A study has found that a bike-sharing program could work in the Rochester area.
The Genesee Transportation Council initiated the study and will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, to discuss its findings. The meeting will be held in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at Rochester Public Library, 115 South Avenue.
The study recommends a 1,000-bike system for Rochester, with potential satellites in Brockport, Brighton, East Rochester, Fairport, Greece, Pittsford, and the City of Canandaigua, as well as one on the RIT campus, says the project’s website, rocbikeshare.org.
The study recommends a four-phase approach for Rochester, starting downtown and extending outward. But if satellite communities have interest and funding, they could launch programs parallel with the city efforts, the study says.
The study looked at three scenarios for owning and operating the system. Under the first model, a regional agency would own the system while a private company operates it. Under the second, the City of Rochester would own the system but a nonprofit would manage and operate it. And under the third, a nonprofit would own and operate the program.
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 3, 2015.
Why not just have RTS operate it?
Well, the meeting is today. I can’t make it because I work evenings/nights. I hope someone from City Newspaper will be there.
I love outdoor exercise and think it must be encouraged. However, there are some concerns. How much is the initial start-up cost and who will pay for it? Who will benefit most? Poorer working city residents or professionals who might not even live in the city.
Maybe I’m just a naysayer, but I’m skeptical. I think young urbanites will save money and have a blast tooling around downtown. At the same time, I suspect, some residents of the poorer neighborhoods will still be walking and wishing.