The city of Bloomington and Indiana University plan to join forces on a joint bicycle sharing program early next year.
Mayor John Hamilton and IU's Kevin Whited announced Tuesday morning that the city and IU are looking to partner with a bike share provider to bring 150 bikes to Bloomington. Hamilton said the goal is to grow that initial offering to around 850 bikes, or about one bike per 100 residents.
"I have felt Bloomington ought to have a bike share program for some time," Hamilton said. "This is going to change the way people move."
Although the project is in its planning stages, Whited said a provider will likely be chosen by December and there could be a bike share as soon as spring 2018.
In addition to increased mobility at the "last mile" — or final leg of a journey — and reduced carbon emissions, Whited said there are other benefits that come from creating a bike share program. As the university's transportation demand management coordinator and bicycle manager, Whited has taken note of the number of bikes on campus, and of where waste exists.
"As you've seen, they (bikes) sit and rot behind dorms," Whited said. "With a bike share, they'll always be moving."
The city's announcement featured two bike share companies as examples of what the city and university are looking for in a provider. Both Ofo, an international company, and VeoRide, a West Lafayette-based company started by Purdue University graduates, provide fourth-generation bike share programs.