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B-Cycle demo planned at Mellow Johnny’s
Imagine if Austin had a bike share system, where locals and tourists could check out a bicycle from a self-service station, pedal from Barton Springs to South Congress, then zip up to a kiosk near the University of Texas to return it.
Denver, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Minneapolis all have such systems, and San Antonio launched one this spring.
Now a group of private supporters, led by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, is rallying to make an Austin bike share system a reality.
On Thursday, the bike shop will host a demonstration and presentation by B-Cycle, which operates a program in San Antonio. They’ll demonstrate how the system works and let visitors test ride the sturdy bikes.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces Street. The shop will provide appetizers and refreshments.
The San Antonio system started with 14 stations. The Austin system likely would be larger, with about 50 stations and 550 bikes in the downtown grid.
“We are working to build private sector support for a bike share system that has a lot of interest and a groundswell of financial support already,” Mellow Johnny’s general manager Craig Staley said in a press release.
The bike shop has organized a group of private supporters to partner with the City of Austin and pledge a financial match in applying for an upcoming $74 million Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization grant.
“The CAMPO Grant is the last piece of the puzzle that will make bike share a reality for Austin,” Staley said.
Supporters hope to get a bike share system in place in Austin in 2012.
A separate Friday morning demo is planned as part of the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Issues and Eggs meeting at 8:30 a.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 301 E. 8th Street. An RSVP is required for the Friday meeting; email rsvp@downtownaustin.com or call 381-6270 by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
To learn more about the San Antonio bike share system and Austin’s efforts to get a similar system, read this article I wrote in April.
(Photo above by Ricardo Brazziell of the Austin American-Statesman.)
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Comments
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By Mappable
July 13, 2011 8:23 AM | Link to this
So why are the bikes so heavy and expensive? Your previous article stated that “…Austin is considering spending about $1.8 million, plus operating costs of about $225,000 per year, to put in a similar system.
It would start with 30 stations and 300 bikes but could eventually expand to 70 stations with 700 bikes”
By Pam
July 13, 2011 4:59 PM | Link to this
Wah! It’s too hot to ride a bike.
By eastsidechicana
July 13, 2011 7:58 PM | Link to this
I hope this event doesn’t block traffic during business hours. This type of crowd of b-cycles should have to pay for a permit to compensate and pay for part of their share of using the road and inconveniencing motor drivers. Just as i pay yearly for my registeration b-cycles should also have to contribute especially with that amount of money that has already been used. No wonder the poor are going hungry and live in poor conditions, etc. First the ugly lights on 7th and 35 now this waste of money. why don’t the b-cyclers pay for their own lock up system???
That is crazy to use COA funds to accomodate b-cylers, what is their share in turning that money around??? Does my taxes pay for them to have this accomodation? I think motor vehicles should have some kind of benifit too, Please name me one??? This waste of money is not right it only targets one set of people.
Not pleased with Austin changes.
Keep Austin Beautiful not weird!!!!!!!
By Forward Thinker
July 13, 2011 10:36 PM | Link to this
“Eastsidechicana” - A few points in response to your post.
1) You own a car…not the road. Bicycles are legally entitled to use the road.
2) A bike-sharing system benefits motorists in many ways. If we can shift a decent percentage of trips from cars to bikes, traffic will become less of a problem, parking spaces will open up, and there will be far less wear and tear on the roadways.
3) You mention the poor. Good point. Most bike-sharing systems are very inexpensive. Often less than the cost of a typical annual bus pass. A typical bike-sharing system provides mobility to everyone. Not just the rich.
4) If we can get people physically active, even for 10 minutes a day, the health implications (and resulting health-care cost savings) are huge.
5) Bicyclists already pay taxes for roads. On a wear-and-tear or per mile basis, bikes pay relatively even more. In 2001, 40% of the total cost of the nation’s road network was paid for by taxes unrelated to motor vehicles, such as property taxes, investment income, etc.
The lesson? Bicycle transit benefits EVERYone, even drivers.
The secondary lesson? Before joining the mindless “All Government Spending is Wrong” crowd, try some independent thought and research. You may surprise yourself.
By Stan
July 14, 2011 12:30 PM | Link to this
Like clockwork the petroleum-whoring, bike-hating peanut gallery chimes in.
“Keep Austin Cancerous” :-/