It’s no secret bike use is popular among Temple students. Advocacy group, Bike Share Philadelphia is fighting for the bikers throughout the city, the results coming this spring.
Philadelphia is implementing a new means of public transportation this spring. Its called bike share, and users of the system have the option to buy passes allowing them to borrow bikes from kiosks around the city for short periods of time. They can then return the bikes to other kiosks.
Bikes similar to those used in Philadelphia Bike Share, are found in over 500 cities worldwide, including New York and Paris.
The bikes are bulky and designed to be immune to theft. While solar-powered kiosk stations are expected to hold about twenty bikes, stretching six and a half feet wide and about sixty feet long.
Bike Share Philadelphia, the leading advocacy group for bike sharing in Philadelphia, has been pushing for the program since 2006. Founder Russell Meddin said after visiting cities in Europe with bike share, he became inspired.
“I knew after seeing it in other cities, the transformation it has made to the way people get around, and the way that they enjoy their city, it is really an incredible thing as a new way for people to get around their city,” he said.
Four potential spots are on the map for Temple: 13th and Norris Streets, 13th and Montgomery Streets, Cecil B. Moore Station and the Temple University Train Station.
Users can vote on the spots through www.phillybikeshare.com or by texting the number found on stickers over the potential locations. Comments and votes will be accepted up to October 20. 60 of the nearly 100 potential stations will be chosen.
“I think that’s a great idea because I personally don’t have a bike on campus, so it’d be a great way to get around, and I know a lot of people like to bike to the city, bike around Fairmount Park, so I think it’d be a great program to have here at the school and in Philadelphia in general,” said sophomore Mariam Dembele.
“I already have a bike, so, if I didn’t have a bike, I would definitely use it,” said senior Mark Staver. “If I need to get to Center City and it was a nice day, why not bike, you know, get some exercise.”
Though some students said they were not familiar with bike sharing, most said they are in favor of the system coming to Temple.
Students can expect a bike share kiosk around campus this spring, for more information, visit Bike Share Philadelphia.
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