Parisian cool comes to D.C. on two wheels

by Harry Jaffe, The Examiner

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Paris has a few things we Washingtonians might envy. The Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank, fine cuisine at every corner - and those thin, stylish, bored Parisians who smoke Gauloises and sip Bordeaux at cafes all day and night.

On a more bourgeois note, I have been in awe of the French capital city's that allows Parisians or visitors to swipe a card, grab a bike, and ride around town to the Louvre.

Envy no more. Washington, D.C., is about to become the first major U.S. city to embark on "Velib" bike rental system, an automated bicycle rental system, much like the Zipcar program for cars.

"We hope to have it fully up and running by spring," says Jim Sebastian, who manages the District's bike and pedestrian programs. D.C. will start with 100 bikes in four kiosks; Paris has 15,000 bikes. "We hope to expand to the Paris level."

The level of political momentum in making Washington more safe and accommodating to bikes is at an all-time high. We have a mayor who races around on two wheels at lunchtime to practice for triathlons; City Administrator Dan Tangherlini is a regular bike rider; Planning Director Harriet Tregoning traded in her official parking spot to stash bikes; and Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells' Bike Parking Bill is making its way through City Council.
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