Iowa City bike share could launch with larger reach than expected

IOWA CITY - The city is finalizing details to launch a new bike share program with the University of Iowa that could be larger than first thought.

When a state clean-air grant is released next month to cover the bulk of startup costs, Iowa City can begin buying equipment such as bikes and racks.

'We should be putting out a request for proposal really soon,” said Brenda Nations, sustainability coordinator for Iowa City. 'We still have some details to figure out ... who will have ownership or joint ownership, but hopefully very soon.”

Bike shares allow users to rent and return bikes, often equipped with lights and storage baskets, from terminals around the city. Bikes have become popular for commuting and recreation in cities such as Minneapolis.

With the state's highest rate of bike commuters, Iowa City made an ideal location. Other bike rental options exist, such as the Bike Library, UI's Outdoor Rental Center or through bike shops, but bike shares allow users more flexibility for when and where they grab and return a bike.

Iowa City is drafting a project proposal to seek bids from a vendor to run the bike share, with hopes of awarding a contract in coming weeks, Nations said.

The Iowa Department of Transportation awarded the $135,300 clean-air grant to the UI in January, but Iowa City passed a resolution in July to receive the grant and facilitate the vendor contract to avoid awarding a grant between state agencies.

The bikes should be available for rent next spring, ideally before the UI semester ends in May, Nations said.

'The bicycles need to be stored over the winter months,” Nations said. 'We don't want to roll it out, get everyone jazzed up and then take it away.”

UI Parking and Transportation is contributing $20,000 toward the bike share. Iowa City is providing $13,700. UI Staff Council and UI Student Government each are chipping in $4,000.

The initiative received an 11th-hour surprise this summer in a $50,000 grant from Coca-Cola. The grant boosts the project budget, which was projected at $175,000 for the first phase, $227,000, said Liz Christiansen, UI sustainability director.

The initial plan called for launching the program with 30 bikes and three terminals in downtown Iowa City and the UI campus east of the Iowa River.

'Hopefully, it allows us more flexibility, and maybe we can add an additional station,” Christiansen said.

Christiansen said strong demand is expected to spur more bike-rack locations. Nations said surrounding cities potentially could add terminals and be linked to the network.

Members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee heard an update about the bike share this month. While the program received a positive response, a discussion raised questions.

'What do you do if ... I checked out a bike and went to a meeting, and I get out of the meeting and now all of the bikes are gone that I intended to get on the bike and ride back to my business?” said Sherri Proud, Coralville's parks and recreation director.