Thriving bike-share program merits funding

When Topeka Metro Transit Authority launched a bike-share program in the spring of 2015, few would have predicted the success the program would become. Under the leadership of energetic director of bicycle operations Karl Fundenberger, Topeka Metro Bikes has grown into a network of 300 bicycles, 19 stations and over 140 in-network community bicycle parking hubs spread over a 60-square-mile service area.

The program has had more than 5,000 signups, with riders taking over 50,000 trips and pedaling 110,000 miles. Bright blue Topeka Metro smart bikes, each tracked by the program using GPS, are a common sight at schools, parks, public events and cruising local roads. As one of only 130 bike share programs across the United States, a bike share program as robust as Topeka Metro Bikes in a community the size of Topeka is a rare gem.

Bike-share programs are a good investment for communities. In addition to the well-known health and traffic benefits of increased biking, the programs help increase access to public transportation. In a community with a healthy bicycle infrastructure, bike share can be a primary means of public transportation for riders. The programs also help solve the “first and last mile” problem common in public transportation, in which bus stops may be a mile or more from a rider’s final destination.

The University of Kansas studied the health impact of Topeka Metro Bike’s first year of operation, recommending an expansion of network hubs later implemented by Topeka Metro.

Bike-share programs nationally can be publicly or privately operated, but there is growing evidence that sustainable bike shares require public subsidy. Topeka Metro Bikes is funded through a mix of user fees, public grants, private sponsorships and mill levy funding, and is affordable for users thanks to public support.

A bike-share program in Fort Worth, Texas, for example, run by a private nonprofit organization, charges $80 for an annual pass, as opposed to the significantly more accessible $25 annual pass for Topeka riders. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recently reported the Texas program is struggling with declining ridership and limited reach, and considering moving toward a publicly subsidized program. In Chicago, one of the nation’s largest bike share programs, rider fees only cover about 85 percent of the costs of the program, one of the highest rates in the nation, according to program officials.

Topeka Metro is carefully considering its budget after the city council rejected a funding increase for the agency.

Cutting or reducing support for bike share, a program now running successfully after significant public investment in setup, would be a short-sighted decision.