Open House Regarding Capital Bikeshare Stations at Gravelly Point & Roosevelt Island

[rayatkinson]

Cabi stations need to be located everywhere in places that do not result in casual users stopping and standing around in the trail itself. Gravelly Point is already one of the worst spots in the region for this behavior, and placing a Cabi dock directly adjacent the trail like that will only make it worse. Gravelly Point is a great place to have a station, but it should be put on the perimeter of the parking lot visible from but recognizably away from the trail. The same goes for just about everywhere else whenever possible.

Thank you for sharing! I'm going to refer to the below photo in my reply. Currently, bikes would be accessed from the south side of the station, which faces towards the trail. We understand this could result in conflicts for trail users and station users so we are looking at several alternative options for the Gravelly Point station. One option is to rotate the current station 180 degrees so the bikes would be accessed from the north side of the station (away from the trail). Another option is to move the station to a new location. Do you like one of these options? If so, why do you like the option?

You wrote how you would put the station "on the perimeter of the parking lot visible from but recognizably away from the trail." We previously sited the station on the north side of the parking lot before moving the station to the current location. Due to federal law that requires an uninterrupted capitol viewshed along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the National Park Service asked us to move the station east of the portable toilets so we moved the station to the current location. If we can find a location that isn't in the capitol viewshed, we are still considering the possibility of siting the station on the west side of the parking lot. Do you prefer any specific locations on the perimeter of the parking lot?

[rayatkinson]

If I recall correctly from an airfield planning course I sat through many years ago, the Gravelly location is probably within the critical area immediately off the end of the runway which would likely require FAA approval as well

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

You are correct. We are working through the proper channels to get approval to install the station. If you would like to share thoughts about the Gravelly Point and Roosevelt Island stations, feel free to share them here or through this survey (https://goo.gl/2oeINA). Thank you for sharing!

[bobco85]

Here's where I think the station could go without much trouble (the image is to scale). The pic shows both the proposed site and my idea which would be to use some parking spaces (yellow is access area, blue is station area):


Btw, I was able to access the survey from home. Turns out my office doesn't like Google Docs, so that's why it was asking for a username and password.

[KLizotte]

No, no, no!!!!!!!!! That is the worst possible spot. That area is total chaos during daylight hours all day on weekends and afternoons/evenings during the week. It is like proposing a bus stop in the middle of Times Square. I thought Gravelly Pt was supposed to get a new bike path that led away from the crowds? We need that more than a Cabi station.

How about locating the station near the boat ramp or the other side of the intersection from the toilets.

The NPS is concerned about blocking the view but unconcerned about stinky, unsanitary port-o-potties?! Bizarre.

[Judd]

I responded to the survey. I share the general sentiment that the proposed site at Gravelly Point is the worst possible location that could be chosen. I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.

[scoot]

How about the SW corner of the parking lot? Still close enough for easy visibility and trail access without being so close as to be hazardous. Also a more pleasant experience for CaBi employees to rebalance than next to the toilets (though this station shouldn't need much service)

[rayatkinson]

No, no, no!!!!!!!!! That is the worst possible spot. That area is total chaos during daylight hours all day on weekends and afternoons/evenings during the week. It is like proposing a bus stop in the middle of Times Square. I thought Gravelly Pt was supposed to get a new bike path that led away from the crowds? We need that more than a Cabi station.

How about locating the station near the boat ramp or the other side of the intersection from the toilets.

The NPS is concerned about blocking the view but unconcerned about stinky, unsanitary port-o-potties?! Bizarre.

The below illustration shows an updated version of the proposed Gravelly Point station. I would like to get your and everyone else's feedback. We are still negotiating with the NPS and Motivate (Capital Bikeshare operator) so the below illustration isn't final. I read everyone's concerns about the station being located near the portable restrooms and close to the trail so I moved the station further from the trail and rotated it 180 degrees, which means people will access the bikes from the north (field) side of the station. Due to few alternative locations, we haven't been able to move the station away from the portable restrooms. What do you think about the new proposed Gravelly Point station?

[EasyRider]

Ray, thanks for trying.

Is this correct: NPS is asking that the Bikeshare station be placed east of the portable toilets in the primo spot for plane watching, because those toilets are already blocking the drivers' views of the city from the GW Parkway. The overriding site location consideration is not safety or accessibility, but preserving an unobstructed view west (except for the toilets) for drivers on the parkway (who should be looking north and south).

[Tim Kelley]

Perhaps Ray can correct me or add something to this, but I heard there was an issue with getting the flatbed crane truck in.

Because the crane would temporarily (like 3 minutes) need to be extended to unload the docks, it would conflict with the flight paths.

If this seems crazy and silly to you, we're in the same boat.

[KLizotte]

The below illustration shows an updated version of the proposed Gravelly Point station. I would like to get your and everyone else's feedback. We are still negotiating with the NPS and Motivate (Capital Bikeshare operator) so the below illustration isn't final. I read everyone's concerns about the station being located near the portable restrooms and close to the trail so I moved the station further from the trail and rotated it 180 degrees, which means people will access the bikes from the north (field) side of the station. Due to few alternative locations, we haven't been able to move the station away from the portable restrooms. What do you think about the new proposed Gravelly Point station?

Nope, no, nada, non, and nyet. Still an absolutely *terrible* spot.

It's very dangerous for cyclists to go through that area today because

1) People are coming in and out of the port-o-potties without looking (and probably suffering from oxygen loss due to holding their breath).

2) Tourists wander all over the MUP like zombies even when big shiny objects are rolling straight at them and making lots of noise - ding, ding, ding (how these tourist managed to actually drive to Gravelly point safely always baffles me). Seriously, they look at you and simply do not comprehend that they are on the wrong side and need to move or else they simply just stand in the middle of the MUP when there is grass right over there!

3) Tourists and regulars alike routinely allow their children to lie down, play, and walk unimpeded along the MUP in that area like it's a playground (I've had to weave around at least ten scooters lying on the MUP over the last four years; I once saw someone lay out a picnic blanket across the MUP by the trash cans).

4) Even informed visitors get caught up watching the planes and walk around like zombies.

5) Cyclists and runners don't always behave well themselves (usually in a hurry during the afternoon commute); I've seen a couple of collisions that did not end well right in front of the trash cans.

6) People taking out a Cabi are often wobbly for a bit till they get used to the bike (just this weekend a guy on a Cabi went very wide on a MUP turn and I had to slam on the brakes in order to avoid a head-on collision; he simply looked at me blankly, didn't apologize, slow down or even touch his brakes). Cabi riders, esp those unfamiliar with MUPs and the general area pose a risk to other MUP users.

Do not bring on the zombie apocalypse!!!! Even if you have to move the station so that it is further north and people have to walk a bit is preferable.