West Pike

[bobco85]

Just went by there this afternoon to do some rackspotting on that stretch of Columbia Pike, and I only found a few racks.

The closest bike rack to the Goodwill that I was able to find was across the street:
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9787&stc=1[/IMG]

My recommendation (i.e., if I were visiting that strip mall) for locking your bike would be to use the metal fencing behind the building as shown here:
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9788&stc=1[/IMG]

The metal fencing is sturdy, holds your bike in place, and isn’t too much of an inconvenience. If I can’t find a bike rack, I’ll go straight for a fence like this.

Hopefully Arlington will install the racks sooner than later.

[Starduster]

I’m not quite sure I would lock up at an abandoned restaurant. (This, the one-time Roy Rogers, one-time Bob & Edith’s, and 3 other restaurants afterwards, slated to be demolished and replaced.)

This area, this intersection, is a crossroads of two different cycling cultures. Us, crossing on the W&OD, and the local Latino community who are riding *on* Columbia Pike, dangers notwithstanding. As bobco85 has documented, it is *underserved* with proper bike racks.

[PotomacCyclist]

I also wanted to point out that the RackSpotter map is a work in progress. Sounds like there really aren’t many bike racks in that area. But I wouldn’t rely solely on the RackSpotter map yet for determining where there are a lot of racks. It’s a volunteer project. We’re getting there, but there’s still a lot of mapping left to do.

Earlier this year, I swept through every single street, road, block and lane in Pentagon City, Crystal City, Long Bridge Park, Arlington Ridge Rd. and Potomac Yard-Arlington to map the bike racks. (I did the same thing for nearly all of central DC, from Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle to the Mall, convention center, Nationals Park, Capitol Hill and NoMa. It took a while.) Some of us have looked at the eastern end of Columbia Pike. I found new racks when I rode around there a couple months ago. Even though there are a lot of racks mapped in Clarendon and Court House, I’m still finding that not all of the racks there have been mapped. There are also new racks being installed, at new developments and by various business improvement districts in ARL and DC.

Maybe after the Army Ten-Miler this weekend, I’ll get back to mapping a lot of bike racks again.

[greenjug]

@PotomacCyclist 125659 wrote:

I also wanted to point out that the RackSpotter map is a work in progress. Sounds like there really aren’t many bike racks in that area. But I wouldn’t rely solely on the RackSpotter map yet for determining where there are a lot of racks. It’s a volunteer project. We’re getting there, but there’s still a lot of mapping left to do.

Earlier this year, I swept through every single street, road, block and lane in Pentagon City, Crystal City, Long Bridge Park, Arlington Ridge Rd. and Potomac Yard-Arlington to map the bike racks. (I did the same thing for nearly all of central DC, from Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle to the Mall, convention center, Nationals Park, Capitol Hill and NoMa. It took a while.) Some of us have looked at the eastern end of Columbia Pike. I found new racks when I rode around there a couple months ago. Even though there are a lot of racks mapped in Clarendon and Court House, I’m still finding that not all of the racks there have been mapped. There are also new racks being installed, at new developments and by various business improvement districts in ARL and DC.

Maybe after the Army Ten-Miler this weekend, I’ll get back to mapping a lot of bike racks again.

thank you for your efforts…they are herculean. In this case though I think the rackspotter map is accurate. In my experience, there are almost zero racks in my neighborhood. I’d like to see what can be done to get more racks installed, especially at the commercial areas. If there is a coordinated way to approaching a landlord/owner let me know.

[greenjug]

@Starduster 125653 wrote:

I’m not quite sure I would lock up at an abandoned restaurant. (This, the one-time Roy Rogers, one-time Bob & Edith’s, and 3 other restaurants afterwards, slated to be demolished and replaced.)

This area, this intersection, is a crossroads of two different cycling cultures. Us, crossing on the W&OD, and the local Latino community who are riding *on* Columbia Pike, dangers notwithstanding. As bobco85 has documented, it is *underserved* with proper bike racks.

there are definitely fewer reasons to ride on the pike on this stretch with the nice new side walks, and the bike boulevard to the north. That said I do sometimes ride on the pike here because there are so few 4MR crossings.

[elbows]

Could CPRO be of any assistance? Have you raised your concerns to the local neighborhood association?

Of course, neither of these groups are as useful as I wish, but they do need to at least hear from people.

[PotomacCyclist]

I don’t think there’s a formal process for landowners at existing buildings. I’ve written to some owners (Potomac Yard Shopping Center, National Harbor) about bikeshare without much success. Others have contacted landowners and businesses about adding bike racks at their properties. I don’t know how successful this is, but it can’t hurt to try. Some owners are completely resistant to bike facilities, for whatever reasons. (They may think that cyclists are dangerous, even though there are plenty of car drivers racing through and next to their properties at high speeds, and they don’t try to keep cars out.) Some older buildings may have narrow sidewalks and little room for bike racks, unfortunately.

I believe there are rules or practices for new developments, especially larger ones. Tim mentioned that new properties are supposed to be more bike-friendly. I can confirm this is the case with the new developments I’ve seen in Arlington. The new buildings all have bike racks. Some new and old buildings and parking garages have indoor bike parking/bike rooms. Some may even have showers and locker rooms for cyclists but I can’t confirm that.

Community and neighborhood groups are another place to discuss and coordinate email/in-person requests for bike racks, although not everyone may be as enthusiastic about bike racks as people on this forum. Most of the area Business Improvement Districts have been trying to promote cycling and bike infrastructure.

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) could be a good resource and partner:

http://www.columbia-pike.org/?page_id=215

[EDIT: I see that CPRO has already been mentioned.]

The new developments on the eastern end of the Pike have many bike racks. I don’t think there are as many new projects on the western end, but I believe there are a few being planned and built.

[greenjug]

@elbows 125700 wrote:

Could CPRO be of any assistance? Have you raised your concerns to the local neighborhood association?

Of course, neither of these groups are as useful as I wish, but they do need to at least hear from people.

unfortunately I am one of the useless officers of my neighborhood association . I raise concerns to myself constantly, and the number of satisfying responses I get is pathetically low. CPRO on the other hand tends to be pretty useful! I know they know my concerns and probably agree with me. Not too much I can do besides tracking down the owners of the properties and trying to convince them that racks are worth the investment.

[Tim Kelley]

@greenjug 125748 wrote:

Not too much I can do besides tracking down the owners of the properties and trying to convince them that racks are worth the investment.

Maybe start with those that are already Car Free Diet partners?

http://www.carfreediet.com/pages/car-free-diet-partners/#cat_3

[PotomacCyclist]

@PotomacCyclist 125709 wrote:

I don’t think there’s a formal process for landowners at existing buildings. I’ve written to some owners (Potomac Yard Shopping Center, National Harbor) about bikeshare without much success. Others have contacted landowners and businesses about adding bike racks at their properties. I don’t know how successful this is, but it can’t hurt to try. Some owners are completely resistant to bike facilities, for whatever reasons. (They may think that cyclists are dangerous, even though there are plenty of car drivers racing through and next to their properties at high speeds, and they don’t try to keep cars out.) Some older buildings may have narrow sidewalks and little room for bike racks, unfortunately.

I believe there are rules or practices for new developments, especially larger ones. Tim mentioned that new properties are supposed to be more bike-friendly. I can confirm this is the case with the new developments I’ve seen in Arlington. The new buildings all have bike racks. Some new and old buildings and parking garages have indoor bike parking/bike rooms. Some may even have showers and locker rooms for cyclists but I can’t confirm that.

Community and neighborhood groups are another place to discuss and coordinate email/in-person requests for bike racks, although not everyone may be as enthusiastic about bike racks as people on this forum. Most of the area Business Improvement Districts have been trying to promote cycling and bike infrastructure.

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) could be a good resource and partner:

http://www.columbia-pike.org/?page_id=215

[EDIT: I see that CPRO has already been mentioned.]

The new developments on the eastern end of the Pike have many bike racks. I don’t think there are as many new projects on the western end, but I believe there are a few being planned and built.

A few updates:

– Apparently it does help to contact property owners, especially if many people do it. The National Harbor owners have changed their tune on cycling in a major way. They have installed bike racks throughout the main development and are now publicly talking about bringing Capital Bikeshare to NH.

– Regarding western Columbia Pike, there are now 22 spaces at the U racks in Glencarlyn Park, at the new learners loop at Columbia Pike & FMR Drive. It’s a block away from Cafe Sazon but it’s closer than Arlington Mill.

– In the more distant future, a new development is being proposed for the Food Star grocery site at S. George Mason Drive. Columbia Pike Village Center will have ground-floor retail, a grocery, apartments and “secure bicycle parking.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2016/01/on-columbia-pike-surface-parking-will-give-way-to.html

The Arlington project page indicates that the secure storage facility will have 126 bike parking spaces, presumably for resident use only. But there will also be 28 public spaces on the streets.

http://projects.arlingtonva.us/projects/columbia-pike-village-center/

This presentation indicates that there would be bike racks on both Columbia Pike and on S. George Mason Drive. There will be a new grocery (likely to be a Harris Teeter), and a park or a central garden and a water feature.

http://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2015/11/AWG-PPT_Part2.pdf

https://www.arlnow.com/2015/08/13/county-seeking-input-on-new-pike-village-center-design/

These spaces will combine with the new racks at Glencarlyn Park and the racks between FMR and Wakefield St to provide much better bike parking options along western Columbia Pike. However, Columbia Pike Village Center won’t be ready for at least a couple years.

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