L.A. Metro Launches Bike Sharing in Pasadena with 30+ Stations and 375 Bicycles at Key City Destinations
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and city officials has launched a new bike share system comprising 375 bicycles at 30-plus bike share stations throughout the city. Metro’s contractor, Bicycle Transit Systems Inc. has completed installation of bike share stations at key locations. All bicycles have been delivered to individual stations and are now available for public use.
Pasadena, one of the top destinations in Los Angeles County, has officially joined the bike share revolution.
“Southern California is an incredible place to explore on a bicycle — now, we’re making it easier than ever to ride through Pasadena on two wheels,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Chair of the Metro Board. “The Metro Bike Share program has already brought a healthier, more sustainable transportation option to thousands of people in Downtown L.A., and we are thrilled to expand it even further across our region.”
Destinations available via Metro Bike Share include Old Pasadena, the Rose Bowl, Paseo Colorado, Pasadena City College, Caltech, City Hall, the Pasadena Convention Center, the Pasadena Museum of History, shopping and restaurants on South Lake Avenue and many more. Bike Share stations are also available at the Metro Gold Line’s Fillmore, Del Mar, and Memorial Park stations.
“Pasadena is a progressive, sustainable city with a long tradition of supporting two-wheeled transportation,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington, Metro CEO. “In actively requesting to be part of our program, Pasadena has demonstrated its leadership in pursuing new environmentally friendly modes of transportation. We look forward to helping Pasadena introduce new first mile, last mile solutions to more easily connect local destinations with the Metro Gold Line through heart of the city.”
Monthly passes are $20 for unlimited 30 minute rides. Annual Flex Passes are $40 a year with each ride $1.75. Occasional users can walk-up to the station kiosk and purchase a single 30-minute ride for $3.50 with a credit card. Discounts on bulk passes are also available for employers through Metro’s Bike Share for Business program.
Bike sharing is an ideal transportation option for local destinations that may be too far to walk but too short or inconvenient to drive. Metro is working with several cities to strategically place bike share locations near Metro stations to encourage bicycle and transit trips. A single pre-registered Metro TAP fare card can be used to ride Metro Bus and Rail lines and Metro Bike Share system, making the Metro Bike Share system the nation’s most integrated with transit.
“The Metro Bike Share program offers a unique, shared economy means of transportation that is both economical and good for the environment by providing bikes as new mobility options that get people out of their cars for short trips around our beautiful city,” said Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek. “We welcome Metro Bike Share and look forward to seeing our residents and visitors take advantage of this program.”
The Pasadena launch is part of a second implementation phase for Metro’s Bike Share Program to expand the bike share network beyond downtown Los Angeles. A total of 60 new stations are planned at the Port of Los Angeles and Venice. The Port of L.A. bike share system is scheduled to open on July 31, and the Venice system will open later this summer. The region’s bike share expansions combined will result in approximately 1,400 bicycles at up to 125 stations.
Metro is studying the feasibility of future expansion to more than 20 other parts of the county, including North Hollywood, other cities in the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights, Burbank, Glendale, Culver City, Palms and others. Metro seeks to create a regionwide system of more than 4,000 bicycles pending ongoing Metro Board approval.
Under the program, Metro splits all costs with participating cities. The agency funds up to 50 percent of the program’s capital costs. It also funds up to 35 percent of operations and maintenance costs.
Bicycle Transit Systems will operate the system with bikes and stations provided by BCycle, a unit of Trek Bicycles of Wisconsin. These companies have successfully launched and/or operate more than 40 bike share systems in the United States and abroad.
Metro originally launched bike sharing in downtown L.A. in July 2016. That system includes 61 stations and approximately 700 bicycles throughout the downtown area. To date, more than 190,000 trips have been made on the system, with more than 472,000 miles traveled. More than 6,000 bike share passes have been sold. Metro’s bike share system has also helped remove more than 448,000 pounds of carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change – from the air.
