Capital Bikeshare Mulls Installing New Locations in West Dupont

Where should Capital Bikeshare’s proposed new stations in West Dupont be? That was the question during the transportation portion of last night’s ANC 2B meeting.

Sam Zimbabwe, an associate director at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), addressed the ANC on behalf of the department to request comment on installing new Bikeshare stations at the intersections of 22nd and P streets NW and 21st and R streets NW.

The intersections, Zimbabwe said, were identified by users as sought-after spots for new stations. “We’re starting the process of community outreach to narrow down the focus of where that will be,” he added.

Commissioner Daniel Warwick, 2B-02, said residents in his single member district (SMD) did not have comments regarding the intersection at 21st and R streets, but added that neighbors  suggested the southeast corner by the leading lamppost on P Street, along a street frontage in front of Crios (2120 P St. NW) or next to the bookstore as possible options at the intersection of 22nd and P streets.

Several Dupont residents in the audience weighed in with mixed opinions.

“I think the 22nd and P southeast corner near the bookstore is not a bad idea,” one resident said. “But I don’t know where you’re going to find space at 21st and R.”

Another person in the audience didn’t comment on the proposed locations, but instead asked Zimbabwe to make Bikeshare users better “aware of what the traffic laws are.”

“I live on 17th Street, which is a one-way street, and the bicycles are constantly coming the wrong way,” the resident said. “They don’t stop at stoplights or pedestrian crossings and that’s a concern to the people that live in this area.”

Zimbabwe responded by saying the department does put traffic laws on the bikes themselves “but it’s something that we struggle with and we will try to do better than that.”

Ultimately, the ANC gave its blessing to the proposed stations by a vote of 8 yeas, 0 nays and 0 abstentions.