Bike Share program starts May 31; Oakland gets 9 stations
Bicyclists in the city soon will have more bikes to ride and the prospect of more bike lanes on which to ride them. It’s a big week ahead for those with interests in biking in and around Oakland.
The Healthy Ride bike share system is set to launch on Sunday, May 31, with 50 stations in 11 Pittsburgh neighborhoods, including nine stations in Oakland and five on the South Side. And, on Monday, a pair of public meetings will be held on campus to review the city’s bike network plan, which could affect parking and roadways in Oakland.
Bike share
Docking stations for a total of 500 bikes have sprung up in 11 city neighborhoods this spring in anticipation of the May 31 launch of the Healthy Ride bike share system.
Riders can pay as they go at $2 per 30-minute ride, or purchase a membership for an unlimited number of 30- or 60-minute rides each month. Bikes can be returned at any station within the system.
Pre-registration is available at www.healthyridepgh.com or via the nextbike app.
Stations near campus include three on Fifth Avenue (at South Bouquet Street, at Bigelow Boulevard and at South Dithridge Street); on Forbes Avenue at Coltart Street; Schenley Plaza; Atwood and Bates streets; the Boulevard of the Allies and Parkview Avenue; Frew Street and Schenley Drive, and Ellsworth Avenue and North Neville Street.
South Side stations are at the South Side Works and on East Carson Street at South 25th, South 22nd, South 18th and South 12th streets.
This Healthy Ride bike station near Soldiers and Sailors is one of nine such stations in Oakland. Bike rentals will begin May 31.
Bike network plans
The City of Pittsburgh is proposing additional bike lanes in Oakland as part of its bike network plan. Public meetings are scheduled at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, in William Pitt Union dining room A.
The city’s bike network plan proposal includes the extension of the protected bike lane on Schenley Drive, new bike lanes on O’Hara Street, Bigelow Boulevard, Bayard Street and Bouquet Street, and the addition of sharrows — shared car/bike lane markings — on Louisa, Atwood and Coltart streets, Meyran Avenue, and Craig and Henry streets. Some of the proposed changes would affect parking and traffic lanes.
A map of the proposed changes and details on the community meetings can be found at www.otma-pgh.org.
—Kimberly K. Barlow
The city bike network plan calls for extension of the protected bike lane on Schenley Drive.