A program that distributed over 400 e-bikes to low-income San Diego residents is poised to go statewide.

A rent-to-own program for e-bikes makes it possible for San Diego residents to access e-bikes that might otherwise have been out of reach. Emily Nonko describes the program in Next City, writing that “Low-income participants access e-bikes at no initial cost, while agreeing to ride an average of five miles a day, track and share rides for a study, and secure their own bike insurance. If the participants successfully complete the program after two years, they own the bike.” Participants who do not meet all requirements can still purchase the bike at a prorated cost.
The program, called Pedal Ahead, began in 2020 and has distributed more than 400 bicycles across the county. The San Diego program will serve as a model for an expanded statewide program called the Electric Bicycle Incentive Project, sponsored through a $10 million allocation from the California Air Resources Board (CARB). According to the article, “A portion of the $10 million will be dedicated to outreach, education and operations, with Pedal Ahead hiring representatives in other parts of the state for operation management, community engagement and more.”
Nonko adds that safe bike infrastructure is an integral part of encouraging a shift to multimodal transportation, but that e-bikes can help more people feel comfortable getting on two wheels.
FULL STORY: How A Loan-To-Own Program In San Diego Is Boosting E-Bike Access

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure
After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure
New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions