Hangzhou, China, is often credited with hosting one of the world's largest bike share fleets. Soon, SJSU will join a similar effort funded by a Bay Area regional grant. The Bay Area program is expected to be in operation by the end of next summer (photo by Karin McKie).
By Amanda Holst, Public Affairs Assistant
Bike sharing, a popular trend in Europe, will soon be making a paceline to SJSU. Associated Students’ President Tomasz Kolodziejak said the program, expected to be completed in September 2012, will add a sense of community to the city and campus.
“It will give students the freedom to explore the city if they don’t own a bicycle, if they don’t have enough room to store one, or don’t want to go through the trouble of maintaining one,” Kolodzejak said.
Eyedin Zonobi, manager of the A.S. Transportation Solutions office, said a bike share program would play well with the estimated 1,000 bicycles on campus per day each semester.
“Although we have six cages to accommodate parking for bikes, plus open racks in front of every building, parking for bikes is reaching its limits,” Zonobi said. “This program would alleviate some of the impact.”
Bike Share Grant
The project is being funded by a $4.29 million Metropolitan Transportation Commission grant to provide bicycles and kiosk stations to the cities of San Francisco, Redwood City, Mountain View, Palo Alto and San Jose. In addition, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties will contribute matching funds, making this a $7 million project.
San Jose is expected to receive 150 bikes, placed in up to a dozen automated pods around the downtown area, linking the San Jose Diridon Transit Center to other high-activity locations, according to Bike and Pedestrian Program Director John Brazil.
Transportation Solutions is joining efforts with Parking Services and Facilities Development and Operations on campus to work with the City of San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. An SJSU planning committee will find three or four locations on the campus perimeter for bike share hubs. VTA is in the process of issuing a request for proposals for vendors.
Features, depending on the vendor, may include modular bike stands, metal baskets, solar or electric locking and tracking technology, and GPS capabilities. Bikes will be inexpensive to rent and there will be different payment and membership options to chose from.