UPDATE: Friday's kick-off event has been canceled in light of the shooting death of a Cincinnati Police officer.

ORIGINAL POST:

After months of discussions, fundraising, and anticipation, Red Bike will open stations in Northern Kentucky's River Cities.

The Cincinnati-based bike sharing program will open six stations in Covington on Friday. An opening ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday at Roebling Point Books & Coffee at 306 Greenup Street where a station was placed.

The City of Covington will have five other locations with in Mainstrasse Village, RiverCenter, Madlot, and 3rd & Bakewell.

The city privately raised approximately $200,000 for the stations which will be maintained and operated by Red Bike.

In a news release on Friday morning, Red Bike also announced that stations would be installed in Newport and Bellevue next week. All three cities had hoped to have the stations in place in time for July's Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Cincinnati.

Newport will place stations at Newport on the Levee, 6th & Washington Streets, and Monmouth Street. Bellevue will have one at the Port of Bellevue and also hopes to place one at Ward Avenue. Newport will allocate approximately $30,000 for its stations with the remaining costs covered by private donations while Bellevue will allocate $45,000 from non-general fund resources to pay for its stations.

Southbank Partners gave each city $20,000 to get started.

Northern Kentucky will have the Commonwealth's first bike sharing program.

Red Bike opened 30 stations in Cincinnati last fall with government support. The program has seen 950 people become annual members and more than 45,000 rides taken.

For $8, a Red Bike day pass can be purchased. The bikes can be taken from station to station and local leaders hope that expanding the program to Northern Kentucky better connects the various urban pockets of the region.

-Staff report