Boston Gears Up to Launch America’s Biggest Bike Sharing Program

by Yuka Yoneda
August 17, 2009
Inhabit

We all know how wonderful bikes are for the environment, but if you’ve been reluctant to make the switch because of the hassle that storing a bike presents, we’ve got exciting news for you! …If you’re in Boston, that is. Lucky Bostonians will soon have no excuse when it comes to choosing biking over cars. The city has announced plans to implement a brand new urban bike sharing system as early as next summer which, when complete, will be the largest in America.

The new system will be very similar to infrastructure already in place in cities like Montreal and Paris. Riders can pick up bikes at one of the 290 stations with a swipe of a credit card, ride it wherever they need to go, and dock it at the station closest to their destination - no heavy locks and chains necessary. In Montreal, people can pay abut $78 per year or $5 per day to participate, which is quite a bit more economical than owning a car. A Canadian company, the Public Bike System Company which operates a program called Bixi, was selected to bring a network of bike-sharing stations to Boston, with the option to eventually expand into neighboring Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline...see full story.