Believe It or Not, People Used Capital Bikeshare More Than 2,300 Times in the Polar Vortex

During the worst of Tuesday’s polar vortex, Washington’s bike lanes were practically empty during the morning commute. Even this reporter, who can count on his hands the number of days that he has not biked to work, opted for Metro rather than pedaling through a 7-degree chill.

Capital Bikeshare took a hit, too, though perhaps not as large as some would expect. Even in the blisteringly frigid weather, the system still managed to count 2,338 rides yesterday, according to Arlington’s Mobility Lab.

Bikeshare use is understandably lower in the colder months, but it still racked up plenty of use in recent months. It registered 4,400 rides on New Year’s Eve, and averaged 6,586 rides per day in November, according to the District Department of Transportation.

It’s a bit warmer this morning, with the temperature hovering around a relatively balmy 20 degrees. Not surprisingly, Capital Bikeshare use is ticking back up. Mobility Lab reports that there were 1,251 rides today through about 10:45 AM.

Benjamin Freed

Staff Writer

Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.