By this time next year, Portlanders should see a new flock of bicycles settle in the Rose City. Part of the new Portland Bike Share program currently making its bureaucratic rounds, the 740-strong bicycle fleet would find homes at various pods across the city, including Portland State.
By this time next year, Portlanders should see a new flock of bicycles settle in the Rose City. Part of the new Portland Bike Share program currently making its bureaucratic rounds, the 740-strong bicycle fleet would find homes at various pods across the city, including Portland State.
Portland Bike Share just might become another commonplace facet of Portland’s already bike-friendly status. According to Ian Stude, transportation options manager at PSU, up to five of the projected 74 bike pods will be located near the PSU campus with approximately 50 bikes available for student and faculty use. In an email to the Vanguard, Stude explained the benefits of bringing bike sharing to PSU.
“The obvious benefit is to those who choose to utilize the bikes to travel within the central city. Bike Share is going to make it very convenient and efficient to jump on a bike for short, quick trips in the urban core of Portland,” Stude said.
Bike-sharing programs have gained popularity and momentum in cities across the United States and in Europe. Programs consist of a series of automated stations where commuters can check out bikes and then return them. An annual membership of Portland Bike Share, projected to cost between $40 and $60, would grant free rides up to 30 minutes long. At the 30-minute limit, bikes can be returned and then re-checked out for longer rides.
Senior English major Jason Fillo told the Vanguard that bike sharing would have been handy to have on campus when he was living in the dorms in Ondine. “Part of me is just willing to walk anywhere, but it would have been convenient. I definitely would have done it,” Fillo said.
With the proposed increase in TriMet bus and MAX fare, bike sharing could also serve as a replacement method for quick trips. This also could potentially decrease high-volume crowding on public transit during rush hours.
“For every trip taken by bike share, that means one less seat being taken up on a crowded bus or train, or one less car trip adding to congestion and competing for the limited number of parking spaces in the central city,” Stude said.
The Bike Share program will be run by a yet-to-be-chosen private vendor and overseen by the Portland Bureau of Transportation. The bureau’s $4 million proposed budget for the project would consist of $2 million in flex-funds from Metro and $2 million in private funds from the outside vendor. On March 14, the Bureau of Transportation brought the project before the City Council for approval to send out bid requests from private vendors the city. The council approved the proposal, and the program is slated for implemention by next spring.
“We are going to continue moving forward as details get worked out,” said Bureau of Transportation representative Dan Anderson.
The idea of bike sharing has drawn some criticism from bike commuters who would rather see the money invested in improved street infrastructure for bikers, and some voices in city government have argued that bike sharing should be considered a lower priority and doesn’t deserve priority funding.
“Bike sharing is a priority of the mayor and city council, so we prioritize finding the funding,” Anderson said.
As opposition mounted, so has support. Groups like the Bicycle Transportation Alliance support Portland Bike Share. The general argument in favor of the project is that it will get more people commuting by bike, which will in turn create a higher need for development of bike infrastructure.
At PSU, bike sharing could potentially decrease traffic and free up parking. “I think that bike sharing will be extremely beneficial to the PSU community,” said PSU Bike Hub supervisor Clint Culpepper. “Most students and staff arrive to campus via a mode other than bicycle and don’t currently have a bicycle on campus to run errands during the day like grabbing lunch. The potential for reduction in small car trips within the center city is huge, and with the coming changes to the fareless rail zone, bike sharing will be a great amenity,” Culpepper said.
Putting bikes on the streets of Portland may be a year out, but with funding approval from Metro and the approval by City Council, bike sharing in Portland is a few crucial steps closer to realization. To see current updates, visit Portland Bureau of Transportation’s website at www.portlandonline.com/transportation. People can also visit the Portland Bike Share website www.portlandbikesharestationmap.com, where people can suggest locations for the future bike pods.
