Jaime Fearer - Greater Greater Washington

Shocking rhetoric from John Townsend and AAA

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:02:00 EDT

by Dan Malouff, Ken Archer, David Edmondson, Ben Ross, Aimee Custis, Dan Reed, Geoff Hatchard, Rahul Mereand-Sinha, Jaime Fearer, Topher Mathews, Matt Johnson, Michael Perkins, Martin Moulton, Steven Glazerman, Tracey Johnstone, Tim Krepp, Steven Yates, Sandra Moscoso, Nick Casey, Joe Weedon, Canaan Merchant, Bradley Heard, Jereme Altendorf, Jacques Arsenault, Brent Bolin, Abigail Zenner, John Muller, Brian McEntee, Ben Harris, Sarah Lewis, Sally Hobaugh, Ryan Sigworth, Darren Buck, Mark Jordan, Miles Grant, Jessica Christy, Laura Dallas McSorley, Nolan Treadway, and Stewart Schwartz

This week's Washington City Paper cover story quoted AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend calling Greater Greater Washington editor David Alpert "retarded" and a "ninny," and comparing Greater Greater Washington to the Ku Klux Klan.

Many other reporters, people on Twitter, and residents generally have clearly stated in response what should of course go without saying, that such personal attacks are beyond the pale.

Some may get the sense that there is personal animosity between Townsend and the team here at Greater Greater Washington. At least on our end, nothing could be further from the truth. We simply disagree with many of his policy positions and his incendiary rhetoric.

Spirited argument is important in public policy, but it should not cross into insults. When it does, that has a chilling effect on open discourse. Fostering an inclusive conversation about the shape of our region is the purpose of this site, but discourse must be civil to be truly open. That's why our comment policy here on Greater Greater Washington prohibits invective like this. In our articles, we try hard to avoid crossing this line, and are disappointed when we or others do, intentionally or inadvertently.

The "war on cars" frame unnecessarily pits drivers against cyclists and pedestrians instead of working together for positive solutions. The City Paper article, by Aaron Wiener, does a good job of debunking that, and is worth reading for much more than the insults it quotes.

When pressed, Townsend told Wiener he wants to back away from the "war on cars."

"I regret the rhetoric sometimes," he says. "Because I think that when you use that type of language, it shuts down communication with people who disagree."

We hope Townsend, his colleagues, and their superiors also regret the things he said about David and Greater Greater Washington. We look forward to the day when AAA ceases using antagonistic language and begins working toward safety, mobility, and harmony among all road users.

In the meantime, residents do have a choice when purchasing towing, insurance, and travel discounts. Better World Club is one company that offers many of the same benefits as AAA, but without the disdain.

289 comments

Brooks pushes energy efficiency for DC

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:27:00 EDT

by Jaime Fearer

Former DC Council candidate Sam Brooks has been hired to lead a new sustainability and energy division in the DC government. He sat down for an interview about how the District can be a world leader in sustainability and energy conservation.

Photo by Keoki Seu on Flickr.

Since his 2006 DC Council bid, Brooks has been busy making a name for himself in energy efficiency contracting and green workforce development. In February, he was tapped to put that experience to good use as head of the Sustainability & Energy Division at the District's newly-formed Department of General Services.

Q: You're the new head of a new division of a new agency. What exactly do you do?

The Department of General Services constructs, modernizes, and manages the District's government facilities. I've heard people refer to DGS as DC's GSA. That's part of it. When Mayor Gray created DGS, he charged us with overseeing one of the largest commitments to public school modernization in the United States and we're doing it with a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Our portfolio includes 30 million square feet of real estate that encompasses schools, office buildings, fire houses, police stations, recreation centers, and more.

DGS's Sustainability & Energy Division specifically deals with supply of and demand for the government's energy. We acquire the energy commodities for DC government facilities, from electricity to natural gas to water, and we pay the bills—all of which is no small task. In many respects, we quite literally keep the lights on.

But the supply of energy is just one component. A core mission for the Sustainability & Energy Division is to create a portfolio of government facilities that run at optimal efficiency in both energy consumption and cost. From efficient buildings with minimum energy consumption, to first-class stormwater and waste management, to maximizing the District's tree canopy, to even looking at the potential for urban agriculture. My team and I have our hands in all of these initiatives."

Q: What kind of impact do you think DGS can really make in the city with respect to sustainability?

Our agency will have a tremendous impact on the city's sustainability. We are already building from a strong foundation. For instance, all of our new construction projects are LEED certified, and we recently won a national Green Ribbon Schools award from the Obama administration. But there's no doubt we want to go even further. Much further.

Mayor Gray has laid out an inspired vision for the city. The SustainableDC initiative has put forward goals such as reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in the next 20 years. So, it definitely feels like we have the wind in our sails. In my opinion, the Mayor has not gotten enough credit for his bold vision for sustainability. It's a vision that is going to make real change in the District.

Our director, Brian Hanlon, has a goal to lead by example with regard to sustainability and green features in our portfolio. Our goal is nothing less than to become a beacon for sustainability efforts around the world."

Q: Any plans to make some of these goals actionable, to actually get some specific initiatives underway?

DGS has an ambitious agenda over the short- and mid-term and we're moving aggressively to execute this game plan. Here are some examples:

The Mayor delivered on his commitment to energy efficiency with his FY13 budget: DGS has roughly $10 million for retrofits next fiscal year (starting October 1, 2012). A retrofit is a project that removes older, less energy efficient equipment and replaces it with new, more energy efficient systems. We've already mapped out a specific road map for those funds, and anticipate at least $2.5 million in annual energy savings as a result of this investment.

Also, we've recently launched a composting pilot program in 10 schools (including one in each of the District's 8 wards) that's seen an amazing response to from students, teachers, and community members. We're very bullish about this program's prospects and we're looking to make significant progress to reduce DCPS's waste diversion rate this upcoming school year.

Finally, I can only say so much at this juncture, but by next winter DGS will have a building energy monitoring program that I candidly believe other jurisdictions will be lining up to replicate.

Q: What are the department's plans where solar or other renewable sources of energy are concerned?

In just the past few months, we've made considerable headway with respect to renewable energy installations at our government facilities. One of the most exciting developments in this space might be the progress we've made with respect to third-party financing for solar installations.

In the not-so-distant future, we hope to dramatically increase the percentage of the city's energy supply from onsite renewable sources and to do so with minimal upfront capital costs to District taxpayers.

Q: You came on during a turbulent time for the District government and you've had a front row view of a government that's come under scrutiny in the past year. Is this DC government position meeting your expectations?

The job has definitely exceeded what were already high expectations. There's no hiding that it's been a tough PR year for the DC government, but I must say that I've encountered so many people in our government that are just extraordinarily talented and dedicated to this city. I work with some really amazing people at DGS. We have strong leadership in the agency and throughout the District government as a whole, and we have the support of the council for our initiatives. I believe we're doing some amazing things to make DC a leader in sustainability.

22 comments

Sustainability can save WMATA money, if it's a priority (Apr 11, 2012)
DC slow to distribute cash-for-appliances (Nov 17, 2010)
An environmentalist says Gray is greener (Sep 7, 2010)
Fleet share can save DC more money (Apr 5, 2011)
DC youth employment programs should focus on quality, not quantity (Apr 28, 2009)

Ward 5 progressives must unite behind one candidate

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:45:00 EDT

by Matt Rumsey, Jaime Fearer, and Nolan Treadway

In early- to mid-May, DC will hold a special election to fill the seat vacated by Harry Thomas Jr. Many potential candidates have already emerged. The time is right to elect a councilmember focused on ethical and effective representation for the people of Ward 5, but to do so, progressives must unite to support a single candidate.

Photo by FredoAlvarez on Flickr.

If the race is as crowded as current speculation and past experience lead us to believe, any contender that can secure the support of a strong, passionate, and unified constituency will be well positioned to win the seat.

A compelling, good government candidate will be able to fuel a campaign with local activists, progressives from across the city, and voter anger at corrupt and entrenched political interests. However, if progressive energies are split, a candidate still loyal to Thomas, or hand-picked by the political establishment, will easily rise to the top instead.

Current at-large, and former Ward 5, councilmember Vincent Orange has already called a meeting of the "Ward 5 leadership" for 7 pm tonight at Israel Baptist Church. He is likely attempting to anoint an establishment-backed candidate, someone with deep ties to current political leadership in the ward. If a consensus is reached, that candidate will become the immediate frontrunner.

This is not acceptable. Ward 5 has been poorly represented for too long. For every passionate and effective ANC commissioner or civic association officer, there are many more simply interested in lining their pockets, amassing personal power, or advancing a selfish agenda. Now is not the time for the past political reality, it is the time for leadership that stands up, stops the culture of corruption, and makes Ward 5 proud.

Several talented progressive individuals have announced an interest in running for the seat. They include Kenyan McDuffie, who ran against Thomas in the last race, and John Salatti, an ANC commissioner in Bloomingdale. Jaime has pledged her support to McDuffie, Nolan stands squarely behind Salatti, and Matt is undecided. But we all agree that everyone must work together to put forward the single most qualified and electable candidate, for the good of both Ward 5 and the District of Columbia.

Progressives in the ward must now come together to have an open, honest discussion to achieve consensus on a single candidate. Rather than letting personal relationships or friction between individual camps dominate, progressives must focus on what is best for the ward and quickly translate that into a winning campaign.

This campaign cycle is condensed, and may be even more so if the Ward 5 special election is moved up to coincide with the primary on April 3. Either way, there is no time to waste on duplicative efforts in gathering signatures, attending community forums, and get-out-the-vote activities.

A strong, progressive candidate can truly move Ward 5 forward. But a contentious fight will set us back.

49 comments

For Ward 5 Council: Kenyan McDuffie (Sep 10, 2010)
Crowded at-large Council race could help Orange win (Jan 4, 2012)
The Ward 4 council race is crowded. Will it be competitive? (Nov 14, 2011)
Would Biddle have been better off losing in January? (Apr 27, 2011)
For ANC in Ward 8 (Oct 28, 2010)

Join us tonight for a Greater Greater Halloween happy hour

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:48:00 EDT

by Jaime Fearer

Just a quick reminder that we're hosting a Halloween happy hour tonight at Rocket Bar, starting at 8:30 pm. Join us dressed in your urbanist, transit, or otherwise Greater Greater Halloween costume!

Photo by istolethetv on Flickr.

The costumed happy hour follows the sold-out 6:30 pm screening of Gary Hustwit's Urbanized at E Street Cinema. The theater has added another showing at 9:00 pm tonight, and tickets may still be available.

Please note that we're not organizing the screenings, just the happy hour. Additionally, Rocket Bar is 21+, and no pets are allowed, even if they're irresistibly dressed up as the B Train. And, of course you're welcome to join us without a costume.

Rocket Bar, 714 7th Street NW
8:30-11:00 pm

5 comments

Greater Greater Halloween: Urbanized screening, happy hour (Oct 12, 2011)
Happy hour, bike ride tonight (Dec 21, 2010)
Join GGW for a happy hour on August 23 (Aug 18, 2011)
Happy hour tonight, hack day on September 10 (Aug 23, 2011)
Happy hour tonight, parking hearing tomorrow (Apr 27, 2011)

Greater Greater Halloween: Urbanized screening, happy hour

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:44:00 EDT

by Jaime Fearer and Aimee Custis

If, like us, you've been known to geek out over the design of fonts and household items, you're likely familiar with Gary Hustwit, director of the documentaries Helvetica and Objectified. On Monday, October 31, Hustwit brings his latest work, Urbanized, to E Street Cinema.

Excited to see the film, but feeling torn because the DC screening is on Halloween? Greater Greater Washington has got you covered! We invite you to join us at both the screening and a post-film costumed happy hour at Rocket Bar.

A recent review by Chuck Wolfe on Sustainable Cities Collective notes that Hustwit, "while not an architect or urban planner, aptly synthesizes the hottest urban issues—from carbon neutrality to safety to human-scale transportation."

We'd love to see you at the theatre, which should included a Q&A with Hustwit, and the post-screening costume party, but you don't have to attend the screening to join us at Rocket Bar.

And now for the fine print: we can't guarantee the screening won't sell out, and we can't promise someone else won't show up to Rocket Bar after the screening in a duplicate of your awesome urbanist, transit, or otherwise Greater Greater Halloween costume. So hurry over and buy your tickets to the screening now!

Urbanized screening and Q&A with director Gary Hustwit
E Street Cinema, 555 11th Street NW
6:30 pm
Tickets available from the Urbanized site

Post-screening costumed happy hour
Rocket Bar, 714 7th Street NW
8:30-11:00 pm

5 comments

Happy hour, bike ride tonight (Dec 21, 2010)
On the calendar: Panel tonight, happy hour next week, WMATA governance, 7000 series railcars (Jun 23, 2010)
Join GGW for a happy hour on August 23 (Aug 18, 2011)
Join GGW, Gabe Klein and others next Tuesday for a holiday bike ride and happy hour (Dec 14, 2010)
Happy hour tonight, hack day on September 10 (Aug 23, 2011)

Our 2012 DC election coverage will focus on issues

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:05:00 EDT

by Matt Rumsey, Jaime Fearer, Jamie Scott, and Geoff Hatchard

Washington, DC's next primary election is scheduled for April 3, 2012. With roughly 7 months until that day, candidates and story lines are beginning to emerge. This post will explain what readers can expect from Greater Greater Washington throughout election season.

Photo by Sarah G... on Flickr.

Our goal will be to examine the issues and races with the same depth and passion that we apply to our everyday coverage. Our editorial lens will be trained on the issues, not the political horse race.

We will do our best to reach out to all candidates, and hope to give each one a chance to tell their story and engage on important topics.

Greater Greater Washington will continue to make endorsements, but our process for doing so will change slightly.

After we have watched, reported on, and analyzed each race, a small group of contributors will make and write endorsements. We will choose candidates that share our dedication to smart growth and development, progressive transportation options, good government, and social justice.

We're currently finalizing the endorsement process on our end, and will share the details with you within the next couple of weeks.

If you are running, or planning to run, and want to ensure that your voice is heard by GGW readers please contact us at endorsements@ggwash.org.

9 comments

Endorsements coming up (Aug 30, 2010)
Politics are local. With ANCs, very local. (Oct 19, 2010)
Ask the Ward 2 Council candidates (Jul 8, 2008)
Want to write about Virginia? (Dec 28, 2008)
Lost Washington: Benning Race Track (Jan 25, 2010)

Blame for the Shaw's Tavern mess does not lie with the city

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:44:00 EDT

by Geoff Hatchard and Jaime Fearer

Shaw's Tavern closed last week because the restaurant has not yet been granted a liquor license. Several commentators blamed DC's liquor license regulatory system. But Shaw's could be serving alcohol already if the management had done a little legwork.

Photo by tedeytan on Flickr.

The tavern got into trouble with the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) for allegedly serving alcohol without a license during a charity event, and even altering documents to mislead alcohol suppliers into believing Shaw's had the necessary permission.

Facing this, ABRA refused to provide a license until the ABC Board, which sets policies and rules on contested cases, can weigh in. It held a hearing on August 10th, and has up to 90 days to rule. Not making enough money from food alone, Shaw's closed its doors and laid off its staff.

Megan McArdle and Matthew Yglesias blame the government. Yglesias says that there's plenty of demand for bars and lots of vacant storefronts, but ABRA policies are "a sign to would-be entrepreneurs everywhere that their potential investments are much riskier than a superficial read of market conditions would suggest." McArdle says,

Punishing a restaurant owner for a liquor license violation with an open-ended maybe-we'll-give-you-a-license-maybe-we-won't delay is equivalent to giving someone the death penalty for a parking violation. Moreover, it punishes the neighbors and the employees right along with the owner.

Their arguments, though, ignore management's responsibility for the pickle they're in, and instead push the idea that the city should turn a blind eye to the situation rather than acknowledge any infractions. McArdle, Yglesias, a number of City Paper commenters, and others seem to believe we should simply let bygones be bygones and give Shaw's its license.

We'd like to see Shaw's obtain a liquor license. The building it occupies was vacant for years, and was an eyesore on Florida Avenue. Today, it's a handsome façade on the edge of the Shaw and LeDroit Park neighborhoods. And there's no doubt the restaurant struggled to stay open without a license. But the fact remains that the ownership is solely at fault for the delayed licensing.

To gain insight to the liquor licensing process, we spoke with Matt Ashburn, who owns Capital City Diner in the Trinidad neighborhood. Ashburn has had extensive experience dealing with city agencies to get his restaurant up and running. He's not afraid to speak his mind regarding problems that come from dealing with the city, but has nothing bad to say about ABRA.

Ashburn says they are the most professional, straightforward city agency he has dealt with, and challenged us to find one more customer-friendly. He described the agency as one that's "run like a business," and that the process to obtain a "stipulated" liquor license, which is the temporary license that an establishment can get if there is no community protest, is quite fast and simple.

ABRA employees are available to walk you through the process if you need help, and the 20-page application form (PDF) is only that long because of the helpful, step-by-step instructions embedded in it to make the process as simple as possible. Capital City Diner received its stipulated license by going before the local ANC (5B), requesting a letter of support, and then filing the application. The restaurant was able to legally serve beer after a 3-day turnaround.

Is Ashburn's experience typical or is ABRA's process an impediment? When it comes to fights with neighbors, Phil Lepanto has said ABRA is too reactive instead of proactive, and Natalie Avery argued ABRA needs to work to be more collaborative. But in this case, neighborhood opposition was not an issue.

Shaw's Tavern is located within ANC 2C. The minutes of their April meeting report a unanimous vote to provide a similar letter of support for the tavern.

It's not clear what happened between the April meeting, when the ANC gave their blessing for a stipulated license, and the July 16th "soft launch" that got Shaw's in hot water.

More than 3 months passed with no license, while Capital City Diner got one in just 3 days. What did the management do regarding the license in that 3 months? Why didn't they have a stipulated license as quickly as Capital City Diner did?

Since then, the ABC Board had a hearing on August 10th, with the understanding that a ruling would come down regarding the license within 90 days. In the end, we don't know how the ABC board will rule regarding the restaurant's liquor license.

If we had to hazard a guess, we'd wager that they'll be given a slap on the wrist and a license. All of the hand-wringing we're reading and writing about now could be a small bump on the road when looking back in a few months. But make no mistake, as chef John Cochran told Eater, "All I can tell you is that the alcohol board was making their decision and they had every right to take their time. Shaw's was in the wrong."

34 comments

Dupont ANC's cafe guidelines show collaborative path (May 10, 2011)
How can DC fix the liquor license process? (Nov 30, 2010)
What if the fire department ran like ABRA? (Aug 15, 2011)
A liquor license reveals challenges with living on the border (Apr 11, 2011)
Is there a good alternative to liquor moratoriums? (Aug 26, 2011)

Greater Greater Week in Review: August 21-27, 2011

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:19:00 EDT

by Jaime Fearer

If you can't read Greater Greater Washington every day, you'll still be able to catch all our posts at a glance with Greater Greater Week in Review.

Photo by Tony DeFilippo on Flickr.

On the calendar: Streams of consciousness

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:06:00 EDT

by Jaime Fearer and Erik Weber

Want to build One City, learn about ecological sustainability, visualize the city with technology, discuss balancing preservation with innovation, or support bicycle advocacy in the region? These good causes and interesting events are coming up:

DC Neighborhood College's "One City Community Leadership Forum" is taking place both Friday night and Saturday morning. Mayor Gray is the keynote speaker for the June 3 kick-off, and June 4 plenary panelists include Steve Glaude of the DC Office of Community Affairs, Nikita Stewart of the Washington Post, and Steve Moore of the Washington DC Economic Partnership. RSVPs are requested.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is hosting a walking tour on Saturday, June 4, in Alexandria which will look at the difficulties of stream restoration. The tour will start at 10 am at the Sherwood Hall Library and work its way along Richmond Highway examining new infiltration and stormwater management methods.

The 24-hour City Project asks 3 teams, "If you had just 24 hours to impact your city, what would you do?" Their responses, meant to "reveal the relationships between the built environment and technology," will be demonstrated and on display for over 24 hours as part of the National Building Museum's Intelligent Cities forum, June 5 and 6.

On Tuesday, June 7, NCPC will host a panel discussion as part of their Contemporary Design, Historic City series. Titled The Balancing Act Between Innovation & Preservation, the talk will examine how contemporary architecture can coexist with DC's historic characteristics. The event will be held at Catholic University, and though it's free and open to the public, RSVP is encouraged.

Finally, WABA's major summer fundraiser, BikeFest, is Saturday, June 11th, from 8 pm to midnight in Crystal City. Besides the "carnival-cycle games, a silent auction and raffle, sideshow performances, live music and dancing ... palm readings, photobooth and much more," three area bike shops will compete to create custom bicycles using low-cost, recycled materials.

You can get more information about these and other events on the Greater Greater Washington calendar.

1 comment

On the calendar: Lincoln Park CaBi tonight, tons Wednesday (Oct 18, 2010)
What's green and fun in the spring? A Greenbelt bike tour, a Dupont green festival, and bike fundraisers (Apr 6, 2010)
On the calendar: GGW happy hour, CSG awards, and more (Apr 20, 2011)
On the calendar: 17th, 18th, bike lanes and streetcars (Jul 29, 2009)
On the calendar: Happy hour tonight on H Street, plus Alexandria tour, open data, BRAC, Connecticut Ave (Jul 14, 2010)

Station expansion and "reverse rider rewards" could address Capital Bikeshare capacity needs

Thu, 26 May 2011 11:39:00 EDT

by Geoff Hatchard, Jaime Fearer, and David Alpert

Capital Bikeshare has been so successful, bikes or open docks are getting harder to find at popular stations. But a large round of expansion, discussed at a public meeting last night, and a new "reverse rider rewards" program may soon help keep the system in balance.

Geoff and DCist's Aaron Morrissey place stars on the map. Photo by Jaime Fearer.

At last night's meeting, Councilmember Muriel Bowser praised the program, saying that it "has changed the amount of capacity on the roadways."

According to DDOT Associate Director Scott Kubly, there are now over 13,800 CaBi members, which gives the system more members per bike than any bikesharing system in North America, (and maybe the world). The Living Social promotion brought in 6,000 new members compared to an expected 3,000.

The system is growing by nearly 100 members per week, said Kubly, and the system is now averaging 123,000 trips per month. There is enough money in the current budget to pay for 25 new stations, and the budget that passed the first vote earlier in the day will supply money in FY12 for 35 to 40 more stations.

Today, Capital Bikeshare also launched a new program to reward people for taking trips from "typically full stations" to "typically empty stations."

DDOT placed six large maps around the room showing 60 potential station locations. Each attendee received three small star-shaped stickers to identify their preferences, whether for the 60 proposals or for potential stations not yet on the map.

Electronic vote tallies. Click to enlarge.

The online feedback DDOT received was most strongly supportive of a station at Georgia and Upshur, NW thanks to a campaign by Prince of Petworth. Other top station locations include Connecticut and Nebraska, the NE Branch Library, 4th and E SW, Rhode Island and 1st NW, Thomas Circle, and 6th and Massachusetts, NE.

DDOT's Ralph Burns discussed station siting. He displayed a map that showed the current stations divided into three "tiers." One tier includes stations that are working "too well" and require expansion because of heavy use. The second tier stations are in "the sweet spot," used just enough to keep them in balance. The third tier stations are "underperforming," or are not being utilized in a balanced way.

Stations in this tier may potentially be moved or made smaller to come more in line with demand. In the end, though, Mr. Burns noted that surveys and face-to-face conversations with users are very important in determining where stations will go next.

Chris Holben explained criteria for stations. The optimal space must be at least a 6-foot by 50-foot level, firm surface. Bike stations cannot be placed in tree boxes, on Metro grates, or over manhole covers. They can be on sidewalks, on grass, or in parking lanes on the street. Since the stations are solar-powered, they require at least 4 hours of direct (not ambient) sunlight per day in order to work properly.

One meeting attendee, Madeline, lives on H Street and finds CaBi to be one of the most convenient ways to get around. She said, "There are problems finding transportation on H Street already, and I have problems picking up a bike in the morning," so she'd be very happy to see more stations in the H Street NE corridor.

There was a large contingent from Gallaudet University lobbying for stations at and around campus, so the chances that Madeline will be able to find an available Capital Bikeshare bicycle in the morning and an open dock in the evening look promising.

The "reverse rider rewards" program, launched today, is in effect each non-holiday weekday from 8-10 am. It identifies 16 "typically full" stations, all in and around downtown, and 17 "typically empty" stations in Glover Park, Columbia Heights, Capitol Hill, U Street and Dupont.

Stations in "Reverse Rider Rewards" program. "Typically full" stations are in black, "typically empty" stations in yellow. Click to enlarge.

Whoever has the most points for a particular month gets a free one-year membership extension, while the next 5 highest get a one-month extension. Everyone else who gets at least some points also enters a drawing for 5 more free one-month extensions. The program starts June 1.

85 comments

Bikeshare intensity maps can inform expansion choices (May 24, 2011)
DC, Arlington to add 36 Capital Bikeshare stations (Dec 23, 2010)
Is your CaBi station getting full or empty? (Mar 23, 2011)
Why is Capital Bikeshare usage low east of the river? (Jan 31, 2011)
Tell DDOT where you want a Capital Bikeshare location (Jun 17, 2010)