the CaBi stations south of I66 (and west-ish of this location) are better served by Harrison.

[83b]

@jrenaut 114089 wrote:

Pretty sure this has consistently been the way it goes. Announcement -> the sky is falling -> oh wait this is kind of nice.

Conforms to my experience. Our “sky is falling” stage included “Rabble, rabble, rabble…” shouting at public meetings, hurling curses afterwards, near fisticuffs, and hysterical crying.

Hopefully it was just proximity to Congress rubbing off, and the good folks of Bluemont will outclass Capitol Hill and prove that a reasonable debate about where to locate CaBi stations is possible!

[baiskeli]

@83(b) 114105 wrote:

Conforms to my experience. Our “sky is falling” stage included “Rabble, rabble, rabble…” shouting at public meetings, hurling curses afterwards, near fisticuffs, and hysterical crying.

Hopefully it was just proximity to Congress rubbing off, and the good folks of Bluemont will outclass Capitol Hill and prove that a reasonable debate about where to locate CaBi stations is possible!

Yes, reasonable debate is desirable. That would include not assuming the absolute worst in those you disagree with or belittling their concerns.

[Kolohe]

Quote:

Well, yeah, they aren’t going to oppose (or support, or otherwise comment on) stations that aren’t in their neighborhood.

They *did* support a station in another neighborhood. The one they want to move from St Ann’s to down to the valley. They didn’t say, hey Harrison might be a little tight, why not move it around the corner? Or closer to the trail? Or a half-block away from the school? No, it’s in a completely different neighborhood.

The one on the Bluemont trail? They didn’t offer any alternative at all, only a big no-go zone.

@baiskeli 114085 wrote:

No, the “close proximity” to homes, not just the general nature of the neighborhood.

This is what they said, taken from the newsletter: http://www.bluemontcivic.org/newsletters/BCA_News_201504.pdf

Quote:

The BCA is also opposed to the location based on its close proximity to single family residences, the change in the neighborhood appearance, and potential parking complications.

Quote:

The stretch of the Bluemont Junction Park between N. Emerson and N. Jefferson traverses a narrow area that is close to single family homes which will be disproportionately affected by the look, use, and truck servicing of the station.

Every part of Bluemont is either in close proximity to single family residences, or in the no-go area of the old rail right away green space. Every. Square. Inch.

“Change in neighborhood appearance”. *That’s* the general nature of the neighborhood. I also suppose that nobody in Bluemont has ever had their garbage or yard waste picked up since county incorporation, since they don’t like “trucks” servicing their neighborhood.

Meanwhile, why do single family residences get a pass on a panel van, but not multifamily residences? Van parked by the poors, who cares? Van by my McMansion (which, btw, had its construction materials carried in on the back of ants, because absolutely no big trucks were apparently involved.) May not be racism, but there’s something of a class privilege thing there.

Quote:

No, it’s not. Harrison is a major thoroughfare, despite being narrow, because it has a bridge over I-66 and connects to Lee Highway. It’s a legitimate concern, especially at that particular spot.

My favorite thing from the newsletter is this

Quote:

BCA neighbors have made constructive suggestions and offered to work with BikeShare on reasonable alternative locations, including along Wilson Boulevard, where bike lanes will be created this Spring.

So Harrison is a no good terrible very bad road. But Wilson Boulevard? Sure why not! even though the sidewalks are still going to be narrow, and the bike lane unprotected.

So tell me again how awsomesauce the bluemont civic association is? Again, the same peeps that opposed the W&OD connection 15 years ago? “Oh, but we didn’t like it because it wasn’t perfect” is the excuse now for that. What will be the excuse 15 years from now?

[dasgeh]

I think a big question here is how you can be constructive with people who, yes, seem to be resorting to NIMBYism in response to a proposed change. Here’s my suggestion:

– Trot out examples of other, similar neighborhoods who have already had the change and for whom the sky hasn’t fallen. (I can name two: Lyon Park and more recently, Cherrydale)

– Clearly explain the direct benefits of the change (you connect your house/neighborhood to Ballston/Metro/Wilson Blvd/Lee Harrison/the hospital/Cherrydale ; some evidence housing values go up; you get your visitors off your couch)

– Explain indirect benefits of the change (You give employees and visitors to St. Ann’s a non-motorized way to get there; you put more bikes on your streets, calming traffic)

Get the civic association on board with the fact that they want CaBi. Then, talk about the specific locations.

So what other benefits are there to having bikeshare in your ‘hood?

[DismalScientist]

Well, I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I’ll bite. As far as I can tell, all Arlington CaBi stations have been located in commercial districts, places with high residential density, at schools, and at “major” parks. The station on the Bluemont trail will be one of the first in an area of just single family houses. The only other future stations in purely residential areas I could find on the map are at Pershing and Jackson, Ohio and 14th, and Roosevelt and 12th. Do these place have enough population density to support stations? Do you think that people will be walking from their houses to hop on a CaBi? How many people in single family houses that are interested in riding likely already have their own bikes?

As far as the station at St. Ann’s, who is better determined to pick the better location: The Arlington bicycle lobby or the local residents?

[Steve O]

the potential safety hazard to the St. Ann elementary school children by increasing access to school grounds by bike renters,

Really!? Let’s see. Literally thousands of cyclists ride right by the St. Ann’s parking lot–close enough to spit on it, and even while the kids are out there playing during recess–every week on the Custis Trail. Thousands. Every single one of those cyclists could just make a little bitty turn right onto their grounds. What is the “safety hazard” they are talking about? And if it exists, why have they not shut down the Custis Trail alongside the school and church already?
You’ve got to be joking.

[83b]

@baiskeli 114107 wrote:

Yes, reasonable debate is desirable. That would include not assuming the absolute worst in those you disagree with or belittling their concerns.

I generally agree wholeheartedly, but I also think that there is a strong tendency among clever individuals (or at least individuals who think they’re being clever) to dress up NIMBYism with very reasonable sounding complaints that are, in actuality, distractions and wholly unrelated to the issue at hand. Our fight over bikeshare on Capitol Hill had a number of these, such as concerns that:

• “children would be tempted to run out to the shiny red bikes in front of their home right into oncoming traffic”;
• the stations would attract trash and vandals;
• a station could attract other mischief, nuisance, or criminal behavior;
• stations in front of residential homes would subject those homes to honking and other noise from the rebalancing vans and any drivers they might aggravate (this was in a letter that spent a solid 50+% of its words talking about the totally unrelated problems (Maryland!) drivers visit on this block);
• ‘”double wide strollers” would not be able to squeeze by the obnoxiously large bike stand’;
• concerns that people driving to and parking on that block in order to use the station would steal all the resident’s parking;

So sometimes I think that you just have to refuse to engage with people, or even engage with them harshly, because they’re not really participating in a debate in good faith. I now count one of the people who was adamantly opposed to the Lincoln Park station as a friend, and he has privately admitted to me that he was dressing up his opposition in any terms he could think of because he just didn’t want an ugly station in front of his house.

I’ve run into a variation on this problem several times during negotiations with lawyers and business people in a particular country. First you’re presented a detailed issues list. As those issues get negotiated and resolved, the other side starts raising unrelated new issues. The tactic is clearly designed to wear down opposition and run out the clock until you concede on key deal points. There aren’t always easy answers for how to handle them, but I do know (from bitter experience) that you don’t win by mudwrestling with pigs…

[rcannon100]

@Steve O 114121 wrote:

You’ve got to be joking.

[Steve O]

@83(b) 114122 wrote:

I’ve run into a variation on this problem several times during negotiations with lawyers and business people in a particular country. First you’re presented a detailed issues list. As those issues get negotiated and resolved, the other side starts raising unrelated new issues. The tactic is clearly designed to wear down opposition and run out the clock until you concede on key deal points. There aren’t always easy answers for how to handle them, but I do know (from bitter experience) that you don’t win by mudwrestling with pigs…

I have watched people who are very good at this (not me) deal with this this way:

“I understand you have outlined four issues that concern you about this ________ issue. If those four issues were addressed to your satisfaction, would this issue be resolved for you?”
When they say yes, then hold them to it. If they say no, then ask what are the other issues that would need to be resolved. Finalize the list: “If these issues were addressed to your satisfaction, would you then be willing to move forward?”.

If you are able to resolve all of the issues, then they have no room to throw out new red herrings, because they already agreed that those issues comprised the totality of their concerns.

Of course, it may be impossible to “resolve to their satisfaction,” since they won’t be satisfied with anything. But at least with this strategy you can expose any hypocrisy they may have.

[OneEighth]

The way forward is simple and self-evident. Thunderdome.

[mstone]

@Steve O 114128 wrote:

I have watched people who are very good at this (not me) deal with this this way:

“I understand you have outlined four issues that concern you about this ________ issue. If those four issues were addressed to your satisfaction, would this issue be resolved for you?”
When they say yes, then hold them to it. If they say no, then ask what are the other issues that would need to be resolved. Finalize the list: “If these issues were addressed to your satisfaction, would you then be willing to move forward?”.

If you are able to resolve all of the issues, then they have no room to throw out new red herrings, because they already agreed that those issues comprised the totality of their concerns.

Of course, it may be impossible to “resolve to their satisfaction,” since they won’t be satisfied with anything. But at least with this strategy you can expose any hypocrisy they may have.

That can work in a bilateral negotiation, but not in a public debate like this–there will always be another person who can claim they weren’t part of that deal. Also, it only works if the points are things you can give up and still have a viable project.

[Author]

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