While this may not be the best time to be thinking about biking in Reston, Fairfax County Dept. of Transportation is holding a meeting to discuss the feasibility of implementing a bikesharing system in Reston. The meeting is on Wed., Jan. 29 at Lake Anne Elementary School at 7pm.
The county is conducting a study to determine if a system like the very popular Capital Bikeshare, located in DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and Montgomery County, would be successful in Reston. With Reston's system of paved trails and low-speed neighborhood streets, bikesharing could be a viable alternative to driving or taking transit for short trips, especially with the coming of rail this Spring.
How does bikesharing work? Using Capital Bikeshare as an example, users are required to purchase a daily ($7), 3-day ($15), monthly ($25), or annual ($75) membership. Short trips are free. From the Capital Bikeshare site:
You can take as many trips as you'd like during your membership period and the first 30 minutes of each trip are free! After the first 30 minutes, you will be charged an additional fee based on the rates shown below. For example, a 90-minute trip would cost you nothing for the 1st 30-minute period, $1.50 for the second 30 minutes, and $3.00 for the third - for a total of $4.50 for the whole trip.
The Wiehle-Reston East Metro station is just over a mile from the Town Center. It would take about 10 minutes to ride there by bike, mostly using the W&OD Trail, about the same amount of time it would take to drive, park, and walk to your destination. Most Village Centers are within a short bike distance of the station. Biking is a great option for many people.
