Novick Seeks $2.5 Million for Portland Bike Share's Second Phase

SHARE AND SHARE A BIKE: New York City's streets now feature nearly 6,000 rental bicycles managed by Portland company Alta Bike Share.
By AARON MESH

City Hall still can't get to phase one of its long-delayed Portland Bike Share, but City Commissioner Steve Novick is already making a play for money to fund phase two.

Novick is seeking $2.5 million from the Oregon Department of Transportation to expand proposed locations for bike-share stations, including to the North Portland industrial enclave of Swan Island.

"Bike share will improve mobility and provide hundreds of Swan Island employees on swing and night shifts with new access to MAX light rail service," the application says.

The application (read the PDF here) says Portland Bike Share's second phase would add 30 bike-share stations and expand the system east along Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and Division Street, and Northeast Alberta Street. It would also add 300 bicycles—for a total of 1,050 rental bikes managed by local vendor Alta Bike Share.

The city is seeking the $2.5 million from ODOT's Connect Oregon V grants program, which will fund $42 million to alternative transportation programs across the state.

But the system's first phase is still uncertain. As WW first reported in August, City Council hasn't decided if it should subsidize the bike-share program with up to $4.6 million in loans for a planned launch this year.

WWeek 2015

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