The City of New Haven is offering a different mode of transportation.
On Tuesday, the city relaunched its bikeshare program called Ride New Haven.
Steve Winter, the executive director for the Office of Climate and Sustainability with the City of New Haven said the program is part of the city’s commitment to making New Haven a bike-friendly city and the larger commitment to being a greener city.
Ride New Haven is one component of the city’s Safe Routes for All Plan, the city’s first-ever bicycle and pedestrian safety plan that was approved two years ago.
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“It's our active transportation plan, reorienting our transportation system away from a car-centric model to one that prioritizes and is inclusive of walking, biking, public transit, and other active modes of transportation,” Winter said.
Ride New Haven was relaunched with 100 electric bicycles, and in about a month, 100 pedaling bicycles will be added to the fleet along with 10 cargo bikes before the end of the year.
Douglas Hausladen, the executive director for New Haven’s Parking Authority said a lot of work has gone into the relaunch and they are looking forward to having everyone try the e-bikes.
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“The whole effort is really trying to aim around residents and visitors not having to get in their car to get across town,” Hausladen said.
New Haven Ward 9 Alder Caroline Smith said she’s glad to see the relaunch of the program as she believes it will provide residents with another option to get their everyday things done.
“Whether it's to the grocery store, visit a friend in another neighborhood, to be able to go to work, it's one piece of our transportation fabric that can help individuals exactly where they need to go,” said Smith.
As the co-founder of New Haven Bike Month, a local volunteer group, she said it's important to her for people to feel safe and empowered while riding their bikes.
In New Haven there are 48 miles established for bike lanes and bike paths, according to Winter.
The Safe Routes for All Plan aims to create 128 miles of bike lanes in New Haven.
New Haven will be offering discounted memberships through the month of September, and 50 subsidized memberships will be offered to eligible low-income families by the New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation.
For more information on Ride New Haven, click here.
