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We were excited last week when SM City Council voted unanimously to approve staffs recommendation and move forward with CycleHop for SM Bikeshare. Santa Monica has chosen a cutting edge “smart bike” system manufactured by Social Bicycles (SoBi). This innovative technology, with the electronics on the bikes instead of just at Stations Kiosks seems perfect for Santa Monica, its ease of use, smaller foot print, simple installation and system flexibility is easily scalable to a regional system. With funding in place, regional integration and collaboration prioritized, our compact geography and Expo coming we are the perfect pilot market for LA’s regional Bikeshare System. With regional support and collaboration with METRO our system will surely inform the regions partners and the future regional model.

For Santa Monica bikeshare is an integral step in our city’s progression to a more sustainable, livable city where bicycling is convenient and residents and visitors have added transportation options and don’t need to drive their cars. Data shows that the more people that ride bikes the fewer crashes – as ridership goes up – incidents of bike crashes goes down. With education as a component, bikeshare will provide easy access to encourage more people to ride bikes, which will ultimately translate to safer streets for everyone. More people on bikes for their daily or occasional trips will also help mitigate traffic …. by providing our residents and visitors easy, efficient environmentally friendly options to driving a car. Bikeshare can be one of the transportation solution for many people leaving or arriving on EXPO to extend from stations to and from their destinations in Santa Monica – helping mitigate congestion and traffic.

Dare we image creating a vibrant city where all people can feel safer walking, riding bikes or driving cars? YES WE CAN!