From Boston to Barcelona and Minneapolis to Madrid, shared bicycle systems are finding traction. More than 24 cities in the United States have added systems to the urban fabric. Another 48 are underway. One of the biggest in the works is in New York City, where a system with 600 stations and 10,000 bicycles is now being prepped.

Denver B-Cycle — owned and operated by the local non-profit, Denver Bike Sharing — was among the first in this country to get rolling in the spring of 2010. The idea is a perfect fit for our outdoor-centric lifestyle. We are now nearing the end of only our third season, and the response has been terrific, with almost half a million rides. Growing numbers recognize that sitting in a traffic jam on the highway between work and home is not a great use of time or gas and doesn’t boost mental or physical health.

According to U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of commuters riding a bike in Denver grew from 2.2 percent in 2010 to 2.4 percent in 2011. Since 2010, Denver has added 43 miles to our on-street bicycle infrastructure. That’s progress, but leaves lots of room to improve.

Today, the Denver system operates 53 stations with 530 bicycles. We will add 30 more stations and another 180 bikes next year, and we are confident our customer base will grow.

Why so sure?

Denver B-cycle is a product of our community. At every step along the way, we have collaborated with and learned from the bike community, city planners, elected and civic leaders, business sponsors, transportation agencies and, of course, our members. We owe our existence and every step of progress we have made to this broad-based coalition.

When we have faced issues such as technology enhancement, station locations, planning, sponsorships, finance and governance, our community has helped guide us. Two stations were placed in spots that didn’t draw business. They were moved. Customers helped us identify software and connectivity glitches. They were fixed.

There have been misunderstandings about our fee structure. We are working hard to make sure the whole community knows how the concept works — and how easy it is to become a regular B-cycle user.

There is still much to learn about the integration of shared bike systems and the urban environment. The Federal Highway Administration commissioned a study last month that underscored key lessons about the installation and expansion of bike-sharing programs. Among them: stations need high population and “job density” locations to function well. Bike stations work best in connection with strong bus and light-rail networks. Stations should be no more than one-half mile apart to minimize walking distances for users. And station density is a determinant of ridership levels, among other findings. Stations need to have a balance of empty docks and available bikes.

When there are too many bikes or too many open docks, bikes must be transported by trucks to ensure the system runs smoothly. Poorly placed stations tend to empty or fill repeatedly throughout the day, thereby draining our resources while failing to serve the neighborhoods in which they are located.

These are the business factors we consider when we place new stations. We are eager to reach more Denver neighborhoods, but we are compelled to take one step at a time so we can maintain our viability as we go.

Denver B-cycle is grateful for the recent public discussion, stimulated by Councilman Paul Lopez and amplified by an editorial in The Denver Post. We learned about exciting developments in our city that are creating new ripe conditions for expansion. As our city evolves, so will we. We appreciate all the support as we move forward, one pedal stroke at a time, with the community at our side.

Parry Burnap is executive director of Denver Bike Sharing. For more about the federal study, visit dpo.st/PoYIN8.