While the successes, and travails, of bike share systems in cities like New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago get most of the attention, several smaller cities across the U.S. have managed to establish such systems without much fanfare.
"While many of the United States’ largest cities have just started to adopt bike share, several of the country’s smaller cities have been at it for years," writes Matt Christensen. "These nimble cities were among America’s bike share pioneers, and they’ve proven that bike share can succeed with little more than community support, good leadership, and effective partnerships."
The three systems that Christensen profiles show that a nearby college community can help provide a ready population of users. In addition, "Madison, Boulder, and Chattanooga were able to quickly harness community support, build strong ties with city officials and local institutions, and launch successful programs," he explains.
FULL STORY: Bike Share Finds Success in Small Cities
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Chattanooga didn't let its small population, sprawling environment, and weak cycling culture prevent the city from implementing a small-scale bike-share system. Their experience could hold lessons for other small cities that want jump in the saddle.
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