By Associated Press - Monday, December 19, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Omaha’s public bicycle-sharing system is set to nearly double in size by 2019.

Heartland B-cycle has partnered with Omaha to increase the system’s size, adding 36 stations and 150 bikes. Executive director Ben Turner said the goal is to have the first round of new equipment, including 20 bikes, installed next year.

B-cycle bikes can be rented for a fee and returned to any station after use. New stations will be placed near existing bus stops and well-populated areas, the Omaha World-Herald (https://bit.ly/2hLpDmA ) reported.

“Ideally, they’ll be spread across the entire community,” city transportation planner Derek Miller said. “We have to take it incrementally.”

Miller said the bike-sharing program will help meet many goals related to Omaha’s plan to provide multiple modes of transportation. The project wants to target people who already use public transit, but officials hope to also bring in new users who don’t own cars.

“There are a great number of Omahans who can’t drive or don’t have financial means to drive a car,” Miller said. “Another important part of all this is to provide more mobility for our citizens.”

Federal and state grants have provided $1.2 million for the program. Because the federal grand required a city partner, Omaha will take ownership of all new equipment bought with the grant money.

Over 16,000 trips were taken on B-cycle bikes in 2016, up from 1,000 trips five years ago.

“There’s a powerful opportunity for bike sharing to be a transit extender,” Turner said. “We think it has the ability to shorten people’s commutes.”

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, https://www.omaha.com

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