Photo by Frank Couch.
Slow You Roll
The Slow Your Roll bike riding group met near Patriot Park to make about a 7-mile ride with a group of around 50 riders.
After nearly a year of study, Bantam Strategy Group has released the results of its bike-share feasibility study for the city of Homewood.
The study results, which are available in full on homewoodbikeshare.com, encourage the creation of a bike-share program with 200 bikes and 20 docking stations around the city. However, Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames said it is more likely that Homewood will pursue the project in conjunction with other surrounding cities rather than solo.
Since bike-share programs are meant to promote connectivity, Thames said it makes sense for multiple cities to create bike-shares that are connected and run by a single nonprofit. It makes the programs more practical for the cities, who can share resources and pursue funding sources together, as well as enabling riders to get on a bike in any participating city with a single membership.
The final results of the feasibility study are based on Homewood data such as demographics and infrastructure, as well as two public involvement meetings this past spring and an online survey that received 82 responses.
Public response, according to the final report, was mostly positive toward the idea of a bike-share, with some concerns about lack of bicycle-friendly roads in the city and public safety. A demand analysis was also performed, taking into account topography, bike infrastructure and the density of population, retail, recreation and other factors. The analysis showed the most demand for bike-share use would likely be in SoHo, Edgewood and the trailheads of the Shades Creek Greenway.
Bikes can be rented for $6 per day or $75 for an annual membership, with use fees accruing on bike checkouts longer than 30 minutes.
Initial installation and start-up costs for a full 200-bike system would cost about $1,350,000, and operational costs are projected to range between $200,000 and $400,000 per year. The study projects the 200-bike system would generate $600,000 in revenue over the first five years, leaving significant costs to be funded by corporate sponsorships or grants.
The study also noted that the city could work with a nonprofit specifically made to administrate the bike-share program and solicit sponsorships from corporations to help fund the program. Thames said there has been interest from Homewood, the city of Birmingham and other municipalities in turning this nonprofit into a regional administrator to pursue sponsorships, launch programs and operate existing bike-shares.
Thames said it's possible that such a nonprofit could be created in summer 2017. If the nonprofit can secure federal grant money, then Homewood would make its decision whether to include bike-share in the municipal budget. That may be in 2018 or later, though the city can continue to plan and look at options in the meantime.
Thames said he appreciates the amount of work from Bantam, the chamber of commerce, the Regional Planning Commission and local businesses and residents in making the feasibility study come together. With all the work that Homewood has put in so far, it would likely be the first branch in the regional network to begin operation.
"I think we have a leg up," Thames said.