Officials are pushing pedal power, hoping to expand Columbus' bike-sharing program into three neighboring suburbs. "Bexley, Grandview (Heights) and Upper Arlington are very, very close to Downtown and there seems to be a demand there," Grandview Mayor Ray DeGraw, a cyclist, said of the proposed expansion.

Officials are pushing pedal power, hoping to expand Columbus' bike-sharing program into three neighboring suburbs.

"Bexley, Grandview (Heights) and Upper Arlington are very, very close to Downtown and there seems to be a demand there," Grandview Mayor Ray DeGraw, a cyclist, said of the proposed expansion.

Those three suburbs and Columbus are seeking a $1.2 million grant to bring rental bikes to the other cities and add more in Columbus.

CoGo Bike Share began operating July 1, 2013, in Columbus. After 30 initial stations with 300 bikes in Downtown, German Village, Short North and Harrison West, it expanded north to Weinland Park and the University District. Now, it has 425 bikes at 46 stations. If the four-city application is approved, another 26 stations and 232 bikes will be added. Upper Arlington wants five stations, Belxey and Grandview each want four.

>> See map of proposed expansion (PDF)

"It was an easy concept to put together," Brad Westall of the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department said, noting the eagerness of the three suburbs and increasing popularity of bicycling.

"We've been working with Columbus and CoGo for years, since CoGo started," Bexley Mayor and cyclist Ben Kessler said.

Bexley is an ideal program partner, Kessler said. It's a small community where residents can easily walk or bike where they want to go in their city and it has many residents who make the less-than-10-minute drive west to work in Columbus.

DeGraw, mayor of Grandview on Columbus' west border, said his city's location and residents' preferences for walking and cycling, convinced him to bring the rental bikes to town.

"We are so close to so many things Downtown," DeGraw said. "The bike paths are all being connected."

Use of the rental bikes is designed for short-term. Most trips, Westall said, are under 30 minutes. A 24-hour rental pass is $8, a three-day pass $18. An annual pass is $75. "The goal is to improve the health of our community," said Chad Gibson, Upper Arlington senior planning officer.

That's perfect to tour each city by bike, run an errand, for exercise or fun. When riders are done, the bikes can be returned to any station. Stations include bikes, docking station and kiosk for payments.

"For a bike network to really work, you're going to want to cover all over the county," DeGraw said.

The four cities are applying for a grant through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for about 80 percent of the expansion cost. MORPC is the local agency to which the Ohio Department of Transportation allocates federal transportation money. The local government cost is about $9,000 per station after applying the MORPC grant, Gibson said.

The other 20 percent can be paid by asking local business to sponsor stations or have the cities pay the difference. The only other cost for cities participating in the program is for replacement bikes that cost about $1,100 each.

"The exciting thing," DeGraw said, "is you'll continue to see this expand out. The goal would be to work up to Worthington area and continue inside the inner belt."

The grant application was Monday. If successful, Gibson expects it will be "at least a year" and maybe two before new bikes are available to rent.

kperry@dispatch.com

@kimballperry