WASHINGTON — Capital Bikeshare is already popular throughout the District and in Virginia’s Arlington and Alexandria Counties. The program will launch next month in Maryland’s Montgomery County and the area of Frederick, Md. is weighing the idea.

Now Howard County is also considering getting on board. Howard County is about to begin a 12-month feasibility study to look at whether Bikeshare is good idea in places like Columbia, Maple Lawn and along Route 1 north of Laurel.

Howard County Transportation Planning Chief Benjamin Picker says, “We requested that there be a whole outreach to the public as we do this – to get an idea of their needs and desires in bikesharing.” But Picker adds there are some hurdles to overcome.

“In DC, for instance, a lot of the bikes are rented by tourists. The local people have bikes. It’s a question of how many of the local people will use the bikes,” he says in Howard County.

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