Bike Sharing In Jacksonville? Why Not?

[Metro Jacksonville]

Bike Sharing In Jacksonville? Why Not?



Bike sharing systems are mushrooming in cities all over the globe.  With the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) now looking into the feasibility of this popular alternative mobility choice, it may be only a matter of time before Jacksonville has a system of its own.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-aug-bike-sharing-in-jacksonville-why-not

[Noone]

Why Not? Could be like the RAM dock only open when RAM is open. OR, you could link Waterway nodes of organic infill corridors that would expand on a connectivity of vibrant destinations throughout our Urban Core that captures users to this alternative form of transportation.

[Bike Jax]

We at Bike Jax have been doing research on Bike share for over a year now. What no one who keeps throwing out the idea of Bike Share in Jacksonville seem to take in to consideration are 3 very important details. These details are what make bike share so successful in other cites. (1) Infriastructure: Every city with bike share programs spent years building a network of cycling infrastructure in the forms of bike lanes, cycle tracks, and segregated paths. (2) Vibrant Urban Cores - Kinda self explanatory. (3) Tourism - Again, self explanatory.

With that said; Can Jax support a new alternative transportation system in the form of bike share? We think it can, we think enough so that a small system consisting of 14 stations throughout the urban core including San Marco. An additional 6 stations at the beaches and 4 stations at UNF and St. Johns Town Center.

We have just recently been contacted by a corporate entity that would also like to see bike share in Jax and would like to talk about making it a reality.

I personally have little faith in JTA being able to properly implement a functional and successful system. They have spent the last 30 years (with great pride) building roads that have little to no pedestrian or cycling facilities and breaking up 100+ year old grids. Their side job of mass tranit is one of the worst systems in the world. Yes, world.

[peestandingup]

The infrastructure just isn't here for something like this to be successful. Downtown itself is very bike unfriendly & honestly doesn't have enough going on. And the urban areas that are vibrant (like Riverside) frankly still aren't very good for this type of thing. And you have to remember that most bike sharers are novices who don't own their own bikes, so none of this would be attractive to any of them. Basically the only decent/safe area would be the Riverwalk, but that's simply not enough.

As far as doing a sharing program first to try to kickstart these things & spur this type of growth? Really?? Remember where you are, the people who are in control of these things & the fact that they wont even follow through with their own pedestrian/cycling mobility fee improvement plans that have been on the books for years now.

[fieldafm]

An additional 6 stations at the beaches and 4 stations at UNF and St. Johns Town Center.

UNF is doing their own bike share system and received quite a few bids. They should be announcing the winning bid at the end of the month.

Infriastructure: Every city with bike share programs spent years building a network of cycling infrastructure in the forms of bike lanes, cycle tracks, and segregated paths

Bike infrastructure is certainly important.  However, there are quite a few current and former Jacksonville residents who have worked for bike sharing companies and they have all looked at some very top level hypothetical plans within the In Town/Downtown neighborhoods and think it is workable.  I tend to give credence to their experience.

I personally have little faith in JTA being able to properly implement a functional and successful system.

Hardly a JTA cheerleader myself, but there are a few things to consider:
a) there are few bike related organizations in the city that have the financial capability to implement such a system, so the area's only transit agency would be a natural fit 
b) JTA's new leadership is interested (the old leadership wouldn't even blink an eye at the suggestion)
c) although private sponsors subsidize most systems nationwide, virtually no private sponsors will fund a feasability study... and an organization like JTA wouldnt necessarily have to do a feasability study (look at Tampa's system for example, they didnt do an expensive feasability study, they just put an RFP out and see who was interested- and apparently many were). 
d) even though some City Council members are interested (important b/c you need to have public right of way access for bike share stations), JTA already has dedicated right of way access so you are again skipping a step.

e) I'm not 100% convinced a bike share system would work (I have reservations that aren't completely out of line with your own)... but there is never a 'perfect' time for anything in life.  Sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty... nothing will ever change otherwise.

If Tampa can do it, why not Jacksonville?

[thelakelander]

We at Bike Jax have been doing research on Bike share for over a year now. What no one who keeps throwing out the idea of Bike Share in Jacksonville seem to take in to consideration are 3 very important details. These details are what make bike share so successful in other cites. (1) Infriastructure: Every city with bike share programs spent years building a network of cycling infrastructure in the forms of bike lanes, cycle tracks, and segregated paths. (2) Vibrant Urban Cores - Kinda self explanatory. (3) Tourism - Again, self explanatory.

There's at least three cities on the list (Tampa, Spartanburg, Des Moines) of "haves" that I'd argue fail at achieving all three points you mention. What do you think they have in their favor that makes bike sharing feasible in their communities?

[Overstreet]

I'm in Tampa. I don't see any bike sharing system.

One thing to remember is that it isn't everywhere in those cities. It is in small areas of the city.

[thelakelander]

^Yes.  I'd assuming in Jax, whenever something comes, it will be limited to a small area as well.  Oh, and Tampa's system is proposed.  They issued and RFP and discovered a few bike share operators were interested and went from there.

We are proud to announce that CycleHop and Social Bicycles have been selected by the City of Tampa to fund, deploy, and manage Tampa’s public bike share program.

http://tampabikeshare.com/

[tufsu1]

As I understand it, CycleHop has also been chosen by UNF for their system.

Like BikeJax, TransForm Jax has done quite a bit of reserach on bike share systems.  We have shared our information, which includes a preliminary map of potential stations, with the DIA and JTA

[Bridges]

I love Bike Share.  Used it in several cities on the list.  Initially I had doubts that it would work, but there are several projects that appear to make it seem more feasible.

The extension of the Northbank Riverwalk, the proposed new Southbank, the new plaza in San Marco, Brooklyn Renaissance, etc.

I know nothing about required density or prospective places, but it would be nice to have a station at a few of those locations.  All of them will be accessible by bike. 

Maybe someone could shed some light on why those wouldn't work specifically?

[simms3]

Bike sharing is such a tourist thing...there aren't really tourists in downtown Jax.  I could see someone starting up a segway tour before I can see bike sharing happening in any successful form.  Biking in DT Jax doesn't seem intuitive to me, and it must be intuitive for a stranger or local visitor or non-biker (most bike share people seem like non-bikers bc most bikers naturally use their own).  Where do you start?  What's the route?  Bike lanes?  Directional signage?  That sort of intimidation of the unknown and unintuitive environment is a biking nightmare.

[simms3]

The extension of the Northbank Riverwalk, the proposed new Southbank, the new plaza in San Marco, Brooklyn Renaissance, etc.

Perhaps stations along the riverwalk, but you don't want bikes and pedestrians mixing on that small walkway.  Once off the riverwalk, where do the bikers go?  The rough stone on the turnaround near the landing is an obstacle and there are no lanes or directional signage or really any destinations - so it would be like a joy ride for visitors looking to explore.  They just need interesting scenery and clear routes that don't mix them dangerously with peds or cars.

[simms3]

This from this week:

A Bay Area bike share program in San Francisco, Redwood City, San Jose, Mountain View and Palo Alto will begin operating on Aug. 28 August 29, according to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. (Update 8/12, 4:46 PM: This report initially cited the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority as saying the bike-sharing program would begin on Aug. 28.VTA officials clarified today that it will actually begin on Aug. 29.)

The program’s first phase is set to launch that day with 700 bikes available for rent at 70 stations and the second phase will add 300 bikes and 30 stations by end of the year, VTA General Manager Michael Burns said.

In Santa Clara County, the VTA provided matching funds to locate the bikes in San Jose, Mountain View and Palo Alto, where 400 of the total 1,000 bikes will be operating when phase two is complete, Burns said.

The Canadian-made, seven-speed bikes will be available for rent with memberships costing $88 per year, $22 for a three-day pass and $9 for a daily pass, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

The $7 million program’s bikes are intended for short trips of 30 minutes or less but borrowers may use them for longer periods for an extra fee, air district officials said.

The company Alta Bike Share was chosen to manage the bike share program, partnering with the VTA, the air district, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transit District, Burns said.

Alta Bike Share currently runs bike share programs in New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington D.C., Burns said.

http://sfappeal.com/2013/08/bay-area-bike-share-to-launch-this-month-with-700-bikes-at-70-stations/

[jaxequality]

I say work on bike racks, clean parks, and bike lanes first. I enjoy biking in the urban core but there are a lot of quirks to work out before money and energy is spent on this kind of endeavor. The city would be better off leasing the old Jax Maritime Museum space to a private rental company that could provide everything from segways to roller blades.

[thelakelander]

^If it were me, I'd just issue an RFP out to operators and gauge their interest.  For all we know, the City's financial obligation could be as simple as allowing stations to be installed on public ROW. So, if there's interest, let someone move forward.  If there's none, no money is wasted. Yet, regardless of that outcome, we should still be working to clean parks, create context sensitive streets, etc.

The city would be better off leasing the old Jax Maritime Museum space to a private rental company that could provide everything from segways to roller blades.

Also, I believe the City plans to demolish those little buildings on the Southbank as a part of the riverwalk reconstruction.