Starting this month, Salt Lake City and the Downtown Alliance are launching a new bike share program, which for the first time in Utah will be solar powered! This program to promote exercise, economic development, and clean air, is entitled “Green Bike.”
Partnered with the City of Salt Lake, the 501c(3) non-profic company SLC Bike Share will open for business as of March 2013.
Ben Bolte, SLC Bike Share Project Manager has large plans for the growth of this company, and this green system. They want to expand across the Wasatch Front, Bolte said,”The goal is to connect multiple satellite or stand-alone systems by light rail where a membership to any system grants you access to all systems.” Several sponsors are collaborating with this project as well. Title sponsor, SelectHeath, has basket sponsorship funding from Kennecott Utah Copper Rio Tinto. Sponsors for the stations include Fidelity Investments, Backcountry.com, and Visit Salt Lake. LDS Hospital has also agreed to help fund helmets for Green Bike annual members.
A bike share program allows riders in Urban areas to get from one part of the city to another with high-quality bicycles. The bikes are docked at stations all around which allow them to be instantly handed off to another rider; instead of being chained or tucked away in an office garage, other members can use a bike if it is at any station. A bike share bike is either being ridden, or it is available for someone else. Commuters, visitors, and residents in the downtown area can all be benefited by this system.
The program works through memberships, not rentals. A range from $5 for one day, 24-hour-access, to $75 for an entire year. There will be a minimum network of 100 bicycles at at least 10 stations. The system allows a member to bike from station to station, as often as they want, for 30 minute periods at a time. The distance between any two stations is well under 30 minutes. And after a user docks the bike at a station, they are no longer responsible for it! There is no need to worry about security or maintenance.
At each of these stations is a fully automated, solar-powered kiosk. The “green” initiative is on numerous fronts: bicycling is much cleaner for the air than motor vehicles, and the stations are powered by completely clean, and reusable power! An opportunity for somany people for completely zero emission transportation! On top of that great benefit, bicycle travel helps reduce traffic congestion.
For the business travelers, the bikes are equipped with chain guards and fenders to help protect business wear and dresses clean. This network will allow users to run errands, get to meetings, or travel to destination points of interest. The stations will be inconvenient and strategic locations. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, “As our central business district continues to grow and prosper, this really provides an efficient and cost-effective short-trip option that is accessible to all riders, regardless of skill level.”
If you are interested in helping with this project, the GREENbike SLC Bike Share program, they are calling for volunteers! The bikes will be coming to Utah very soon, and they need some help getting the stations up and running. They are calling for mechanics, people to unpack the bikes, people to apply bike decals, and general volunteers for efficient flow.
Click HERE for more information on volunteer days and times. You can also like their Facebook page: GREENbike Bike Share program, and receive updates on discounts, station locations, and future events and opportunities.
Congratulations Salt Lake City! What a phenomenal initiative to keep our city cleaner, healthier, and more efficient. From all of us at Christensen & Hymas, we wish you the best of luck in this endeavor!
Image courtesy of SaltCycle.org