Roosevelt Island. Photo by Vernon Miles.
Two of Arlington’s most underutilized parks are about to become a little more accessible for anyone willing to pedal there. With approval from the County Board at its April 24 meeting, Gravelly Point and Roosevelt Island are scheduled to become the newest Capital Bikeshare locations in the Arlington network.
Both locations are on National Park Service grounds, but Arlington County accepts responsibility for installing and maintaining the facilities. The current Capital Bikeshare location at the Marine Corps Memorial falls under this agreement. Both new locations will be located along the Mount Vernon Trail, which runs 18 miles from Rosslyn to the eponymous Mount Vernon in Fairfax.
The bike share location will be on the Arlington side of a wooden bridge crossing over to Roosevelt Island, but staff noted that National Park Service rules prohibiting biking on the island itself will remain intact. A timeline for the stations’ implementation has not been established yet.
“I think this is terrific,” said County Board Chair Katie Cristol. “It will make national parkland more accessible, will provide new options for not only Arlington residents but visitors to appreciate some truly beloved locations in our community. I’m excited to see this come forward and look forward to seeing those bike share stations.”