More Bethesda commuters will have the option of trading in four wheels for two if funding is approved for a downtown bikeshare program.

State Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda plans to seek funding for a project that would bring dozens of bicycles to Bethesda for people to use as an alternative form of public transportation, he said. The bikeshare program would be modeled after Washington, D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare, which allows people who register to take a bike from one dock and return it any other within the city.

"There are lots of people on bikes in Bethesda, and if more people had cheap, easy access, you'd get more people [on bikes]. You'd be taking people off the road and reducing pollution — it'd be a big win across the board," Frosh said.

Frosh said the state puts millions of dollars per year into legislative projects that provide a significant benefit to a community, but lack other funding sources. Typically, grants are contingent on an organization or agency committing to match the state's award.

The project could cost as much as $300,000, but would depend on the number of bicycle docks installed and the number of bikes available at each dock, said David Dabney, executive director of Bethesda Urban Partnership. An avid bicyclist, Dabney has been working to drum up support for the program as a way to reduce the number of cars in downtown, which is expected to become increasingly congested when Walter Reed Army Medical Center merges with National Naval Medical Center in September.

The area is conducive to bicycling because it connects to the Capital Crescent Trail and many employers offer bicycling incentives, such as an allowance toward equipment and locker rooms with showers, Dabney said.

But Bethesda does not have to rely solely on state funding — Dabney also is investigating private sector funding options.

Companies could sponsor a bike station in exchange for advertising on the station or bikes. Money also could come from some of the developers seeking to build in Bethesda. As part of the development process, companies often must commit to reducing the traffic congestion the new development could create — that could mean paying to install a bike station in front of the building, Dabney said.

"There's a lot of ways you could get this done," he said. "You have to think creatively."

sgantz@gazette.net