Metro News Release
For immediate release: November 12, 2015
Bike & Ride facility now free with SmarTrip® at College Park-U of MD Station
Additional secure bicycle parking to open at East Falls Church and Vienna next month
Metro Bike & Ride customers can now access secure, covered bicycle parking free of charge with a registered SmarTrip® card at College Park-U of MD Station.
A first of its kind for Metro, the College Park Bike & Ride facility is a 2,400-square foot, secure, enclosed parking structure on the first level of the College Park-U of MD parking garage. The facility features bright LED lighting, security cameras, an emergency callbox with card-controlled access and real-time video and intercom communications with Metro’s Parking Operations Control Center.
Previously operated by a third-party vendor, customers had been required to purchase a separate card and were charged a nominal fee to access the Bike & Ride. Customers can now use one registered SmarTrip card to securely park their bike and continue their commute on Metro without incurring any fee.
“By providing SmarTrip card access at Metro Bike & Rides, we hope to eliminate barriers for customers who wish to travel to Metrorail stations by bicycle,” said Patrick Schmitt, Director of Parking at Metro. “Many Metro customers live close enough to Metrorail stations to bike and ride, and we believe that convenient, easy access to secure, covered bicycle parking will encourage transit use.”
All Bike & Ride facilities will now be equipped with a SmarTrip card-enabled reader, which allows secure access to the facility. Once registered for Bike & Ride access, customers can park their bike at all Metro Bike & Ride facilities for free by touching their registered SmarTrip card to the target at the entry door. To register a SmarTrip card and sign up for access to Metro Bike & Ride facilities, visit wmata.com/bike.
Additional Bike & Ride facilities are planned for more stations, including East Falls Church and Vienna Metrorail stations which will open next month. The East Falls Church facility is being constructed on the edge of the Kiss & Ride lot and the Vienna facility will be located on the ground level of the Vienna North parking garage, similar to the College Park-U of MD facility.
For added security, Metro requires that cyclists lock their bikes to the racks located inside the Bike & Ride facility and strongly recommend using a U-lock. It is also recommended that Bike & Ride customers register their bike with MTPD to help police identify and recover it in the event that it is lost or stolen.
In addition to the College Park Bike & Ride and facilities coming to East Falls Church and Vienna, Metro has about 2,400 bicycle racks with a capacity for 4,800 bicycles and an additional 1,300 key-operated bicycle lockers for rent throughout the Metrorail system.
Bikes are allowed on Metrorail anytime except on weekdays between 7 and 10 a.m., and 4 and 7 p.m., and during special events when the system is crowded. All Metrobuses have racks attached at the front with space for two bicycles.
News release issued at 9:36 am, November 13, 2015.