The Transportation Agency Agency for Monterey County has completed a feasibility study and implementation plan that evaluates the potential for establishing a bicycle sharing program in Monterey County.

The final feasibility study and plan, incorporating public comments received on the document, can be accessed below:

Background

The concept of bicycle sharing originated in Europe and has been gaining popularity in the United States. Bicycle sharing is a form of public transportation that allows riders to rent bicycles from automated docking stations and return the bicycles to any station in the network. Similar to car sharing, bicycle sharing systems are membership-based. Membership fees typically pay for the first half hour of use, at which point additional charges are assessed in half-hour intervals. Benefits of bike sharing systems identified in published research include traffic congestion and emissions reductions by providing an alternative to short automobile trips, increased public awareness and enthusiasm for bicycling, economic benefits around bike sharing stations, and possible public health benefits.

Study Purpose

The purpose of the Monterey County Bicycle Sharing Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan is to document whether or not a bicycle sharing system could be supported by the estimated demand and ridership in Monterey County, to describe the steps required to establish a system, and to provide a basis for grant applications or other fundraising efforts for an agency or organization interested in starting a bike sharing program. Key issues that were evaluated in the study include:  ridership estimation and station placement (using a methodology based on published analysis and data available for other programs), as well as estimated cost and funding mechanisms. The study also considered economic impacts to existing bike rental businesses and possible mitigation measures given likely overlap between a bike sharing system and areas that are served by rental businesses.

For more information on the Bicycle Sharing Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan, please contact: Ariana Green, Transportation Planner, at (831) 775-4403 or via email at: ariana@tamcmonterey.org.