Montgomery Co. Advocates for SmartBikes

[7rider]

ROCKVILLE, Md., September 29. 2008—Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin has asked County Executive Isiah Leggett to partner with her to create a SmartBike program. In a letter sent to the County Executive on September 25, she requested that the Department of Transportation work to make this program a reality in Montgomery County.

The SmartBike rental program provides bicycles to residents for short-term use at convenient locations. Residents use pre-paid membership cards to access bicycles at fixed bicycle racks in strategic locations.
Read more here (http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/Council/PressRelease/PR_details.asp?PrID=4909).

[ny biker]

This is good. Especially if they can make it compatible with the DC program.

[Kalidurga]

I've seen a few of the DC SmartBikes around. Just today on my lunch break, I saw a guy on a SmartBike who couldn't seem to decide whether or not to stop as the light turned red at Connecticut and K, along the top of Farragut Park. Apparently, SmartBike <> smart rider :rolleyes:

If MoCo gets a SmartBike program, will they be smart enough to improve the rideability of the county's roads by adding bike lanes, routes, etc?

[divingbiker]

I didn't read the article, but it seems to me that Montgomery County is so spread out that it will only work in limited areas, like maybe downtown Silver Spring or Rockville. I certainly wouldn't rent a bike to ride from Wheaton to Gaithersburg!

[7rider]

I didn't read the article, but it seems to me that Montgomery County is so spread out that it will only work in limited areas, like maybe downtown Silver Spring or Rockville. I certainly wouldn't rent a bike to ride from Wheaton to Gaithersburg!

From the article: Initial sites for bicycle rentals could include: the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center; Montgomery College, Takoma Park Campus; Silver Place; the Capital Crescent Trail; and metro stations in Wheaton and Bethesda.

I think the Sarbanes Transit Center is right where the Metro is (by my office). Not sure where "Silver Place" is (I think it's the mall in downtown SS). But, yeah...I would think the bikes and the program would be geared toward short-hop quick jaunts to nearby locations. Maybe to compete with or complement the Van-Go (free purple bus in downtown Silver Spring). But, yeah....if you do this, you do need better in-town bike facilities.