Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Portland bike-sharing plan wins city transportation bureau OK
The Oregonian ^ | 8/16/2111 | Joseph Rose

Posted on 08/16/2011 7:09:01 AM PDT by Bean Counter

Portland, OR: In a city where just about everything that can be done on a bicycle has been done, Portland still doesn't do bike sharing.

Not yet anyway.

After years of study, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has recommended using $4 million in startup funds -- half from a limited, flexible federal funding pot, half from private investors -- for an automated community bicycling program.

The City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on the concept, which has proved wildly popular in other American cities and across Europe.

"We essentially expect this to be used by everybody -- tourists, businesspeople, students, people who do and don't regularly use their bicycle," said bureau project manager Dan Bower.

Urban planners increasingly see bike sharing as the mark of a world-class city. Thousands of commuters a day already use rapidly expanding networks in Washington, D.C., Miami, Minneapolis and 12 other U.S. cities. Meanwhile, a new British study shows bicycle sharing provides a wide range of health benefits to urban residents.

Still, Commissioner Amanda Fritz said Monday that the timing is wrong and she would probably vote against the recommendation.

*SNIP*


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: agenda21; deindustrialization; fedcontrol; keepportlandweird; liberalsgonewild; opm; portland; un
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last
To: NorthStarStateConservative
It costs around 30 bucks an hour to ride the bike

At this cost it's easier to get a cab:

  1. The overall cost is the same
  2. You don't need to sweat pedaling the thing
  3. You can transport suitcases or boxes in a cab
  4. You have far less chance to die under wheels of some truck
  5. No $200 deposit required
  6. Any origin, any destination (not tied to rental places)
  7. Once you arrive you pay the driver and the contract is over. Rentals can always bite you long after the ride is finished
  8. You arrive faster

21 posted on 08/16/2011 8:45:37 AM PDT by Greysard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

This is just so dumb. We have had a bike sharing program in my college town for 10 years. The bikes are trashed and rusty and nobody ever uses them. The program was an abject failure.

If you let people use something for free, they will give it no value and have no problem treating the bikes like junk, which they will be after a few months.


22 posted on 08/16/2011 8:51:40 AM PDT by Poser (Cogito ergo Spam - I think, therefore I ham)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter
I wasn't familiar with these programs until I read about the one here in DC about a month ago. I can't support the public funding of it. If it paid for itself, ok. If it had a substantial positive impact on the populace, I might be ok with it even if it were subsidized.

But, it is utilized by a very small minority whose presence may in fact hinder transportation in all the ways cyclists inadvertently gum up systems designed for automobiles.

With that said, if they extend the DC program into Arlington like they plan to, I will likely use it on occasion for trips too far to walk and too short to Metro.

23 posted on 08/16/2011 8:52:35 AM PDT by Mr. Bird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greysard

Or it’s better just to buy a BMX for 20 bucks at the local thrift store when you’re in town and donate it back when you’re done. That’s what I did when I was in Orlando and I needed to get around town.


24 posted on 08/16/2011 8:59:24 AM PDT by NorthStarStateConservative (Springtime in America will arrive on January 21, 2013.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: hattend

The bike shop I work for in Dallas is in the process of building 200+ bikes for San Antonio to run a similar program.

I forget the exact numbers, but I think we sold them Gary Fisher Tarpons for less than $300 each.


25 posted on 08/16/2011 9:00:31 AM PDT by West Texas Chuck (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. That should be a convenience store, not a Government Agency.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

No thanks. I’d rather drive my gas guzzling SUV with tush friendly seats, A/C and that will carry more than a bic pen.


26 posted on 08/16/2011 9:11:28 AM PDT by bgill (just getting tagline ready for 6 months after you vote in Perry - Tried to warn you he's a RINO.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Good old Portlandograd! Just like some of our cities in California, that have been taken over by Marxists from NYC and other Leftist cities on the East Coast. After they’ve succeeded in crapping up their birth nests, they move on for “cleaner” pastures.


27 posted on 08/16/2011 9:49:00 AM PDT by vette6387 (Enough Already!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: NorthStarStateConservative
Or it’s better just to buy a BMX for 20 bucks at the local thrift store when you’re in town and donate it back when you’re done.

Absolutely; $20 for any length of "rental" time more than 40 minutes surely beats the $30/hr.

But I never had even a chance to consider such a way of locomotion - not since I was much younger :-) I don't travel much these days - doing zero flying at least, but making plenty of car trips, for fun and profit. When I used to fly for business (before 9/11) the company wouldn't even listen to such "nonsense" about bicycles. They would have me all set up by the minute - land, grab a rental car from Hertz, drive to company A, have a meeting there, drive to hotel B, go to a dinner meeting at restaurant C, etc. Time of employees is too expensive to waste; when on a business trip I was working harder than when in the office.

28 posted on 08/16/2011 3:51:56 PM PDT by Greysard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson