The Town of Vienna may soon be getting its long-planned Capital Bikeshare stations.
During its meeting on May 16, the town’s Board of Architectural Review approved site plans for three rental bicycle docking stations: one at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE), one in the Town Hall parking lot at 127 Center Street South, and one near the entrance to Navy Federal Credit Union’s headquarters at 801 Follin Lane SE.
Two more stations are planned on Ayr Hill Avenue NE at the Washington and Old Dominion Trail crossing and near the future mixed-use development at 444 Maple Avenue West, according to the application submitted by Vienna Transportation Engineer Andrew Jinks.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity to have some more bike commuting in Vienna,” BAR Chair Patty Hanley said.
Vienna has been considering joining Capital Bikeshare since at least 2018, when it participated in a feasibility study that also looked at expanding the system to the Fairfax City area and George Mason University’s campus.
Conducted jointly by the town, Fairfax City, Fairfax County and GMU, the study was completed in March 2019 and recommended 30 potential station locations, including the Vienna Community Center, the Navy Federal Credit Union headquarters, 444 Maple Avenue, the Town Green and Vienna Shopping Center.
According to Jinks, the proposed Town Green station was shifted to Ayr Hill instead, because “an appropriate location within the Town Green could not be determined.” The town hall station will be located on property adjacent to the Vienna Shopping Center and close to the Center Street/Maple Avenue intersection.
At the time of the study, Capital Bikeshare’s presence in Fairfax County was limited to Tysons and Reston, but the system has since expanded to Merrifield, Franconia and the Vienna Metro station area. Additional sites have been proposed near the Innovation Center and Huntington Metro stations.
Fairfax City installed 13 docking stations last summer, and GMU began rolling out stations at its Fairfax campus in March.
Though the study was finished in 2019, Vienna didn’t immediately begin planning and design work, since it had to coordinate some details with the Virginia Department of Transportation, which provided funding, Jinks told FFXnow by email.
“The planning/design phase has taken some time as the Town coordinates this project with multiple jurisdictions and agencies including VDOT, FCDOT, the City of Fairfax, multiple Town of Vienna Government departments, and with the company providing the stations and bikes,” Jinks said.
The initial design for the stations is now complete, Jinks told the BAR last month. The town said in 2021 that it would receive a VDOT grant for five stations, which were expected to cost a total of $272,400.
Jinks says the town anticipates starting construction on concrete pads for the stations by the end of this summer, when it would also put in manufacturing orders for the docking stations.
“It will take about 6 months to manufacture the stations (starting late this summer),” he said. “Once manufactured and delivered to the area, the installer should be about to install all the stations within a few days or less.”
The three stations presented for the architectural board’s approval will all be located on town property, but unlike the two other sites, they’re not within the street right-of-way.
According to a town staff memo, the stations will vary slightly in size:
- 120 Cherry St. SE — The applicant is proposing a 9-foot by 35-foot concrete pad constructed adjacent to the existing sidewalk. A 6-foot by 32-foot Capital Bikeshare station will be installed on the proposed concrete pad after construction.
- 127 Center St. S. — The applicant is proposing a 6-foot by 32-foot Capital Bikeshare station installed in the existing parking lot in the area currently designated as four parking spaces near Maple Ave. They also propose to install 7 flexible delineator posts along the bike station adjacent to the drive aisle and next parking space. Staff has requested information on these proposed flexible posts for the Board’s review.
- 801 Follin Ln SE — The applicant is proposing an 11-foot by 35-foot concrete pad to be constructed adjacent to the existing shared use path. Once constructed, a 6-foot by 32-foot Capital Bikeshare Station will be installed on the concrete pad.
Hanley noted that, when it rains, there are sometimes water issues at the Water Caffi Field softball batting cages by the W&OD Trail, near where the Vienna Community Center station is proposed.
“It’s probably not going to be an issue, but [water] does jump that curb sometimes,” she said.
