Mexico City, Melbourne, and Vancouver are just some of the cities that have struggled to get citywide bike-sharing systems off the ground due to local laws mandating the use of bike helmets. A new helmet vending machine could help break the impasse.
This summer, Boston is rolling out a network of vending machines that rent out helmets next to the stalls of its Hubway bike share system. "The concept for Helmethub originated from twelve MIT undergraduates and was first revealed during their 2011 Product Engineering Final Presentation, a product-design course that tasks students with building prototypes from scratch in one semester," writes Kyana Gordon. "Since then, the company has worked tirelessly to refine their product offering in preparation for a street debut."
"Each solar-powered vending machine holds thirty-six helmets and features a touchscreen like those on Hubway rental kiosks. Rentals cost around $2 and riders will also have the option to purchase one. When a cyclist has finished with their helmet, they return it to the location they’re dropping off their borrowed bike, and it will then be sent to the company’s headquarters to be inspected and sanitized before being distributed again," she explains.
FULL STORY: Helmet Rental Vending Machines Keep Bikers Safe On-The-Go
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability
A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
New York Transit Agency Launches Performance Dashboard
The tool increases transparency about the agency’s performance on a variety of metrics.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.