Valley Bike Share Program Rolling Out Next Year

By Nick Blumberg
Published: Monday, October 28, 2013 - 5:33pm
Updated: Monday, October 28, 2013 - 5:54pm
(Photo courtesy of Jenny Poon-Eeko Studio)
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton announced Grid Bike Share is coming to the Valley.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has announced new details about a bike share program that will cover three Valley cities. A public-private partnership, leaders of the bike share are still finalizing sponsors to help fund the program.

It is called Grid Bike Share. Early next year, 500 bright green bikes are set to be available to rent in Phoenix. In the spring, Tempe and Mesa are supposed to have 250 bikes each. Riders can buy a daily pass for $5, a monthly pass for $30 or a yearly pass for $79.

Phoenix's Street Transportation Director Wylie Bearup said to start with there will be about 50 stations from which riders can check out a bike, mostly near the light rail line.

"You get off [at] a station, there's a bike share station there," Bearup said. "The bike share will extend that reach of our transit system into neighborhoods, get you a little further away from the light rail line, for example."

The city of Phoenix has set aside $500,000 for infrastructure related to bike share. CycleHop, the private company that runs the program, is still working to get sponsors to help pay for the bikes and checkout stations.

"We're going to approach companies and properties and encourage them to host stations," said CycleHop CEO Josh Squire. "That's one way to fund bike share and to grow it, and in addition to that, CycleHop is investing some funds as well."

Squire said businesses that sponsor a station will garner goodwill with customers and employees.