Bike Parking – bikeSpecific

DDOT to Install More On-Street Micromobility Parking Corrals

New dockless corral on E Street NW, across from one of the first corrals installed by DDOT

DDOT plans include the installation of 100 Off-Sidewalk Parking Corrals for Dockless Vehicles
Residents desiring corrals can submit a request for consideration
Coincides with regulation changes that previously allowed drivers to park close to intersections and crosswalks

According to a District Department of Transportation (DDOT) press release, the agency announced a plan to install 100 off-sidewalk dockless scooter and bike parking corrals across all eight wards of the District over the next several months. This appears to expand a bike corral pilot program that DDOT initiated last year.

DDOT has aggressively installed bike corrals across the District to test the the viability of corrals and possibly address concerns regarding scooters and bikes left in pedestrian rights-of-way, particularly on sidewalks in more residential areas.

According to the press release, “these off-sidewalk corrals provide a designated area where both shared dockless vehicle operators and riders and private vehicle riders can safely store their vehicles,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “By placing these corrals in no-parking zones near intersections, we are fulfilling Mayor Bowser’s vision of creative problem solving to make our streets safer for all users.”

Beginning in February 2020, DDOT will install off-sidewalk parking corrals across all eight wards. Residents on impacted blocks will receive notice from DDOT approximately one week before the corrals are installed.

Newly installed residential bike corral at the corner of 3rd and Gallaway Streets NE

DDOT has created a simple form that enables residents to submit a request for off-sidewalk parking corrals. DDOT will review submissions to identify possible micromobility parking locations, either in the roadway or on the sidewalk and assess submissions to determine safety and approximate demand.

DDOT intends to place corrals in the area between stop signs and the start of the parking zone, to also provide a deterrent against cars illegally parked and blocking the visibility of crosswalks. It’s unclear if DDOT intends to remove vehicular parking to accommodate new corrals.

Several years prior to this pilot, DDOT installed a hand full of bike corrals near Metro Center, Chinatown, and Penn Quarter. The most recent pilot expanded bike corrals in business improvement districts and commercial areas where higher numbers of dockless vehicles were expected to be parked. This pilot expanded bike corrals to residential areas where DDOT has received complaints regarding what DDOT considers to be improperly parked dockless vehicles.

DDOT also suggests that bike corrals incentivize dockless bikes and scooters operators and customers to place vehicles in a dedicated spaces. A map of installed and planned off-sidewalk parking corrals is available on DDOT’s website.

The bike corral plan also coincides with updated regulations regarding driver parking in residential zones. The updated regulation eliminated the exception for vehicles with in-zone RPP stickers to park overnight closer to the intersection than best safety practices and signage would allow.

Morning Commute – 12/30

The Morning Commute is an occasional look at meetings or other #BikeSpecific discussions and stories happening in the District. It also looks at interesting bike ideas or concepts from other places across the globe that could possibly work here. Again, this isn’t journalism, just fun.

Today’s commute includes:

Why are cities more dangerous of bicyclists?
There’s a brand-spankin’ new DC bike calendar
Are you registered to ride in MontCo?

The Bike Estate – EDENS project

Rendering of EDENS project, which span 4th Street NE in Union Market

The Bike Estate scours local blogs and government websites for information about bike facilities in new, recently opened, or planned residential or commercial buildings. The following is recently-filed development applications with the D.C. Zoning Commission.

UrbanTurf reports that the EDENS project, an expansive development in Union Market and pictured above, will offer public access to it rooftop and a total of 222 bicycle parking spaces.

According to the plan documents, the first level of the garage will include a secure bicycle storage room capable of accommodating 185 spaces. Residents will have separate bicycle storage from office and retail users, and all bicycle parking is located conveniently at the entrance of the top level of the garage.

The plans call for an additional approximately 37 short-term bicycle parking spaces located in public areas around the property. Showers and lockers will be provided for cyclists who commute to the project for work.

The building will include approximately 360 units, retail, and up to 250 vehicle parking spaces. The highlight of the project includes public access to a 28,800 sq feet of space with a quarter-mile walking and jogging path and multi-use recreational space that can be used for events.

Plan for roof top recreational area (EDENS)

Around the site, a pocket park will be built and contain fixed and movable site furnishings, dining areas, planters and other streetscape elements to hold sidewalk events and the daily use for residents, visitors, and office workers. On Street bicycle parking will also be available on or near sidewalks surrounding the site.

Bikeep Bike Parking Pilot comes to the Wilson Building


Bikeep Station at the corner of D and 13 1/2 Street NW Image: BikeSpecific

The Council of the District of Columbia Secretary send an email to workers in the John A. Wilson building, the District’s “City Hall”, about a new pilot bike parking program sponsored by Bikeep.

“Tomorrow, October 16, 2018, the Council will begin a pilot program for bicycle parking using an innovative mobile app-based bicycle parking system created and manufactured by Bikeep. It will be the first such bicycle parking station installed in the District of Columbia. The Bikeep station is located on 13½ Street and will accommodate 5 bicycles at a time. During the pilot, use of the station will be limited to employees in the John A. Wilson Building. The station is being supported by Bikeep and is free-of-charge to building employees.”

Bikeep’s CEO, Kristjan Lind visited the Wilson Building on Wednesday to discuss the program and answer questions.

Mr. Lind explained that Bikeep fills in gaps in the bike parking network where traditional bike parking fails. For example, Bikeep system is modular and doesn’t require installation in concrete to be effective, allowing administrators to easily add or remove bike parking stations. The system also allows schools and business that have abandoned bikes to easily remove those bikes just by using the system’s app.

Below is additional information conveyed in the government email:

What is Bikeep?
Bikeep was founded in 2013 in Tallinn, Estonia to encourage sustainable transportation alternatives options and increase security for bicycles. Bikeep offers a secure, connected, and integrated solution for bicycle parking to meet increased demand for bicycle parking. The system allows station sponsors to monitor and assess bicycle parking usage and statics through a customized admin portal. It also allows them to send automated messages to users. Currently, Bikeep is being used around the world, including by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in San Francisco.

Why is the Council installing a Bikeep station?

According to U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people using a bicycle to get to work nearly doubled in the District of Columbia, between 2010 and 2015. By 2015, the District was tied with San Francisco and trailed only Portland and Minneapolis with 4.0% of workers using a bicycle to get work every day. Bicycle commuters in the District increased to 4.3% in 2016. These figures are dramatically higher (16%) when “occasional cyclists” and those who use a bicycle to get part of the way to work before transferring to another form of public transportation are considered.

This increase in bicycle commuting, while exciting and beneficial, has also increased demand for bicycle parking. The existing bicycle racks on 13 ½ Street, NW are frequently occupied by non-Wilson Building employees and are inaccessible to District employees that commute via bicycles. Bikeep provides an innovative and technologically sophisticated solution to this problem.

How does it work?

During the initial pilot, the Bikeep station on 13 ½ Street, NW will utilize smartphone apps or call-in numbers to lock/unlock one’s bicycle. In the future, integration with Metro’s SmartTrip card is possible.

Bikeep’s easy-to-use app can be downloaded for free on iPhone and Android devices at the iTunes App Store and Google Play respectively.

What will it cost to park my bicycle in the Bikeep station?
During this pilot, Bikeep will be offered free-of-charge to employees in the Wilson Building. It is anticipated that future stations at the Wilson Building will be open to the general public without a fee. In commercial situations, Bikeep only charges for the purchase of the station. While a station can be restricted to certain users by the sponsor, there is never a charge to the users to park a bicycle.

Are Bikeep stations secure?

Yes. The locks used on Bikeep stations utilize a specially designed, industrial grade galvanized steel bar that is impossible to saw through. Bikeep stations are equipped with a security system that is triggered if a bicycle theft is attempted. The system features a loudspeaker and will forward distress signals to the appropriate local security service. Currently, Bikeep stations have been used for over 1 million parking sessions without a single theft.