A presentation entitled “Bluebikes Open House” took place in the Tynan Community Center. It was presented by Kim Foltz, the Senior Bike Share & Active Transportation Planner in the City of Boston’s so-called “Streets Cabinet”, along with her crew of three assistants. More information about the Streets Cabinet can be obtained on the Boston.gov internet.
The objectives of the Bluebike Open House were three in number: 1.- Present information on the need to expand; 2.- List potential sites for new Bluebike rental stations; 3.- Ask for opinions on the best places in South Boston for these stations to be installed.
The Open House presented diagrams of 28 possible new Bluebike stations in South Boston. Fourteen locations were in the residential/small business area of South Boston; the other 14 were in the Seaport District. Maps of each location and pictures of how each one of them might look were laid out for everyone to inspect. The exhibit was carefully prepared. In total, there was a lot of information to digest. And the overall aim of the Open House was to choose the best locations out of the 28 proposed, and then go ahead with continued Bluebike station planning and installations.
Some of those who attended were opposed to any City of Boston Bluebike stations on South Boston’s streets. That opposition especially applied to anything (including Bluebike stations) that reduced auto parking spaces. Many of the 14 Bluebike stations proposed for the residential side of South Boston will be clustered on or near East and West Broadway. Four others are to be placed around Moakley Park. In the Seaport area, most of the stations there will be positioned along Summer and Congress Streets. You should examine these proposals yourself and give your opinion as to where they should go.
Here’s an example of the facts presented at the Bluebikes Open House. Foltz and the Streets Cabinet estimate there are approximately 2,000 Bluebikes now in Boston. In addition, they claim that these bikes have been used for 2.3 million (2,300,000) trips so far this year. While these look like very impressive figures, they really mean that the average Boston Bluebike is being taken for just four trips each day – one trip for every 3 or 4 daylight hours. And 800 South Boston residents have signed up to be Bluebike members. Those figures are fairly good, but they’re not really remarkable.
Express your opinion about putting in more Bluebike stations to Boston’s Streets Cabinet at boston.gov. Let the South Boston Chamber of Commerce know how you feel about more stations as well.
