The proposed locations of 10 Berkeley bike-sharing stations are included in the first phase of Bay Area Bike Share‘s expansion to the East Bay, announced Monday by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Motivate, the company that operates most of the major bike share systems in the US.
Bay Area Bike Share plans to have at least 37 stations in Berkeley by the time the program’s first three phases are complete. Phase one of the program should be in operation by the end of 2016. Launched in San Francisco in 2013, Bay Area Bike Share aims to have 7,000 bicycles across the region by 2018.
“Berkeley is a vibrant, world-class city that is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint,” said Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates in a statement. Bates serves on the MTC. “Motivate’s partnership with MTC gives us another important tool in our efforts to combat climate change and makes bike sharing a reality in our city.”
Seven of the proposed Berkeley stations are downtown, or immediately adjacent to the UC Berkeley campus. The other three are along Ashby Avenue (see map, above). Bay Area Bike Share said the station locations were chosen after public input through briefings, workshops and an online suggestion portal. Motivate is collecting additional feedback on the announced locations, with displays at both the Central Library and the Claremont Branch Library, as well as online.
Bikes will be available on a per day basis, but for Berkeley residents, annual membership will be more affordable. Motivate expects the cost at launch to be around $15 a month, or $5 a month for people eligible for Lifeline phones or CARE energy subsidies.
Emily Stapleton, general manager of Bay Area Bike Share, expects strong adoption of the program in Berkeley
“We believe that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s decision to expand on an extremely successful pilot program is a testament to how well Bay Area Bike Share has already been embraced by those who live and work near our existing locations,” Stapleton said. “This public-private partnership builds upon that success in a way that will serve far more Bay Area residents than we already do. We’re going from 700 bikes to 7,000 bikes across the Bay Area. We’re excited to expand into the East Bay for the first time, and we believe it’ll be especially well-received in Berkeley, a city with a deep commitment to green transportation.”
Related:
Bay Area Bike Share slated to expand to East Bay in 2016 (05.06.15)
Berkeley Bicycle Plan workshop draws a crowd (04.28.15)
Berkeley Bike Festival, cycling plan open house, coming up (04.22.15)
Berkeley could have bike sharing program by spring 2015 (04.08.14)
Electric bike sharing coming to Berkeley in 2014 (08.26.13)
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