Downtown Springfield will soon be a part of Eugene’s PeaceHealth bikeshare system. City councilors approved the project Monday.
Springfield City Council has authorized city staff to negotiate a contract with Cascadia Mobility, the non-profit that operates bikeshare in Eugene. It will add Springfield’s downtown core and a connection to the University of Oregon to the system.
Currently riders face a $25 fee if they leave a PeaceHealth bike in Springfield.
The city will pay about $16,500 dollars to join. Its participation is part of a three-year pilot. Staff must give regular updates on how many people are using bikeshare in Springfield, and gather feedback from businesses and users.
Springfield will have 25 dedicated bikes.
Originally city staff proposed a much larger rollout, around 100 bikes, but scaled down plans after several city council members raised concerns about cost.
Cost has continued to be a concern for some, with at least one council member criticizing the slimmed down proposal. Bikeshare, like most public transportation, requires public funding to pencil out because fares from users don’t usually cover the full cost of the system.
Proponents hope the bikeshare program will encourage more people to visit downtown Springfield.
