Last week, Red Bank, New Jersey took an important step towards implementing the Jersey Shore’s first bike share program, a rental system that makes bikes available for short distance trips. Red Bank is just one of many New Jersey municipalities interested in bike shares. Here are some of the state’s most promising programs (and soon-to-be programs).
Red Bank
Meadowlink, a transportation management association, recently selected Red Bank as an ideal bike share candidate because of its cyclist-friendly Master Plan and its potential to be a model for other shore towns. With Meadowlink’s assistance, the borough applied for a $100,000 grant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, a sum which will fund 75% of the bike share program’s start-up costs. Red Bank would cover the remainder in a variety of ways, including sponsorship and private donations. The grant aims to give the municipality three years to figure out how to sustain the program. While a decision on the funding may not arrive for over a year, Red Bank Councilwoman Kathy Horgan believes that the time will give the borough an opportunity to develop an effective implementation plan.
Hoboken and Jersey City
Hoboken and Jersey City are both working with the Hudson County Transportation Management Association to become the county’s first municipalities with bike shares. Hoboken, already known for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure, hopes to issue a request for proposals in early spring, and according to Hoboken Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs, award a contract by May or June. He said that the city is “trying hard” to have the system operating by summer.
Collingswood
In October 2008, Collingswood started a bike share program using refurbished, donated, and reclaimed bikes. Residents use it like a library, borrowing bikes and returning them when they’re finished. They can borrow for an extended period of time, so long as they continue to ride.
University Programs
The Rutgers Green Purchasing Program, in conjunction with the Rutgers University Department of Transportation Services, launched a bike rental pilot program at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. 150 bikes are available for rent throughout campus.
Princeton also has a bike share program, U-Bike, which started in the fall of 2007. The University’s Department of Public Safety collects discarded bicycles from around campus and then hands them off to a staff of volunteers, which refurbishes them. After that, students can rent the bikes for the semester. Each bike comes with a lock and free basic maintenance from Princeton’s bike co-op.
Meadowlink, the transportation management association that’s working with Red Bank, is also collaborating with Rutgers-Newark on a similar program, which is slated to be up and running in about six months.
Of late, bike shares have proliferated throughout the United States, with programs in Washington, D.C., Boston, Denver, and, soon, in New York City. Even the suburbs are getting in on it: Long Beach, NY and Simsbury, CT have both developed their own systems.
Great article about popularity. Where did you get those news from? Have a good one, Martina!
[…] Bike-Share Programs Get a Foothold in New Jersey (MTR) […]
Have any of these New Jersey bike shares (particularly Hoboken and Jersey City) attempted to integrate with the upcoming NYC bikeshare? I feel like having access to the PATH train would mean NYC users visiting for the afternoon or night would be inclined to take bikeshare to the stations, ride on over, and hop onto another bike to get to their destination.
[…] a master plan to do the same. There’s a group planning to establish a pilot program for bike-sharing […]
Our school taxes in Brick NJ are extremely high in no small part because we pay to provide courtesy busing for a huge number of students who live a very short distance from school.
This is a result of poor planning. There is no grid system in this town which would alleviate vehicle traffic and provide walkable areas. . State and County roads comprise the major part of our roadways. This allows crossing pointing to who should be accountable. Cooperation between the three entities is in reference to vehicle use st the expense of pedestrians.
One example of the problem is the underpass of the Garden State Parkway between the Southbound entrance ramp and the Northbound Exit 90. It is dangerous for driving this stretch and virtually impossible to walk or bicycle. There is NO shoulder.
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[…] Bikeshare and New York’s Citi Bike dominate the national conversation about bike share, smaller municipalities across the region have embraced the technology as a way to revitalize their communities and expand […]