Bike Share Programs Delayed Across the U.S.

by  Liz Webber | Aug 8, 2012
Bike
Bike / zozzzzo/iStock

Last spring, we picked the Top 10 Cities for Cycling, those U.S. locales where bike lanes, cycler safety, and easy access to two-wheeled transportation all rank high for residents and visitors alike. Four of those cities – Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, and St. Petersburg, Florida – were set to launch ambitious bike share programs this summer. Unfortunately, the start dates have passed for each of those places, and we’re still waiting on those cycle rentals. So what happened, and when can you expect to see bike shares in your city?

New York City
Big Apple visitors were promised a July launch for Citi Bike’s 600 stations and 10,000 bikes across Manhattan and Brooklyn. The official channels still say the program will start this summer, but no date has been given. Some rumor it may be delayed until as far away as spring 2013.

San Francisco
When we published our article, San Francisco had yet to pick a vendor for its bike share, so it’s not surprising the timeline for launch had to be adjusted. However, local news reports now say the program won’t be rolled out until January 2013.

St. Petersburg, FL
Originally slated to start with a bang on July 4, myBike’s momentum may have fizzled. A representative from St. Pete’s Department of Transportation was not aware of a new launch date, and myBike hasn’t posted any updates on the program to Twitter or Facebook since late June.

Chicago
This one is a complete mystery. There have been no announcements from the city government or the bike vendor since the partnership was unveiled in April. When I called the press information line listed on the original notice, I was transferred four times to a Chicago Department of Transportation answering machine. Still waiting for someone to return my call.

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