Bike Sharing Update

[smbike]

Below is a recent article on the bike sharing program. There is more
about this at:http://bikesmc.org/id64.htm

http://sfbay.ca/2012/02/03/bike-sharing-coming-to-a-corner-near-you/
>
> San Francisco, along with four other cities in Silicon Valley, will
> launch the region’s first bike-share system this July.
>
> Trendy bike-sharing systems have been successful in major cities
> across the world including Paris, Barcelona and London. Short-term
> bicycle rental stations allow members to check out a bike from one of
> many automated solar-powered bicycle stations and then return the
> bicycle to a different station.
>
> Bikers will likely be able to join for daily, weekly, monthly and
> annual rates. The City has not announced the pricing structure for the
> system yet, but said it would be “flexible” and built to encourage
> quick trips so the system will have a high turnover rate.
>
> The bike-share system will feature 500 bicycles at approximately 50
> racks in downtown SF, plus another 500 bikes and 50 racks near
> Caltrain stations in Redwood City, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and San
> Jose.
>
> The system will be funded by the Metropolitan Transportation
> Commission. A $4.3 million grant has been devoted to the regional bike
> share program as part of $33 million for various projects around The
> Bay aimed at reducing cars on the road and to curb emissions.
>
> According to SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose, the SF stations will be
> “centered in SF’s employment- and transit-rich Downtown/SOMA corridor
> between the Financial District, Market Street and the Transbay and
> Caltrain terminals with connections at Market Street BART stations and
> the Ferry Terminal.”
>
> The pilot program launches this summer just in time for preliminary
> America’s Cup events in August when crowds will flock to the
> Embarcadero. With as many as 2 million people expected to visit, bike
> sharing is part of The City’s plan to keep as many cars as possible
> out of the area. Plans also include the creation of new bike lanes and
> routes throughout The City.
>
> Residents can even request locations where they want future stations
> to be by emailing the department.
> Source: SF StreetsBlog
>
> More at SFBay: http://sfbay.ca/2012/02/03/bike-sharing-coming