KC Bike share

[DaveKCMO]

same company.

[dangerboy]

I'm involved in this project, so I can answer some questions...

Education - there will be a strong educational component with classes, information, etc. Area maps will be available at the stations, online, and mobile.

Helmet usage is not required by city or state law, but it will be strongly encouraged. We are working on options to provide helmet discounts to annual members and hopefully make helmets available through hotel concierges and other visitor venues.

I think there should be a lot of bike safety education behind this. Laws etc. Going to be a lot of first time or inexperienced bike riders (myself included) using this that wont know the rules of the road.

Also, do these stations have a map of the area ? Where the other stations are, preferred routes, where the bike lanes are? I assume they do.

Lastly. Helmets. How is that handled ?

[earthling]

dangerboy, any indication where the stations will go? are bike lanes in scope of this project or is that a separate city initiative?

davekcmo, you mentioned 'same company'... is it same as denver or same as minneapolis system? sounds like you meant denver.

[dangerboy]

We won't have exact station locations for another couple of months.

The City has been asked to begin developing a Downtown bike lane network to support the bike share system, but has not yet made any firm commitments on specific streets. The idea is that instead of putting public money into bike share, the city will would invest its money in bike lanes that will benefit everyone, whether they are on a bike share bike or privately owned bike.

Calls and emails to the Mayor and 4th District Councilmembers would be a huge help. Something as simple as "I am excited for the bike share system coming this summer and hope that the city will paint bike lanes on Downtown streets so I have safe places to use the system". However, be aware that the 4th District has made the streetcar its #1 priority for Downtown this year, so there simply isn't much money left for anything else.

Finally, we anticipate using the B-Cycle company, which is the vendor in Denver, Des Moines, Omaha, San Antonio, and several other cities. Minneapolis uses the Bixi company in Montreal.

[earthling]

I'm a little concerned about the word 'anticipate' using B-cycle. Is it planned to be running by June/July per the Star article? If so, would think the selection of B-cycle would be definite by now. I would expect the vendor to be heavily involved in the planning and much further along if this is expected to be in place by Summer. You imply the vendor isn't even selected yet - hope I'm misinterpreting that.

[KCPowercat]

Thanks DB. I'm excited. Ill tweet the mayor my excitement.

[DaveKCMO]

I'm a little concerned about the word 'anticipate' using B-cycle. Is it planned to be running by June/July per the Star article? If so, would think the selection of B-cycle would be definite by now. I would expect the vendor to be heavily involved in the planning and much further along if this is expected to be in place by Summer. You imply the vendor isn't even selected yet - hope I'm misinterpreting that.

i'm sure the cautionary language is because you have your private money source (blue KC) *and* the contract hasn't been signed yet. lawyers, etc., etc.

[pash]

.

[DaveKCMO]

i'm hearing another demo is planned for april first friday.

[KCPowercat]

Almost weekly I find another way I would use this....I don't want to skip spring but come on June.

[dangerboy]

Bike Share Demo:
Friday, April 6th, 2012
First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Missouri Bank
125 Southwest Boulevard (at Wyandotte)

http://bikesharekc.com/april6

[DaveKCMO]

Those photos are awesome. Who's that guy?!?!?!?

This should be a combined demo with KCATA, so plenty of reasons to stop by!

[KCPowercat]

Sounded like 20 stations now which I think is less than originally stated. No word on locations yet atleasr officially.

[shinatoo]

So thinking of getting out the bike Saturday and doing some urban biking. What are the must do routes? Cliff drive? Grand and Main to Plaza? I will be burning enough calories that I will be able to take in some beers. I'm in marginally good bike shape, so nothing to difficult. This is leisure not sport.

[bobbyhawks]

So thinking of getting out the bike Saturday and doing some urban biking. What are the must do routes? Cliff drive? Grand and Main to Plaza? I will be burning enough calories that I will be able to take in some beers. I'm in marginally good bike shape, so nothing to difficult. This is leisure not sport.

I'm also looking forward to doing the Cliff Drive ride. A few weeks back, some friends and I went down through the West Bottoms across the Lewis and Clark Viaduct Bridge to Kaw Point. Very cool views of the skyline. I think the entire West Bottoms is fun to bike through. Not much traffic to navigate or worry about, but lots of interesting nooks and crannies.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Although not considered urban there are many bikers in the Lees' Summit area along the streets by 470.

[shinatoo]

I live in Lee's Summit. I would like to ride somewhere interesting for a change.

[kboish]

A fun loop i do is cruise around cliff drive starting from Paseo and then pop out on gladstone. make your way back west on gladstone blvd all the way to independence ave. cut over two blocks to chestnut trafficway and bomb down into the east bottoms. find your way towards the isle of capri and hop on the trail going to berkley park. take elevator up and cruise back to wherever you parked via rivermarket and columbus park (where i usually start).

[kboish]

I looked at their website today and it said "Coming in June 2012", but I could have sworn I saw someone riding one of their bikes through rivermarket this morning. Has anyone seen any of their stations set up? I couldn't find one in rivermarket. Maybe they are just doing some testing? or that person just had a really similar bike...

[KCPowercat]

Shouldn't we be hearing some news about stops, etc by now? Launching in a month.