Jersey City shifts bike-share program into high gear

The iconic Capitol Bikes in Washington, D.C.

(swimbikerundc.com)

Jersey City is shifting its bike-share program into a higher gear.

At its caucus meeting on Monday, t

he Jersey City Council introduced an agreement for how NJ Bikeshare LLC will implement and operate the city's bike-share, which will be a part of a regional program with Hoboken and Weehawken.

T

he details of the contract

describe

how NJ Bikeshare will manage the new program, including how much time will be allotted to repair broken bikes, said

Domenick Bauer, aide to Mayor Steven Fulop.

"This is the final installment of this bike-sharing contract process," Bauer said.

If the contract is approved by the council at its bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, the next phase for the bike-share program will be to determine where to place dozens of docking stations around the city.

Bauer said docking stations will be in every ward in the city, while locations will be based on both neighborhood population density and community input.

Where do you think the docking stations should be placed around the city? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The city

with NJ Bikeshare last month for the bike-share program that will connect Jersey City with Hoboken and Weehawken. In late February, Hoboken

that is expected to be available in the Mile Square City in June.

Bike-share programs have been gaining in popularity in recent years, with a program on the Rutgers-New Brunswick and Princeton University campuses, in Collingswood and one planned for Red Bank.

Bike-share programs are also operating in Washington, D.C., Boston and Denver.

The yearly membership fees for the Jersey City bike-share program will be roughly $90, city officials previously said, but the exact pricing has yet to be determined. There will be a minimum of 800 bikes placed throughout the three municipalities, with more than 100 docking stations planned.

Under the five-year contract, the three cities will share 10 percent of the profits, NJ.com has reported. The program is expected to be launched over the summer at no cost to the taxpayers.