What’s this? A rack full of SmartBike DC‘s shared bicycles all loaded up in front of the Reeves Center at 14th and U NW? Yes, but don’t get excited: this was only for a photo op staged by the District Department of Transportation that we just happened to stumble upon earlier this afternoon (yo DDOT, how’s about inviting us next time so we don’t have to party crash?). These SmartBikes are going to be carted away and packed up again once they’re done.

But, but, but, you say, when DCist talked to DDOT’s Manager for Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transportation Demand Management Programs, Jim Sebastian, in the middle of May, he told us the pilot program for the city’s bicycle sharing service would be up and running at the beginning of June, and here we are, on the last day of June, and it’s still not open for business? That’s exactly right. Late last week Sebastian emailed to let us know that delays due to Pepco still working on getting electricity installed in all of the bike racks mean that SmartBike won’t actually be operational until August 1 at the earliest, “but no guarantees.” Seven out of the ten pilot racks are installed and operational, but three more still need to be completed.

Jim was out there today for the photo shoot, too, and reiterated the August launch. Is this a case of Blame Pepco?

“They’re doing their jobs,” Sebastian said. “Are they making us a priority? No. But they’re doing their jobs.”