Construction begins on Metro’s first Bike & Ride facility at College Park + Reminder of Station Closings this 3 day Weekend

Photo of construction via WMATA

From a WMATA press release:

“Bike commuters looking for a more secure way of protecting their ride will soon have a new option at the College Park Metrorail station, with the addition of Metro’s first “Bike & Ride” facility.

Once completed, the new Bike & Ride—essentially a 2,400-square-foot room with steel mesh walls—will provide a bright, access-controlled area for locking bikes up to 120 bikes. If successful, the facility’s capacity can be expanded in a future phase.

Currently, about one-third of customers who park at College Park Station travel short distances (less than three miles) by car. Only about one percent travel to the station by bike, a percentage Metro hopes to increase once the new facility is completed.

“We want to do everything we can to encourage bike access to the Metro system,” said Nat Bottigheimer, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Planning. “By providing customers with enhanced security and convenience, our hope is that more College Park customers will consider bike access.”

“The cycling community is extremely pleased to see Metro taking its planning efforts to improve bicycle access to the next stage by starting work on a new type of bike parking solution,” said Shane Farthing, Executive Director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. “We look forward to seeing this facility open and well-used in the near future, and we hope that the lessons learned in College Park can be used to provide better, safer bicycle parking options throughout the system.”

Constructed using see-through steel mesh walls, the facility will feature bright lighting, multiple cameras and card-controlled access. Customers who sign up for bike parking will receive an access card or fob that allows them to enter. Customers using the new Bike & Ride will be charged a nominal fee (about 3-5 cents per hour). Free racks will continue to be available at the station.

The facility is being constructed within the existing College Park parking garage, using a space on the southeast corner of the building that was originally programmed for retail use.

Bike & Ride Features

24-hour card controlled access
Capacity for up to 120 bikes
Docking space for oversized bikes
Enclosed space provides protection from weather
Security features, including steel mesh walls, cameras, lighting
Emergency egress door and intercom

Construction is expected to be completed by early 2012.”

This sounds pretty sweet.

And in other metro news – just a reminder that the Shaw, U Street, and Columbia Heights stations be closed from 10 p.m. Friday through system opening Tuesday.