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Boston Globe

Providence's College Hill is ready for an improved bikesharing program — it just needs the bikes

Providence, with its ever-growing bike infrastructure and environmentally conscious citizens, lacks one of the simplest parts of this equation: reliable bikesharing infrastructure, and it should start here in College Hill. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Providence, a city with a metro area spanning over 1 million people, is poised for a new disruption in norm transportation. Advertisement Providence's Green and Complete Streets 2021 Advertisement It's not just government infrastructure that yearns for more bike usage. It's the residents themselves. Just take a walk down Hope or Waterman Street on College Hill and see the stream of bicyclists zipping around for school, shopping and more, and the point becomes clear. Improved access to bicycles will not only provide much-needed transportation for residents of the College Hill area but also help manage traffic in one of the city's most congested zones, enabling a smoother flow of commerce and better access to coffee shops, restaurants, and housing. Providence has previously experimented with a bikesharing pilot program through a company named Jump, which launched a citywide electric bike program in the late 2010s. Although the program was well-received by residents, several key issues plagued the program and eventually led to its failure. Jump lacked fixed docking stations, unlike those found in use with New York's Citi Bikes or Boston's Blue Bikes. The absence of a centralized, secure locking area led to vandalism and inconsistent availability. In addition, the electric bikes added complexity and enabled misuse, with some riders treating the bikes more like mopeds rather than bicycles. These outcomes were not indications of failures of the bikesharing concept, but rather a result of poor execution by Jump. Improved efforts should emphasize docked, pedal-powered bikes, which have been proven to be effective, secure, and sustainable in other cities. Providence is ready for a renewed pilot program — one that takes into account lessons from past experience and focuses on feasibility. We already know that consumers want access to bikes, but many don't have space for bicycles in their cramped apartments or don't want to risk having one stolen. A Citi Bike-esque docking system will provide better security than traditional locks and chains, and the demand will justify making a profit by offering a service that improves community life. Advertisement Some will argue that they prefer their cars and don't care for bicycles. That's not a problem; in fact, more people riding bikes means fewer cars on the road, which improves traffic conditions and makes parking easier in the College Hill area. There is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved in this effort. Examining the With Spin Scooters' unpredictable reliability due to vandalized and malfunctioning scooters, similar to Jump bikes, unreliable equipment can erode trust in shared transportation, but it doesn't mean the model itself is broken. There is an opportunity to introduce a greener, more reliable alternative that many are already asking for, and one that is economically feasible. Providence's College Hill has the demand, the culture, and the infrastructure; all it needs now is the bikes. Ryan Spinney and Shafiqa Rehayee are master of public affairs students at Brown University.