San Francisco's Bike Sharing Program Slow to Get Rolling

Environmental review processes and logistical issues are delaying the creation of a bike sharing program in San Francisco, announced in February by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Set to start with 50 bikes, some have criticized the program for aiming too low.

1 minute read

April 30, 2009, 2:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Immediately following the news release - sent after Newsom, on a sister-city trip to Paris, saw that city's successful bike-sharing network - the San Francisco Bicycle Commission and other bicycling advocacy groups decried the small scale of the initial launch. The Parisian Velib system, advocates noted, began with thousands of bicycles.

'We want to expand bike sharing as much as possible as quickly as possible given the legal constraints that we're under,' said Judson True of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. 'That (size of program) is what the different private entities involved felt that they could manage initially.'

Officials say that getting the program off the ground involves several logistical issues. The program would be funded by advertising - Clear Channel has expressed interest - and membership fees, meaning that private interests must be taken into account, as well as the actual demand for shared bicycles. Additionally, officials have limited space to build bicycle storage stations.

The city is also constrained by a 2006 court injunction that prohibits any further bicycle development on city property until an environmental review has been completed."

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in The Contra Costa Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

3 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

4 hours ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

5 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

6 hours ago - CNU Public Square