Ad-hoc bike parking at DC USA’s opening. Photo by Cheryl Cort.

New Columbia Heights talked to DDOT’s bicycle program manager, Jim Sebastian, who confirmed that there will be a SmartBike station in Columbia Heights once SmartBike’s next round of expansion gets going (time indeterminate).

DC USA will also get more bike racks, but not in any part of the completely unused level of the parking garage. A member of Jim Graham’s staff told NCH that he, DDOT, and the DC USA developer have identified places to add bike racks, but “the Deputy Mayor’s office has refused to consider racks in the garage.” Update: DMPED argues that allowing bikes in the garage would pose a safety problem.

As the staffer points out, garage parking would be especially useful for employees of DC USA, who might be reluctant to park bikes out on the street all day. Casual shoppers may use racks in the garage, though they’re more likely to use outdoor ones which are visible and easy to access.