It’s no surprise that city bike sharing programs have exploded in popularity the last decade. Accessibility and affordability have helped to promote the concept of a short-term bike rental system as a win-win for just about anyone who is willing to ditch the use of a car for a bike. Commuters can leave the stress of congested downtown traffic at the car park. Tourists can enjoy meandering without having to hassle with multiple bus transfers, taxi fares and sore feet. And Mother Nature gets the benefit of a little bit less smog after a weekday commute.
But what is in it for the city? What is it that is propelling cities all across the globe to adopt bike sharing programs as a reliable way to enhance its intercity transportation systems?
To answer those questions, we looked at Seattle, the Northwest U.S.’s largest metropolitan city and the most recent to adopt bike sharing.