Bargain City Biking

by Molly Webster  |  April 28, 2008  |  More By Molly Webster

What do you think of the possibility of having an outdoor “subway,” where the only air is fresh air, and the thrill you get down your spine is not from the erratic, bearded fellow crammed next to you, but because of the steady peddling action of your feet? One of The New York Times most emailed stories at the moment is about a bicycle rental program that’s debuting in our nation's capital.

The program, called SmartBike DC, will make 120 bicycles available to rent day or night at ten stations throughout Washington, D.C. Much like the Zipcar rent-a-car program, members of the project ($40 per year fee) will be given a card that can be swiped at a rental kiosk to unlock a bike. The three-speed bikes can then be used for up to three hours. DC is not the only city in the states moving toward such a program, according to the Times: San Francisco’s deal is already in the works, and Portland, Oregon, as well as Chicago, are considering proposals. The share systems will mirror those that were established in Paris and Barcelona a little more than a year ago; these programs now offer over one thousand bikes to city patrons. Both Portland and New York City have attempted non-automated sharing bike programs in the past, something that Amsterdam has made possible—and successful—since the 1960s.

Funding for the DC and San Francisco projects—whose price tag can get hefty considering bikes get stolen or need maintenance—will come from Clear Channel Outdoor. Should the project be successful, I can only imagine it being another feather in the cap of those fighting to build Smart Growth communities -- urban and suburban centers that are less sprawling, more bikeable. My only question is: when’s it coming to New York? I’m ready to join the peloton.