Clik here to view.
The City of Philadelphia and Mayor Nutter are taking big strides forward for bike sharing, with a community feedback program online now! (Photo by Mitchell Leff for the City of Philadelphia)
Philadelphia, a citywide bike sharing system is almost ready to roll.
More and more, bike sharing has become an essential mode of urban public transportation both in the United States and around the world. Well-loved and well-used systems are in place in such U.S. cities as New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Portland, and internationally in cities from Paris to Taipei.
Not only is bike sharing a healthy and affordable public transportation alternative, the new Philadelphia program will also serve to raise the city's status as a cosmopolitain destination and connect Philadelphia's residents and visitors to the city's streets in a new, accessible way.
All in all, when bike sharing launches in Philadelphia in spring 2015, it will be an absolutely awesome addition to this city’s urban scene.
Psyched? We are too. For now, though, the City of Philadelphia needs some help to identify just where the initial 60 station locations should launch next spring.
Possible Station Location Feedback
The City of Philadelphia Bike Share program is currently collecting community feedback on 100 potential bike share station locations.
The plan is to launch the first phase of the program with around 60 stations, so community feedback is essential to prioritize, relocate and eliminate locations in advance of the spring.
Check right here to see the possible stations on an interactive map and to leave feedback on the positives and negatives of each location.
The 100 possible locations were chosen based on a number of contributing factors, including population density, employment areas, existing bike lanes, shopping, cultural and recreational destinations, as well as key factors like if there is available space (stations are around 6.5 wide and between 45-75 long).
Plus, there were many meetings with stakeholders and thousands of bike share station location suggestions were made over the past year by Philadelphians via crowd sourcing.
Go online to comment, or send feedback via text message. Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities (or MOTU) partnered with the Mural Arts Program and artist Eurhi Jones to create a bright red vinyl decal marking locations of potential bike share stations. When you see one, text comments about the viability of the location to the number on the decal.
Note that all comments and feedback must be submitted by Monday, October 20.
Clik here to view.
Get psyched, Philadelphia. Bikes something like these will be hitting the streets for Philly Bike Share in spring 2015. (Photo by Mitchell Leff for the City of Philadelphia)
Next Steps
The Philadelphia Bike Share system will launch in a few phases, initially with 60 stations in Center City and parts of North, South, and West Philadelphia. An expansion of the system is already in the works, though, for spring 2016 with an additional 60 stations.
For now, participate in this super-important community feedback phase by checking out the map right here to see the possible stations, and leaving feedback on the positives and negatives of each location.
Stay tuned for more information as the plans progress, and if you want to know more about how a bike share program works, check out these videos about the bike share programs in Mexico City, Washington D.C., Dublin and other cities around the world.
Let’s get rolling.
Where should bike share stations go? [Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities]
Philly Bike Share [phillybikeshare.com]
Philadelphia Bike Share [City of Philadelphia]
Previously: Awesome News Alert: Bike Share Philadelphia Is Officially Set To Roll Into Town By The End Of Summer 2014!