Breakfast links: CaBi to the Mall and the store

by Eric Fidler • November 23, 2011 7:40 am

Photo by The Great Photographicon on Flickr.

The Mall may get 5 CaBi stations: NPS proposes CaBi stations for the Smithsonian Metro and near the Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and FDR/MLK memorials. (WABA) ... DC's Bicycle Advisory Committee mapped the spots, but worries about the lack of stations east of 12th Street.

Walmart may add stations too: Walmart has signed a community benefits agreement with DC. It includes a Transportation Demand Management provision possibly to include Capital Bikeshare stations, bus shelters, or electric car charging. (WBJ)

But is it enforceable?: The Walmart CBA, however, is also entirely unenforceable, being "subject and contingent upon business conditions." It includes provisions for job training and minority hiring but no wage or benefit requirements above the current legal minimums. Also, Walmart will not sell guns or ammunition. (Post)

Montgomery curfew dead for now: The proposed youth curfew doesn't have the votes to pass the county council. (Examiner) ... Council members are still debating the issue in light of Saturday's shoplifting mob. (HuffPo)

Franklin Shelter? Not so fast: Occupy protestors' demands that the District revert the Franklin School to a homeless shelter may be an unsafe idea. The building's extreme levels of lead and asbestos make it unsafe for human use. (City Paper)

Food stamps up, not down: An Examiner article last week said the number of DC households on food stamps dropped last year, but DCFPI says they're using less accurate data, and USDA shows the number up 17%.

Arlington eyes office building: The county wants to buy an office building in Courthouse for county offices and a homeless shelter. The move would permit Arlington to redevelop the Court Square West building into a more vibrant project. (Post)

Ehrlich blames everyone else: Former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich blames his 2010 election loss on high turnout among the state's black voters. He says he was unfairly associated with Tea Partiers and racists. (Post)

And...: A Virginia delegate wants to block Silver Line funding over issues that other state leaders already resolved. (Examiner) ... DC offers drivers few specialty tags; Virginia offers 180. (DCist) ... The DMV is doing its part to combat HIV infection rates. (Post) ... Metro map designer Lance Wyman will now tackle Union Station. (City Paper)

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Eric Fidler has lived in DC and suburban Maryland his entire life. He likes long walks along the Potomac and considers the L'Enfant Plan an elegant work of art. He also blogs at Left for LeDroit, LeDroit Park's (only) blog of record.

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@Ehrlich

So basicly he is saying if it were not for Black people he would of won...
This is in conjunction with the massive attempt by his staff to "tamp down the African American vote last year in Baltimore "

Stay classy Ehrlich

by Matt R on Nov 23, 2011 8:13 am • link • report

RE: CaBi on the Mall:

I agree that the lack of stations east of 12th is troubling, but I would say that the stations they selected are good (with the exception of the Smithsonian station, which is 500ft from another bikeshare station). The proposed stations serve a huge chunk of the mall that is pretty inaccessible by transit (3/4 of a mile from Metro). The eastern portion of the Mall is far closer to several Metro stations.

by MLD on Nov 23, 2011 8:59 am • link • report

Cheers to NPS for finally embracing bikeshare.

Jeers to NPS for klunky maps and comment form. It's not 2003 any more.

I think the FDR/MLK station is excellent. Lincoln too. WaMo -- meh. Smithsonian, unnecessary. At least move it across the way to the Sculpture Garden or Natural History Museum. This will increase demand for keeping the stone sidewalks that cut across the Mall in decent shape, maybe even some subtle signage to keep pedestrians to one side so peds and cyclists can share the pathways. I currently find myself veering onto grass to avoid amoebic globs of meandering tourists.

by Ward 1 Guy on Nov 23, 2011 9:06 am • link • report

NPS would just permit these stations, not pay for them, right? CaBi would pay for them?

If so, what are the stations that CaBi wants to install? What have people recommended during public mapping exercises?

by Gavin on Nov 23, 2011 9:09 am • link • report

@MLD

Indeed, these stations are fine - but there ought to be more. There's a huge 'hole' in CaBi coverage that encompasses the area from about the Smithsonian Metro to the West, deep into Capitol Hill to the East, the Verizon Center and Union Station to the North, and all the way to the Ballpark/SW Waterfront to the South. That's a big gap that should be filled. There are lots of potential ridership generators there (museums) and having a more contiguous network will facilitate more trips between the Downtown area and Capitol Hill, SW, the Ballpark area, etc.

by Alex B. on Nov 23, 2011 9:09 am • link • report

My thoughts mirror Ward 1 Guy on the NPS CaBi station placement.

Thumbs-up to Lincoln, FDR.
Washington Monument is okay, but one on the 17th St side by the WW2 Memorial would be better.

Thumbs down to Smithsonian -- not only is there already a station 100 yards away at the other exit to the Metro stop, but the proposed placement will be virtually inaccessible by bike during the summer and other peak tourist times because the pedestrian crowds milling about that area near the entrance are so thick. It's like cherry blossom time at the Tidal Basin for 16 weeks a year there. Across the Mall would be way, way better.

But these are a good start. And the Metro - Jefferson - Lincoln or FDR tracks the circulation pattern around the Tidal Basin pretty well.

by Arl Anon on Nov 23, 2011 9:16 am • link • report

I'm glad the Department of Motor Vehicles is doing its part to combat HIV infection rates, but you don't mention if its the Maryland, Virginia or District DMV, or what they're doing. Condoms with your drivers license?

by ksu499 on Nov 23, 2011 9:18 am • link • report

If Ehrlich didn't want to be associated with racists and tea partiers, maybe he shouldn't have come out against gay marriage and the Purple Line.

by engrish_major on Nov 23, 2011 9:20 am • link • report

RE Food Stamp Usage...

So of the 250K households in the District, 26% of them recieve food stamps.

I think what is more shocking is that in 2006, when the economy was raging along and their were "more" jobs than their are now simply falling out of the sky and the District unemployment rate was 5.4%, that still 18% of the District households were still on food stamps.

by freely on Nov 23, 2011 9:44 am • link • report

NPS proposes CaBi stations for the Smithsonian Metro and near the Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and FDR/MLK memorials.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."

Thanks NPS.

by oboe on Nov 23, 2011 9:47 am • link • report

A good read today on urban planning and the declining attraction of covered malls vs open spaces from STYLE WEEKLY: http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/the-malls-last-stand/Content?oid=1636102

by Pelham1861 on Nov 23, 2011 9:50 am • link • report

Ehrlich caught the perfect wave into office, running against a truly lackluster Democratic machine candidate (and probably the worst public speaker I have ever heard). He was attractive, energetic and had a pretty good background story. He had a real opportunity to make the Republican Party in Maryland competitive against a sclerotic Democratic establishment.

His failures were largely his. His staff lost nearly the first half of his term because of their complete lack of preparation. His administration actively embraced dirty tricks, hostility and secrecy. He pointlessly antagonized the Democratic power players, ensuring no cooperation. He sowed the seeds of his own defeat, and clearly has learned nothing from the experience.

by Crickey7 on Nov 23, 2011 9:53 am • link • report

@freely

Yes it is shocking that low-skill jobs don't actually earn you enough to feed your family.

by MLD on Nov 23, 2011 9:58 am • link • report

Why would the Walmart CBA include minority hiring? When Walmarts are located in minority-majority areas, doesn't that go without saying?

by DDC on Nov 23, 2011 10:21 am • link • report

Psyched about CaBi at the new Walmarts. We'll finally get stations in Brightwood/Manor Park.

by Red on Nov 23, 2011 11:23 am • link • report

RE: Curfew / Rob-Mobs

It seems like a better approach would be to issue an ordinance that bans juveniles from all 7-Elevens.

by Bossi on Nov 23, 2011 12:19 pm • link • report

NPS is simply trying to cover their hides over the Tourmobile mess. The illegal no-bid monopoly contract with Tourmobile was the motivation to keep Circulator, pedicabs and Capital Bikeshare out of the National Mall. It was only after the no-bid nature of the Tourmobile contract was revealed that the NPS backed off on harassing pedicabs and miraculously became more receptive to CaBi stations on the Mall. Soon thereafter, Tourmobile's contract was not renewed, financial problems were blamed for the end of the contract, and Tourmobile wound down its operations before the contract was even up.

I'm sure there are some people at NPS that are nervous about the Tourmobile situation. Some people should lose their jobs over the abuse of the system. Some could even face further sanctions or punishment for possibly breaking the law. I don't know all of the details, but it sounds like someone at NPS was giving their buddies at Tourmobile an unauthorized benefit for decades with the monopoly contracts that were repeatedly renewed. I'm surprised that there hasn't been more of a reaction from outsiders. Perhaps everyone in town is too distracted by the federal budget negotation mess to be concerned about NPS and Tourmobile.

by Michael H. on Nov 24, 2011 4:19 am • link • report