Boston "a better city" thanks to Hubway bike-sharing

We know that innovative partnerships can deliver tremendous benefits. Regional partnerships have proven successful in many of DOT's TIGER projects. And our collaboration with the EPA and HUD in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities has effectively coordinated housing, transportation, and environmental planning in communities across America.

In Boston, another innovative partnership, A Better City (ABC) has brought together business leaders, planners, and local government to achieve terrific results in transportation, land development, and other infrastructure investments that improve the Boston area's economy and quality of life. On Tuesday, I helped A Better City present its Norman B. Leventhal Awards to area leaders for their excellence in ABC's core areas: transportation, land development, and environment.

DOT has played an active role in transportation improvements in the Boston area, and I was happy to share a long list of projects that we've supported. From bus replacement that will give transit riders more reliable vehicles to runway safety improvements at Logan International Airport, DOT is hard at work in the Hub.

One of the DOT-supported projects that most impressed me in Boston is the Hubway Bike Sharing program started by Mayor Thomas Menino's Boston Bikes initiative. Boston Bikes is part of Mayor Menino's vision for a vibrant and healthy city that benefits all of its citizens, and what I saw of the successful Hubway tells me that the Mayor's vision is becoming a reality.

Although Hubway has operated for fewer than two full seasons--it closes for winter--it has already notched 556,370 trips taken by residents and visitors, and it boasts more than 9,200 annual members. By the end of this month, the system will have 108 different stations with more than 1,000 bicycles. Recently stations were added at UMass Boston, in Charlestown, Roxbury, and South Boston. Next year,the city plans to extend into Jamaica Plain and add more density to the busy downtown area.

Through a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, Hubway is making sure bike-sharing stations are available at transit stops. This strategic positioning makes both bicycling and transit more effective for those who choose to travel without the worry of gas prices, congested roads, and parking.

In just 11 months of service, Hubway's 463,000 miles traveled have burned 20 million calories and offset 155 tons of carbon emissions. So, in addition to making travel easier, Hubway is also making a marked difference to the Boston area's quality of life. As Kristopher Carter, interim director of Boston Bikes, says, "Hubway is not just bikes; it's public transportation, a public health solution, and it is helping the environment." 

Benefits like these are being enjoyed from coast to coast by communities with bike-sharing programs. And to make it easier for more communities to launch their own bike-sharing networks, our Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has released the results of its first comprehensive national study. “Bike Sharing in The United States: State of the Practice and Guide to Implementation” (available for free download here) provides guidance on how to plan, implement and measure the success of bike share programs in communities of all sizes.

Whether it's better roads, better runways, or better bicycling, DOT is helping Boston achieve its "A Better City" goals. And we're ready to partner with your community, too.