City Council Approves Selection of Consultant for Bike Share Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan

Jayne Kirkpatrick, Director, Public Affairs         
Prepared by: Christopher Riley, Senior Public Affairs Specialist

For more information: Jennifer Baldwin, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, 919-996-2476

Sept. 17, 2013

City Council Approves Selection of Consultant for Bike Share
Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan

On Sept. 17 the Raleigh City Council approved the selection of Toole Design Group to conduct a feasibility study and implementation plan for a bike-share program.

A bicycle-share system would use kiosks located around the city to rent bicycles through individual leases and through membership-based subscriptions. The systems have been very popular in other cities across the U.S. The City of Charlotte recently implemented a bike-share system with 20 stations. Bike-sharing systems create opportunities to increase bicycle use for relatively short-range trips and can provide a convenient choice for travel.

The City Council authorized the City of Raleigh Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) to explore the feasibility of a bike-share program in Raleigh in its adopted fiscal year 2014 work plan. It is estimated that this effort will cost less than $100,000 which has been allocated in the City’s Capital Improvement Program. The study will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the bike-share concept and will determine the likely success of a bike- share program in Raleigh. The project will consist of two separate phases. The first phase will conduct a feasibility study for a bike share system for Raleigh that includes a minimum number of  stations, ridership potential, cost and revenue estimates, and governance/ownership models.

If phase one determines that such a system is feasible, phase two will create an implementation plan for a bike-share system in Raleigh. The findings of each phase will be presented to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, which will develop recommendations for the City Council’s consideration.

The study and plan will be completed in approximately nine months. The staff oversight team for this project includes the City of Raleigh Office of Transportation Planning, the Urban Design Center, and the Public Works Department.