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Your chance to request a bike-share dock in front of your house (or not)

April 8th, 2016 · 4 Comments

This news release from the city, asking for suggestions for locations for bike-share docks, seems like fertile ground for fun. I do know other cities have had some mini-wars over the location of docks. Personally, I am lobbying for one directly in front of my house. I know others won’t feel the same.

Suggest a station site for public bike share

Anyone who lives, works or plays in and around downtown Vancouver is invited to suggest a station site for Vancouver’s new public bike share system.

“Public bike share will be a big boost for Vancouver’s active transportation system,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “This is a great opportunity for people to have their say for where bikes are most needed for short trips and to help us fill the gaps in our existing network.”

The launch of the public bike share system this summer will include 1,000 bicycles and 100 stations. An additional 500 bikes and 50 stations will be added by the end of summer 2016. The initial service area will include the Downtown Peninsula, bounded by Arbutus Street, 16th Avenue and Main Street.

Public bike share stations will be located at popular destinations near where people work, study, shop, dine and play. Stations will be spaced every two to three blocks on streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks and private property within the service area.

“We are actively inviting input from Vancouver residents and commuters on station sites,” said Mia Kohout, General Manager of Vancouver Bike Share Inc, the Vancouver subsidiary of CycleHop. “People can simply go to vancouverbikeshare.ca and pin a location on the map to make their suggestions.”

People can also suggest a public bike share station site using the City’s VanConnect app – look for Cycling in Vancouver/Suggest a Location.

Businesses or property owners wishing to request a station on their property can email CycleHop directly at [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>.

Vancouver’s public bike share system will be the largest smart bike fleet in North America, featuring ‘a brain on the bike’ that allows users to unlock and activate easily and quickly. This allows for increased flexibility of station configuration and placement; stations can also be easily relocated in response to demand.

The City announced in February that CycleHop, a privately-owned company, had been selected to operate a public bike share system that is expected to roll out in downtown Vancouver starting summer 2016.

Overall, the City has seen a continued year-over-year increase in the use of its bike lanes as more residents adapt to cycling, in part due to infrastructure built for people of all ages and abilities. The majority of trips in Vancouver are now taken by foot, bike, or public transit. To view monthly stats visit: http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Bike-lane-stats-by-month.pdf.

Categories: Uncategorized

  • boohoo

    I would request, but I’m outside the ‘zone’.

  • peakie

    I want 3 stands in Pigeon Square at Carrall and Hastings.
    They will be heavily used by the incoming hipsters on their late-night drunken rambles.

  • A Taxpayer

    Unless this is just a PR exercise one would have thought that where the bicycle stations should be stationed would have been part of the market research that determined the viability of the program but perhaps that wasn’t necessary since the generous support of the Vancouver taxpayers greatly reduced the risk to the operators of the program.

    And why is the City putting up so much money for a transportation service that may or may not be in demand while at the same time resisting Uber which is all private money, has a proven business model and for which there is clearly a demand. Perhaps City Hall recognizes that Uber just might increase the number of trips by car which is incompatible with being the Greenest City in the World. I think most people would be satisfied with being the 36th Greenest City in the World if it meant more convenience at a lower cost that might be achieved with Uber.

    And really, isn’t trying to be the Greenest City in the World much like trying to obtain the recognition of the Guinness Book of World Records for some notable achievement like the most hot dogs consumed in 15 minutes? While some might find it interesting, others are just as likely to say “so what” and maybe even feel pity that someone’s life is so devoid of achievement they seek attention through becoming a novelty act. Setting a goal of ending homelessness or pedestrian fatalities may be naïve and impossible but at least they might make a significant impact. Making the Guinness Book of World Records for Greenest City will not.

  • maya

    Once they move out of the initial zone, it would be nice to see stations at community centres.