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Installation· 2 min read
Secure bike parking and lockers at Reston Town Center
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In spring 2021 BXP, then Boston Properties, installed Bikeep smart bike parking stations around Reston Town Center in Virginia. It was the first Bikeep partnership in the Washington DC region. Parking is free with no time limit, and riders unlock a dock with the Bikeep app or the Metro SmarTrip card they already use on public transport.
Why BXP did it
The pandemic made many people wary of public transport, and more of them turned to bikes to get to work and to the Town Center's shops and restaurants. BXP wanted to give tenants and visitors a safe place to leave a bike, as part of its wider sustainability commitments.
"The DC area is one of the most business-centric places in the US, it is appreciated by so many commuters that they are taken care of and not alone when they cannot rely on other means of transportation." Kristjan Lind, CEO of Bikeep
What riders get
- Locked by the frame and front wheel. The docks hold the bike in two places for extra security.
- SmarTrip or app. A Metro SmarTrip card or the Bikeep app opens the dock.
- Alarm and camera. A loudspeaker alarm sounds if someone tampers with a locked bike, and cameras watch the stations.
- Free and unlimited. No fee and no time limit.
Cyclists noticed
The Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB) spotted the stations soon after they went in and urged local riders to try them.
"FABB commends Boston Properties for experimenting with these new, innovative racks. We think that they will prove useful and add another reason for locals to bike rather than drive to Town Center. We encourage riders to try them out." FABB
In January 2022 Bikeep became a corporate partner of FABB, which has worked since 2005 to make cycling safer and easier in Fairfax County. Reston Now also covered the new racks in its local news.
From racks to lockers
The first stations held 5 to 9 bikes each and were meant for short visits. As planned, BXP then added 12 Bikeep bike lockers in the Library Street garage, for employees and anyone who wants longer, enclosed parking.
Today six stations with 50 docks and the 12 lockers have logged about 5,900 parkings by more than 870 different riders. More on bike parking for offices and mixed-use sites is on the offices page.
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