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Capital Bikeshare may get 99 new stations by fiscal year 2018, as the 5-year old system begins eyeing expansion and faces the first big round of repair and maintenance costs.
Proposed future stations would fill in gaps downtown and bring over a dozen east of the Anacostia River, in addition to more in neighborhoods where the service has been popular, like Columbia Heights and Petworth. Twenty-one existing stations would also be expanded.
The proposals come from a draft of the District Department of Transportation’s Capital Bikeshare Development Plan, released Tuesday.
For fiscal year 2016, the study suggests adding 47 stations across D.C., including outlying areas such as Takoma Park, Deanwood, and Fort Dupont. Many of the new stations will focus on meeting demand in high usage areas, largely in Ward 1 and downtown. DDOT predicts ridership to grow year-over-year by 4 percent.
The agency did not “identify specific dollar-figure financial constraints” in the study, but it expects it can install up to 110 new stations by fiscal year 2021. A key recommendation is that the maximum distance between stations should be half a mile, to maintain station density. Most Bikeshare trips are under 3 miles and 30 minutes in duration, according to DDOT.
Many bicycles in service are also approaching the end of their 7-year lifespans, and the cost of replacing them will add up by 2018. DDOT predicts spending around $1.5 million for repairs in fiscal year 2018; costs shoot up to $6 million in fiscal year 2021, the year many stations will need replacement.
The 143-page study is intended to guide decision making in the future, the study says. Before any stations are added, DDOT will first go through a community outreach process and secure funding.
“While this plan highlights recommended areas for stations, public feedback will help determine which specific locations are best suited for Bikeshare stations,” the study reads.
Photo by Darrow Montgomery; screenshots via DDOT