Despite a close 5-4 vote, City Council approved a plan to purchase new bike racks for the Grid Bike Share program Wednesday.
The council approved buying the 250 bikes racks for $125,615 from CycleHop, a national company that implements and manages bike share programs, to extend the program’s reach.
“The bike share is really saving us money so we don’t have to spend a bunch of money on things like parking garages that will cost significantly more, while bringing in those entrepreneurial businesses,” said District 8 Councilwoman Kate Gallego, who supported the plan.
District 1 Councilwoman Thelda Williams disagreed with her, however, citing the program’s usage.
“I have asked for data on this and all I got was the system has a utilization of 40 percent, and I don’t understand why we are expanding a system that hasn’t even gotten up to 50 percent usage, nor did they tell me exactly where the usage was,” she said.
Related: Grid Bike Share shares report on first quarter numbers, looks ahead to summer ridership
The 40 percent utilization rate is high considering the record breaking temperatures this summer, said Charlene Reynolds, deputy director of street transportation for the city of Phoenix. She said the rate, which was much higher than what was predicted for the program in its infancy, will become even higher in the upcoming months as the temperature begins to drop.
The program was split into three phases. Phase one cost the city no money, with the bill picked up by CycleHop. The following phases required the city to pitch in and pay for the expansions, which some on the council, including Williams, did not want to do.
The $125,615 would create 10 to 15 additional stations along the light rail corridor, put 200 more bike share bicycles on the streets and add 50 spots for personal bikes. The program’s ultimate goal is to have 1,000 to 1,500 bikes available, Reynolds said.
Mayor Greg Stanton said the program is useful and needed.
“I do believe that is a smart investment, not just for downtown Phoenix, or District 7 and 8, 4 and 5, and the other central Phoenix districts that are obviously going to have the overwhelming amount of it,” he said. “That expansion is good there but I believe it is good for the entire city.”
Contact the reporter at Kmlane5@asu.edu.
