The City of Huntington will be host to a new bike-share program this weekend as an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Huntington City-Township Public Library will herald in the start of an option for locals to ride freely for a relatively low cost.
A release from the City of Huntington City Services Department stated that on Saturday a bike-share program will be unveiled within the municipality. Ten bikes at three locations in the city will be available for those who sign up to ride.
The program is provided by Zagster, a national company that focuses on providing such systems.
“Though small by traditional bike-share standards, this program proves Huntington’s commitment to realizing bike sharing’s vast benefits for the entire community,” Tim Ericson, CEO and co-founder of Zagster, was quoted in the release. “Huntington has planted the flag, and we’re excited to help this program thrive and grow.”
Rides for pass holders are $3 per-hour, $15 a month, or $75 a year, the release stated. Unlike other programs in which riders must drop off bikes at designated stations for every stop, Zagster’s programs give users the freedom to ride as long as they want, wherever they want.
The program will be managed by Zagster itself, the release stated, leaving the city free for other services.
The ribbon cutting will be at noon on Saturday at the Huntington City-Township Public Library, Mayor Brooks Fetters said. He explained that the three ‘depot’ locations would be on Huntington University’s campus, the library, as well as Drover Park, providing a coverage area across the city.
Fetters remarked that the program was “an easy opportunity for people to enjoy moving around our city (with) alternative transportation.”
For the program to come together, Fetters said it was several different officials and entities coming to him that got the idea started. Even though the different officials were all from different departments or organizations, the goal of a transportation option was the same.
Fetters mentioned specifically Huntington Community Engagement Volunteer Coordinator Andrew Rensberger, HCTPL Director Beka Lemons and Huntington University Vice President for Advancement Vince Haupert had come to him with ideas about a bike-share possibility. Both the university and library are depot sites for the program.
“It was interesting to see a variety of people and organizations who saw value in it,” Fetters remarked.