Study: A bike sharing program in Philadelphia is feasible

A new bike-share service could be on its way to Philadelphia, with the support of a local feasibility study that suggests that there’s a viable market for it.
The Philadelphia Bike Share Concept Study supports the adoption of a city-run bike-sharing program, similar to services like Zipcar and Philly Car Share.

A new bike-share service could be on its way to Philadelphia, with the support of a local feasibility study that suggests that there’s a viable market for it. [audio:100225MPBIKE.mp3]

The Philadelphia Bike Share Concept Study supports the adoption of a city-run bike-sharing program, similar to services like Zipcar and Philly Car Share.

If implemented, bike riders could use a membership card to temporarily check out one of the 2500 available bikes at stations located throughout a 15-mile stretch of Center City.

Alex Doty is the executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which managed the year-long study.

He says the program would reduce emissions, improve the health of residents and increase the number of bikers in the city.

Doty: Bike sharing is not about trying to make bicycling more convenient for people who bike today. Bike sharing is very much about trying to get people who have not biked in Philadelphia to try it.

If adopted, the study envisions the City of Philadelphia paying for its operations, which
in the plan’s first phase would be around $6 million.