Contact: Adrienne Barnes
             Kathy Dominick
             (410) 361-9296

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Bike Share program will be an environmentally sustainable transportation option

BALTIMORE, MD (March 16, 2016) – Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was joined by Department of Transportation Director William Johnson and biking advocates to announce that a vendor has been approved by the Board of Estimates to manage, operate and maintain Baltimore’s new Bike Share Program.

“Bike Share is an affordable and healthy addition to the city’s existing transportation options,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “We are excited to invest in our communities by providing a safe and sustainable way to travel in Baltimore.”    

The Bike Share program will provide citizens with convenient, on-demand access to bicycles for short distance trips in the city. Similar to car sharing programs, Bike Share has become an effective mode of transportation for quick, point to point trips in urban areas. Bike Sharing is different than bicycle renting because it is designed for short trips with high turnover, based on a fee structure with higher rates the longer a bicycle is in use.

Programs like these have proven successful in many jurisdictions worldwide, including more than 50 cities across the United States. With today’s approval of a bike share vendor, Baltimore will join cities such as Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, Cleveland, Denver, Montreal, London and Paris to provide an effective bike sharing system.

The Board of Estimates today approved Bewegen Technologies, Inc. to facilitate the design, installation, operation and maintenance of Baltimore’s premier program. Bewegen is a proven leader in innovative biking initiatives, and has deployed successful bike share programs across the nation and the world.

“We are eager to implement the city’s first bike share program,” said Director Johnson. “It is our priority to expand the city’s network of transportation options for the citizens of Baltimore.”

Phase I of the city’s program will include 50 bike share stations and 500 bicycles. Baltimore’s bicycle fleet will also include 200 electric-assist bikes, which will be the largest pedelec bike share fleet in the nation. Pedelec bikes are integrated with small electric motors that automatically assist the rider when pedaled. These bikes use rechargeable batteries and travel at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour.

The City of Baltimore expects to launch Phase I of its Bike Share program in the fall of 2016.

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation:

“Keeping Baltimore Moving Safely”

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