Business

Atlanta Rolls Out Expanded Bike Share Program

WABE

October 28th, 2016

If you haven’t seen people riding light blue bicycles in downtown or midtown Atlanta, chances are you will soon.

In June, the city launched its Relay Bike Share Program with 100 bicycles at 10 stations downtown. According to this week’s Atlanta Business Chronicle, by the end of the year, the share program will grow to up to 500 bikes at as many as 70 stations.

The growth of the program helps mark a turning point for Atlanta — a city that sits atop a traffic-clogged highway system, a region that’s been a poster child for suburban sprawl.

Yet, as more people and companies move back to the city, a cultural shift is underway.

“To be a better city, we are going to have to use our streets differently,” said Tim Keane, commissioner of planning and community development for the city of Atlanta.

People can reserve a bike online or via a mobile app. A pin is inputted on the bike and the lock is released. At the end of the ride, people return the bikes to a station or they can leave them at any public bike rack for a fee.

It costs $8 for a 60-minute ride. Or, people can pay $15 a month for a daily 60-minute ride, or $20 a month for a daily 90-minute ride. There are also special rates for students and city employees.

The program is privately funded through CycleHop LLC, which has similar programs in cities including Orlando, Beverly Hills and Phoenix.

The expansion of Relay comes as residents in November will vote whether to approve a city-wide TSPLOST. Among several initiatives, the transportation plan would raise $3 million to further expand the Relay program. That would grow the program from 500 to 1,000 bikes, and would introduce the first electric bikes to the public.

New Relay Bike Share Stations