City council approves adding $27,000 to bike share program

New bike docking station, bikes to be added

SAN ANTONIO – It seems there are big perks to renting bikes to get around central San Antonio.

Bill Phillips lives about 2 miles away from the B-cycle station at the Pearl Brewery. He said he drives his car down to rent a bike almost every day and then cruises around the city. 

"I really like the fact that I don't have to air up my tires or put my bike in my car or anything. It's ready to go," he said.

Paul Young said he's been taking advantage of the bike program since it launched in March of 2011. 

"When I do jobs downtown, I can ride for free, ride the cycle and avoid paying parking, so that's another great benefit," he said. 

Laurence Doxsey, the director of San Antonio's Office of Environmental Policy, said the bike program is proving to be a success.

He said about 100 bikes are checked out every day.

"It's still building but it is a very good performance," he said, "We are nationally in a leadership role in regards to how this is working here in San Antonio."

It's working so well, city council has approved adding $27,000 to the program for a total contract value of $1,287,746.

Right now, there are 23 bike stations

Doxsey said the money will add one more station and about 10 new bikes.

"It only gets better for those that use the system because you have more places to go with the bike in more places," he said.

The location of the new station hasn't been decided but Doxsey said it will likely be near the Westin Center downtown.  He said it should be up and running in the next several months.

He also said a  large project is in the works to add bike stations along the mission reach.

That project is being paid for with grant funds and should be complete at the end of the year or early next year.