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Metro Responds to Bike Parking Demand at McLean Station

September 29th, 2014 1 comment

Demand for bicycle parking at the new McLean Station exceeded capacity in the Silver Line’s first few weeks, so Metro has already added more racks.

When Metro planners learned that bike racks were not prominent in the Silver Line station designs (completed by our partners in Virginia), Metro fought hard to make sure that bike racks were planned for and installed at the stations.  And that’s good news, indeed, because by August, nearly all of the bike racks were full at McLean station.  Recognizing this need, Metro added space for 20 more bicycles (10 racks) at the station.  The new racks bring the total capacity for bikes to 72 on racks. Bike lockers are still available at McLean, too.

Increasing bike access to the Silver Line is a good sign for ridership, revenue, and station access. Metro will keep an eye on utilization this fall and add capacity where needed.

Bike Parking at McLean station on the Silver Line last Thursday.

Nearly full bike racks at McLean station on the Silver Line a few weeks ago, before Metro added more racks.

Bike to Work Day 5/16: Three Pitstops at Metrorail Stations

May 13th, 2014 Comments off

BTWD_2014_metroBike to Work Day is Friday, May 16th, and this year Metro is hosting three pitstops at Metrorail stations.  Bike to Metro and Metro to Work! Register now.

If biking all the way to work sounds a bit daunting this year, Bike to Metro and Metro to Work! Leave your bike at a Metrorail station or a bus stop.

Metro is hosting three pitstops at Metrorail stations, where we’ll be distributing t-shirts, maps, information about parking your bike, bikes on bus, locker rentals, and of course – free goodies.   In addition, Metro Transit Police will be at all three pitstops distributing free U-locks to cyclists who register their bikes.  We’ll even have a “bike rack demonstration” bus so you can try using the bike rack on buses.

Register now at www.biketoworkmetrodc.org, and enter your pitstop as one of the stations above!

Categories: In The News Tags: , ,

Pedestrian Paths and Bike Stairchannel Complete at Glenmont

November 15th, 2013 9 comments

As we continue to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to Metrorail,  Metro has recently completed several  improvements on the east side of Glenmont station.

Walking and bicycling are key access strategies for Metrorail, as Metro seeks to grow ridership in sustainable and cost-effective ways. As our studies have shown, accommodating new riders at our current access modal shares would be quite costly to the region.  At Glenmont station, around 12% of riders in the morning arrive on foot or by bike, but there may be growth potential. Nearly 80 customers per day live within 1 mile of the station but currently park.  Over 550 customers, or a third of all parking customers, live within 3 miles of the station but currently park.

To make Glenmont station more attractive and safe for pedestrians and bicycles, Metro’s Parking Office has constructed new paved pathways connecting the station to the intersection of Layhill Road and Glenallan Avenue, replacing a dirt path. Metro has completed this work as part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Capital Improvement Program.

Glenmont NE Path 3Glenmont NE Path 2

Read more…

New Bike Racks at Brookland-CUA and Shady Grove

November 14th, 2012 Comments off

Metro’s Parking Office recently completed new bike rack installations at Shady Grove and Brookland-CUA stations, with parking for over 80 additional bicycles. This work was completed as part of our Pedestrian and Bicycle Capital Improvement Program.

The new racks at Brookland are located on the west side of the station, just off the Metropolitan Branch Trail. At Shady Grove, the new bicycle racks are in two places on the west side: near the station entrance and bus loop, and near the Kiss & Ride loop where bicyclists had previously locked to handrails.

Next up? Pedestrian improvements at Glenmont station – stay tuned!

Brookland Pedestrian Improvements

August 31st, 2012 3 comments

Metro has constructed several pedestrian improvements on the east side of Brookland-CUA station to create a safer and more pleasant pedestrian experience.The majority of the work was improving the connection from the station entrance to Bunker Hill Rd. NE  (map), which had previously been a dirt path.  We installed new stairs and an accessible ramp to Bunker Hill Rd. NE, and added sidewalks and curb ramps along the road, up to the intersection with 9th St. NE.  In addition, we made improvements to several crosswalks and curb ramps near the bus loop. We undertook this work as part of Metro’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Element of 2012-2017 Capital Improvement Program.  Pictures below:

New staircase and ramp replace former dirt path at Brookland-CUA station

New sidewalk and curb ramps replace former dirt path

New sidewalk to access intersection of Bunker Hill Rd. NE and 9th St. NE

As some eagle-eyed spotters have noticed, we are also working on installing new bike racks on the west side of Brookland-CUA station, near the Met Branch Trail. However, the installed racks were not quite up to our standard, so we have instructed our contractor to replace them and they should be complete shortly.

Categories: Planning Studies Tags: ,

New Pedestrian Paths at College Park Station

June 6th, 2012 3 comments

In conjunction with the Bike & Ride facility, Metro recently constructed multiple sidewalks on the east side of College Park – U of MD station to provide easier and safer pedestrian and bicycle access to the station and the Bike & Ride.  One of the sidewalks provides direct access to Paint Branch Parkway which leads to the Northeast Branch Trail less than ½ mile away.  In addition to the sidewalks, we installed curb ramps to meet ADA standards, and established a safer pedestrian route across the bus loop to the station entrance.

We undertook this work as part of Metro’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Element of 2012-2017 Capital Improvement Program.  We will be making bike, pedestrian, ADA and sidewalk improvements next at Cheverly, Landover, New Carrollton, Glenmont, Shady Grove, Brookland-CUA, Huntington, W. Falls Church, Vienna and Van Dorn.  What key bike and pedestrian connections at stations do you recommend be made?

Before and after pictures are shown below:

New pedestrian and bicycle improvements at College Park station.