GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — You see them on the streets of big cities like Chicago: brightly-colored bikes lined up on a rack, ready for rental.
While those bikes may appear to be a tourist attraction, Grand Rapids officials say they’re practical for the community.
“We always push a park once concept. So maybe you come downtown and you park on the west side of the river where it’s less expensive, and you can hop on a bike-share bike and go to your other destinations,” explained Kristin Bennett, Grand Rapids transportation planning and program supervisor.
After years of discussion, Grand Rapids may launch a bike-sharing program by next summer.
City leaders first talked about a bike-share program in 2017, but they decided to first create better paths for bikes to get around, like the new bike lanes along Century Avenue SW.
Bike-share programs usually involve bicycles parked in groups, often at hubs or stations. Riders rent the bikes for a period of time, then turned them back in.
Read more at 24 hour news 8.