Like their beloved Red Sox, the City of Boston entered Spring Training! Well, bike-sharing Spring Training with the goal of joining the Big Leagues in Spring 2010. Mayor Menino & Boston Bikes announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a bike-share program.
Bike-sharing is part of Mayor Menino's vision to create a more vibrant, healthy, and green Boston. Menino said, "Successful bike-sharing programs in Europe have not only established biking as a significant means of transportation; they have transformed the entire culture and mindset around transportation." The RFP is for 1,500 bikes and 150 stations for the spring of 2010, but with the idea to expand to 6,000 bikes and 600 stations for Metro Boston. The goal of the program is to eliminate up to 315,000 car trips annually, reduce 750 tons of greenhouse gases, increase bike trips by 300%, and to create of over 50 new green jobs!
The RFP was released by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council of the Boston region. Being a regional tender will help their eventual program cross jurisdictional borders without any problems. A wise idea for other jurisdictions considering bike-sharing. - editor
Russell Meddin, Bike Share Philadelphia
image credit: Team on Top
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