Fort Belvoir considers bike-sharing

The garrison is mulling through the idea of offering bike-sharing to the Fort Belvoir community.

The installation is working with MetroBike, a bike-sharing consultant company, on an initiative that would create a network of cycles for people to use as transportation to various locations on post such as offices and eateries.

The price for the program ranges from $2,500 to $8,000 per bike for total capital and annual operating expenses.

"The long-term goal is to have stations spread out about five minutes apart from each location," said Juanita Green, garrison transportation demand management coordinator.

No start date is set for this initiative but Green expects Belvoir to have the transportation method in the near future.

According to Paul DeMaio, founder and managing member of MetroBike, bike-sharing is a short term transit rental service.

The method is used in the U.S. and across the globe, with America having approximately 10 cycling networks in the country.

A network typically consists of multiple bikes left unattended at several secured docking stations.

The stations also have a kiosk and map for payment and navigation purposes respectively.

Patrons can use a variety of payment card methods to cover the rental fee then cycle to the different locations within a bike-sharing network such as restaurants and tourist attractions.

DeMaio said the docks are ideally separated by about three miles so that people can travel as close to their destination as possible.

The number of bicycles and docking stations as well as the rental charges varies from network.

Washington D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare system for example, has 1,200 bicycles at 140 stations in D.C. and Arlington, Va. The network charges a membership fee that ranges from $7 to $75.

The first 30 minutes of the actual rental is free but an incremental fee is charged for every additional 30 minutes of use.

According to Green, Fort Belvoir, which is significantly smaller than D.C. and Arlington, would likely have a scaled down version of the Capital Bikeshare network.

Green said the garrison’s system would have docks close to offices, businesses and recreational locations for employees and residents.

The transportation method could help mass transit commuters travel to meetings, lunch and shuttle pick-ups throughout the work day.

Biking could also be an alternative for community members traveling to places on post such as fitness centers and convenience stores.

Green expects Belvoir to start the program slow with stations potentially located at 12th Street, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and the 300 area.

The ultimate number of bicycles and docks would depend on funding and demand.

"I would like to see it all through the installation as a means of transportation for employees," Green said. "A lot of them using mass transit don’t have means internally to travel around post."

The transit method could have a number of long-term benefits to the installation.

Bike-sharing would reduce the number of vehicles on the road which reduces congestion, accidents and car emissions. Daily ridership is also a form of exercise.

"It’s introducing bicycling to people who haven’t been on a bike since they were a child," DeMaio said of bike-sharing’s popularity in other areas of the country.

The garrison’s next step is to acquire assistance from directorate and tenant organizations on post for funding and maintenance support of any future network of bikes.