Bikeshare expansion passes over LeDroit Park
Capital Bikeshare, the District’s smashingly successful bikesharing system, will expand this fall. Unfortunately, the expansion plans for this fall exclude LeDroit Park.
The District and Arlington launched the system a year ago with 14 stations in Arlington and 100 in the District. This fall, DDOT will add 34 stations in the District. In our area, DDOT will add a station by the Shaw Library and another at 1st Street NW and Rhode Island Avenue NW in Bloomingdale.
These additions should help alleviate the pressure placed on the existing stations at 7th & T Streets NW in Shaw and at Florida Avenue and R Street NW in Bloomingdale. Currently, LeDroiters and Bloomingdalers compete to use these two stations and thus frequently leave the stations empty or full during rushhour.
Last week DDOT Director Terry Bellamy announced that the district will add 50 stations early next year. We hope that in this new round DDOT focuses more attention on LeDroit Park and other neighborhoods in ANC 1B.
For instance, a Capital Bikeshare station could easily go in at the Park at LeDroit’s south entrance at 3rd and Elm Streets NW. This location is central to the neighborhood and could bring some extra eyes to the park throughout the day.
Outside of LeDroit Park, there is a noticeable station gap in the northern reaches of Bloomingdale and around Cardozo High School.
Capital Bikeshare is particuarly successful in our part of DC for several reasons:
- Car ownership is relatively low compared to the rest of the nation, region, and city. This inclines people to bike more.
- Parking is particularly difficult on many neighborhood streets, thus making cycling more attractive.
- The historical development of this area has permitted the close proximity of commercial uses to residential uses. This means trips to shops and restaurants are short and easily made by bike.
- Downtown is a short ride away and biking is often faster than taking the bus.
We have the same problem in Trinidad. We’ve been passed over so far, in spite of strong neighborhood support for a station. Hopefully we’ll factor in the next round as well. Our neighborhood has many of the same qualities as LeDroit Park that you mentioned here, and a station just makes sense.
There is indeed a noticeable gap north of Florida, but I’d suggest that’s because the section is in the middle of a hill.
There is a bikeshare for the west side of ledroit and one for the east side. LeDroit isnt that big. The spacing of the stations vs the density they serve is consistent here as with other areas. In fact, every place in LeDroit is only a 3-4 block walk to a station, which is far better than other areas of the city. So, yes, if LeDroit had its own address and Cabi stations had addresses, there wouldnt be a station with LeDroit in its address, but LeDroit is certainly well served.