 Councilmember Valerie Ervin Advocates for a SmartBike Montgomery Program
Ervin Continues to Promote Transportation Options to Improve Connectivity and the Environment
September 30, 2008 - Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin has asked the County Executive to partner with her to create a SmartBike program for Montgomery County. 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. "There is an immediate need for the County to implement a SmartBike program to increase Montgomery County's transportation options, encourage non-automobile travel, increase access to mass transit, alleviate congestion, reduce vehicle emissions, and improve the quality of life for our residents," according to Councilmember Ervin who represents District 5, which includes Kensington, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Wheaton and many of the County's most urban communities.
What: The SmartBike rental program provides bicycles to residents for short-term use. Residents use pre-paid membership cards to access bicycles at fixed bicycle racks. Locks and helmets are provided by the user, while repairs are provided by the program operator.
Where: Initially, the program would focus on rental locations in the County's Central Business Districts (Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Bethesda) and Takoma Park, with the exact locations to be determined by the Department of Tranportation in concert with the provider and input from the community. Initial sites for bicycle rentals could include: the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center, Montgomery College Silver Spring/Takoma Park Campus, the new Silver Spring Library, Silver Place, the Capital Crescent Trail, and metro stations in Wheaton, Bethesda, and Takoma Park.
Cost: Similar to the District of Columbia and other SmartBike programs across the Country and throughout the world, the Councilmember's proposal anticipates that the program will be cost neutral due to membership fees and revenue that can be generated by advertising.
"With gas prices at an all-time high, the time has come for us to get serious about providing alternative modes of transportation for our County and the Washington metropolitan region. With the start of SmartBike DC this summer, a SmartBike program for Montgomery County will give residents an opportunity to leave their cars at home, save money on gasoline, help our environment, and provide additional transportation options for work and recreation." Ervin has requested that a pilot program start as soon as possible, but no later that October 1, 2009.
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| About the Office of Councilmember Valerie Ervin
Sincerely,
Valerie Ervin
Councilmember - District 5
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Bicycle photo courtesy of Herogroup © 1993-2006. |
