September 16, 2011

10,000 communal bikes will be hitting New York City streets by next summer for one of the largest bike sharing programs in the world. Bike sharing encourages people to get around without hailing a taxi or driving a car by offering easy access to bikes at hundreds stations around the city. The goal is to promote health, quality of life and preservation of the environment. Users pay a one-time fee or annual membership to use the bikes and can return them at any station. In the last four years, New York City has rolled out 250 miles of bike lanes to prepare for more bikers.

The bike share program encourages riders to buy short or long term memberships that include an unlimited number of trips for 45 minutes. Alta Bike Share will develop and manage the 24 hour bike share system in New York City. The company also plans to use smart phone technology where users can get bike kiosk information in real time.

The bike share program in Washington, D.C. has been so popular bikes there are times bikes are in short supply. The Capital Bikeshare program offers more than 1,000 bikes at 110 stations across Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA. 15,000 area residents are members of the program and have clocked more than 800,000 bike trips in the city. Bike sharing programs are popping up from coast to coast in cities like Denver, Boston, Sacramento, Miami and Minneapolis.