I may eventually get the credit for being the first voice for bike sharing, much like Tony Capizzi gets the credit for baseball downtown, but, it won’t be anytime soon.
The people at UpDayton and Metroparks with help from Dr. Ervin have released their plan for bike share lite.
They propose a max of 30 bike share stations, with most locations in Downtown with a few across the river in Wright Dunbar and around the Art Institute, stretching down to UD, but not providing a station over at UD Arena to fully connect the campus.
No mentions of sponsorship plans, no integration with the bike paths (one of our true assets). But, most importantly, very little info on multi-modal or circulatory route benefits of bike share as a partner with local public transit. In short, a lightweight study by a team that believes in operating safely.
This plan seriously omits the opportunity to empower those who it could benefit most- our underclass living in poverty and needing affordable mobility. The plan as proposed is far from the empowering engine I first presented.
Call this- Bike Share for yuppies, DINCs and all those who can afford a bike, but don’t want the hassle of having to think about riding.
Please reconsider Scott Murphy, Aaron Buckley, Amy Forsthoefel, Matt Lindsay, Grant Neeley, Emily Wilk, Andy Williamson. I know many of you- and I know you are capable of thinking bigger than this.
Re-read what I’ve posted over the years: http://esrati.com/category/bike-share-in-dayton-ohio/ [2]
Judging from my experience, I think it would be futile to put a bike sharing station at the UD arena. People are plenty terrified to ride on small roads; many won’t take on Edwin C Moses Blvd. Of course, if the bike path would be extended on that side of the river (I saw construction, but don’t know what it is about) or bike lanes are put into place, that might be a different situation. Though, that path is cut off, before you make it back downtown Dayton, by I-75 construction and that’s not supposed to change till 2017.
That group is already working with RTA, just telling you now so you don’t try to take credit for having the idea later. Also, I doubt they got the idea from you, but even if they did, so what? Ideas are a dime a dozen around here. Real action is not so common. So you had an idea, some other people are advancing it, you in turn make sweeping criticisms of their work and we are supposed to thank you?
As a side note, I agree that they ought to consider a station at UD Arena, or possibly the 1700 Patterson Blvd building too.
@Chris- unfortunately, ideas seem to take forever to take off- unless someone with money wants it done. Buy your policy via local auctions for public office.
The sweeping criticism is that this proposal isn’t enough to sell people. It doesn’t explain how bike share could have a huge impact on downtown businesses, nor- does it work with the bike paths- or connect our metroparks.
If someone is going to champion it- this plan doesn’t give them the tools to sell it.
I think we should give you props for the first one to propose this..
I think RTA already has a very small informal “bike share” thing for their workers…they have some RTA green bikes in the building, near that walkway to the bus hub.
As for the underclass and bikes….there’s a lot of folks using bikes and RTA….I see them everyday on the bus, and sometime I am one of those people….I use the bike and RTA to go grocery shopping sometimes, or to go riding on the bike trails…. its possible to take the bus from Centerville/Washington Township to the trailheads via busses 23, 17, and 14, and 60, if you cylce to the south bus hub.
Bike share….I think the concept is basically yuppie anyway, isn’t it?
A lot of the po folk who ride and use RTA & ride already have bikes. But yeah…you are on to something…that it is, believe it or not, possible to be very car-lite in the Dayton area , even in certain suburban areas (like mine), using RTA and a bike.
UD’s new bike share program made the New York Times:
Nevermind Citi Bike Here’s Campus Bike
@jstults the UD program isn’t bike share- it’s bike giveaway- to kids who are paying close to $40k a year for an education. Sort of like a free toaster when you open a checking account.
[…] a bike share program to our city (and not just where the yuppies and hipsters live per the Dr. Ervin plan) but citywide is another way to engage our citizens in healthy alternatives to being […]