Capital Bikeshare’s familiar red stations might soon start popping up in another section of Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual community meeting on Thursday (Aug. 22) at 7 p.m. to share its plans for expanding the rental bicycle program into the Mason and Braddock Districts.
Freddy Serrano, head of communications for FCDOT, said the proposed expansion will bring the program into the Annandale, Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads neighborhoods.
“These areas were chosen to improve access to affordable and convenient mobility options for these communities,” Serrano said. “The proposed locations in Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads will provide residents with connections to the existing Capital Bikeshare networks in the City of Falls Church and Arlington County, respectively.”
A total of 16 new stations are proposed, most of them in the Mason District:
Annandale
- Heritage Drive and Rectory Drive
- Ravensworth Drive and Jayhawk Drive
- Daniels Avenue and Poplar Street
- Little River Turnpike and Annandale Road
- Little River Turnpike and Medford Drive
- Americana Drive and Americana Place, Annandale (Braddock)
- Patriot Drive and Inverton Road, Annandale (Braddock)
Seven Corners
- Cherry Street and Lawndale Drive
- Peyton Randolph Drive and Willston Drive
- Patrick Henry Drive and Willston Drive
- Patrick Henry Drive and Brook Drive
Bailey’s Crossroads
- Glen Carlyn Drive and Argyle Drive
- George Mason Drive and Seminary Road
- Carlin Springs Road and Columbia Pike
- Columbia Pike and Carlin Springs Road
- Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and South Jefferson Street
Serrano says the new stations will be funded by federal earmarks that the department received for this purpose.
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez said he jumped at the opportunity to bring Capital Bikeshare to his district in January and has shepherded it to this point.
“The expansion into Mason District will go a long way in helping residents get around without adding to vehicle traffic, carbon emissions and parking,” Jimenez said. “It’s also crucial we roll out this expansion in an equitable way, and I think we’ve achieved that here with cheap membership options for folks who receive government assistance and by placing these stations in communities where there are gaps in public transit.”
Jimenez’s office said residents who qualify for state and federal assistance through SNAP, WANF, Social Security, Medicaid and other programs are eligible for a $5 annual membership.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw also expressed excitement for the potential expansion.
“[I] look forward to the feedback we receive on the proposed locations,” he said. “Expanding opportunities for bicycling is key to our Active Fairfax multimodal transportation vision.”
Residents can join the meeting via Microsoft Teams or can dial-in. Comments on the proposed stations will be accepted through an online survey until Sept. 6. or by leaving a message for the FCDOT team.
This isn’t the county’s only planned Capital Bikeshare expansion. Earlier this year, FCDOT got public feedback and received two federal grants for 12 possible stations in the Mount Vernon District.
Serrano said stations near the Huntington Metro Station, which are funded by a Transportation Alternatives Program grant, will be installed later this year or early in 2025. The other Mount Vernon District stations, including ones along the Mount Vernon Trail and around Fort Hunt Park, will be installed in 2025 or later, he said.
