The contract is signed, after years of planning, Bikeshare is coming to Atlanta as part of an ambitious goal to double the number of bike commuters in the city by 2016.
"After years of planning and negotiations, city officials have signed contracts companies to launch the Atlanta Bike Share later this year," reports Max Blau.
"Mayor Kasim Reed today inked an agreement with several different companies that will help launch and operate the city's new bike share program. Five hundred bicycles will be available for short-term rentals and can be picked up and dropped up at 50 different rental stations."
The contract goes to Cycle Hop LLC, which operates bikeshare systems in Phoenix, Tampa, and Orlando. Cycle Hop "will work with bike technology company Social Bicycles, local transportation planning firm Center Forward, and local brand design firm Iconologic."
The Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development is currently deciding on the sites for the system's stations.
The ATL Urbanist blog adds some additional thoughts on the prospect of Atlanta achieving its goals of doubling the number of bike commuters by 2016. Infrastructure, of the variety proposed in the city's upcoming referendum [pdf], will be key, according to that post.
FULL STORY: Atlanta plans to launch its new bike share program in 2015

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