Jul 7

Jul 7 A 'wheely' big deal: Rochester's bike share program to launch in August

Rochester is going to get a little greener as the bike share company Nice Ride Minnesota begins to wheel its way into the city center.

The Twin Cities nonprofit will be setting up two rental stations in the downtown area: People’s Food Co-op and Peace Plaza.

With up to 200 bikes, both rental stations will feature neon orange bikes designed for leisure riding through the area. The pricing options vary between an hourly rental and daily rentals.

“We need to be more proactive in our transportation choices, and also embrace urban transport that is both healthy and sustainable in lessening the carbon footprint on our planet which is a key factor,” said Kim Edens, general manager of Nice Ride Minnesota in Rochester.

Bikes will be available to rent the first week of August through October. The program is scheduled to be up and running again in April 2017. The program is supported by an array of local partners including Mayo Clinic, DMC and Olmsted County Public Health. Their goal is to emphasize a healthier form of transportation for both residents and those visiting Rochester.

The upcoming launch of the bike share program is exciting news for local biking coalition, We Bike Rochester, which will be working closely together to further promote biking in the city.

“I think Nice Ride this summer is going to tease people’s expectations, but next summer we’re going to go big with Nice Ride,” said Kelly Corbin, president and founder of We Bike Rochester.

Rochester adopted a bicycle master plan in 2012 which aims to grown bike lanes across the city that are both safe and reliable for those who wish to use them. The city now has 19 miles of bike lanes, but Corbin hopes that through Nice Ride, Rochester will continue to grow greener and more proactive for bikers.

About Nicholas Molina: Nicholas is a summer intern for the Med City Beat. Nicholas first moved to Rochester in 2000 but since then has lived in three other cities, including a two-year period he spent living in South America. When he’s not working, Nicholas enjoys traveling to different countries.