Bcycle: Bike Sharing and Rental for Duneland Considered

Mar 26 10

BradTransportation , 1 Comment

I saw a presentation by Bcycle yesterday at a Ped, Peddle and Paddle (3PC) meeting at NIRPC.  Bcycle is a self serve, commercial bike sharing (rental) kiosk system.  Each bike has a GPS chip and a built in local map, so you and Bcycle knows where the bike is at all times.  These are heavy, durable, 3 speed cruiser style bikes good for trips up to about a mile.

The idea for Duneland is to put these at the South Shore station so tourists can cycle to the Dunes State Park or the visitor center on US 20 in Porter from the train station.  Until off road bike trails are built connecting the visitor center with downtown I do not see many people using them to ride all the way into Chesterton or Porter. Someday yes, right now no.  Still I think it is a good idea just to get people from the Chesterton South Shore station to the State Park.  I think if people from Chicago or South Bend, know that they can get a bike to ride to the park they will use the train instead of driving.

Places were Bcycle might work:

1. Duneland South Shore station as outlined above.

2. Downtown Chesterton, Indiana and Porter. I am not sure this would work right now, but if Chesterton can make it’s downtown into a dining, nightlife and bed and breakfast spot I think it would work.

3.  Beverly Shores: Only if Beverly Shores wants to attract day trippers.  A Bcycle kiosk at the south Shore station would help connect tourists arriving at the station to the public beach and also to Bartlet’s down on US 12 for dining.

Sorry Ogden Dunes, I just don’t think there is enough within an easy 1 mile ride to make this pay at the Ogden Dunes/Portage South shore station.

I take it nothing is decided yet, but the Chamber of Commerce is considering the idea.

While not part of Duneland, I think Valparaiso, Indiana would also benefit from Bcycles to provide transport between the University and downtown.  There is potential for this in Michigan City too.

Bike sharing, at the right places, can provide a transportation infrastructure that we lack here in Northwest Indiana – literally that last mile of connectivity between public transportation, shopping, work and where we live.  But for it to work you need the right locations and the system needs to be reliable so that people can count on it when they need it – otherwise they won’t use it.