The Who, What, Where, Why and How of Washington, D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare

Few transportation projects have transformed D.C. as thoroughly as Capital Bikeshare. From humble beginnings in 2010 with fewer than 50 stations, there are now over three hundred stations and 2500 bikes spread across the city.

1 minute read

April 23, 2014, 8:00 AM PDT

By elevationdc


For most of us, the bikesharing program is a fun way to get some exercise, a commute-shortener, or an excuse to get rid of our cars. And most of us don't give much more thought to it than that. Sure, we lobby for a new dock near our house or office, we wave at the hardworking bike rebalancers.

Delve a little deeper, though, and you realize that Capital Bikeshare is an incredibly complex system. Users take hundreds of thousands of trips per month (many more in the spring and summer--the system set new ridership records during the Cherry Blossom Festival). Bike docks empty out of neighborhoods like Columbia Heights in the mornings and fill downtown, and the pattern reverses in the evening. Placing new stations is more of an art than a science.

As the system heads toward its four-year anniversary, we thought we'd compile our favorite facts, thoughts and stories about the cheery red ubiquitous bikes. Don't call it a complete guide to bikeshare. Call it Elevation DC's take on answering the bikeshare questions you (should) think hardest about.

The post includes more information on how they place new stations, where the busiest are, the most hidden, secret Bikeshare station, and the most creative use of two CaBis ever.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 in Elevation DC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

7 hours ago - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA