TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Agreement between the City of Salem and Ride Salem to operate bike-sharing stations on City property.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Safe, Reliable, and Efficient Infrastructure
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Ride Salem to operate bike-sharing stations on City property and waive fees for the first year?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Ride Salem to operate bike-sharing stations on City property and waive fees for the first year.
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SUMMARY:
Ride Salem is a nonprofit corporation, principals Evan and Kathy Osborne, engaged in providing bicycle sharing services to residents and visitors of Salem. Ride Salem seeks to operate a bike sharing program in the City that includes placing and operating self-service kiosks at four locations on property owned or controlled by the City.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
A bike-share program supports policies adopted in the Salem Transportation System Plan.
Participants can pick up a bicycle at any self-serve bike station and return it to the original station or any other bike station located within the system’s service area. The bikes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system is accessed through a smart phone application. Pricing options range from hourly rates to annual membership fees.
The bike-share program uses bikes specifically designed to limit theft and vandalism. The lock is a hardened-steel shackle that allows the user to lock and unlock utilizing a code. The cost for each specialty bike is approximately $1,500 and the bikes will be purchased through sponsorship funds from local businesses and organizations.
Ride Salem seeks to operate four locations on City property. Two locations are in parks and two are in City right-of-way.
1. East of the Union Street Bridge-on right-of-way in the vicinity of the east entrance to the Union Street Bridge;
2. Riverfront Park south of playground and restrooms;
3. Bush’s Pasture Park adjacent to parking lot south of intersection of Mission and Winter Streets SE; and
4. Salem Transit Center on right-of-way near the southwest corner of Chemeketa and Church Streets NE.
Ride Salem will be responsible for all costs related to installation, service, and maintenance of all facilities related to the program. With approval of the agreement, the City will waive any fees upon Ride Salem related to placing a station in City-owned right-of-way, City parks, or any other City-owned property for a period of one year. At the end of the one-year period, the City and Ride Salem will revisit the issue of fees related to placing stations in City-owned property.
All signage placed at the stations will be in accordance with the City’s Sign Code (Salem Revised Code Chapter 900). The stations themselves are solar powered and require no connection to utilities.
If approved, this Agreement will be effective until June 30, 2023, and can be extended by mutual agreement for on additional period of three years.
BACKGROUND:
On November 13, 2018, Council authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement between the City and Zagster, Inc., a bike sharing company headquartered in Boston and with offices in San Francisco and Philadelphia. On June 5, 2020, Zagster was dissolved as a corporation and ceased operating the bike share in the City. Ride Salem intends to resume the bike share service that Zagster ceased.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachments:
1. Agreement for Bicycle Sharing Services
2. Bike-Share Locations Map