Bike sharing company Mobike plans to develop a bike sharing program in The Woodlands this winter. The company also operates in Washington, D.C., making The Woodlands the second U.S. entity to implement the program. John Powers, The Woodlands Township assistant general manager for community services, said the company is expected to implement the program in the Town Center area by the first of the year. Riders can rent a GPS-chipped bike through a mobile app for $1 for every 30 minutes.Powers said the township plans to test the program for a six-month period before deciding whether to expand the program outside the Town Center area.



2. Update on cultural arts study

In November, members of the township board of directors visited various museums in the Greater Houston area to research what museum amenities would be a good fit for The Woodlands area. The township has been working with Webb Management Services Inc. and Gensler, a global design firm, since last year to study the feasibility and economic effects of a center in the area.



Webb Management President Duncan Webb said the Houston Museum of Natural Science has expressed an interest in working with the township. Should a museum be developed, the township would be tasked with raising enough capital to build the facility—an estimated $32 million-$52 million—while HMNS would take over operations costs moving forward.



For a performing arts center, the study recommends partnering with a postsecondary educational institution to find funding and help operate the facility. Webb said the firm has identified two- and four-year educational institutions that have expressed interest in the project but did not name them during the meeting.



A Phase 3 proposal is expected to be discussed during a January meeting next month.

