Opinion: Greenway trail, bike share changing perceptions of city

When visiting a big city, I love to explore the downtown area without a car.

Whether it’s walking, taking public transit or hopping on a bicycle, the downtown of a city is best experienced at a slower pace. Not to mention, these modes of transportation remove the headache of finding a place to park.

In Springfield, I exclusively use a car to get around. I want to get from Point A to Point B quickly. And while there are certain parts of Springfield I’d consider going car-less in, I don’t generally think of the city as a place I could ditch my car.

But a couple of projects in the works are changing my perceptions.

For the past four years, Springfield Bike Share has researched and developed a city bike program to connect downtown and Commercial Street, as well as the local colleges.

Cody Stringer, board chairman of the all-volunteer nonprofit, said the group hopes to bring 20-30 ride sharing bikes to town by this fall.

The bikes would be available on a membership basis, he said, with prices roughly set at $7 for a 24-hour period or $75 for an annual membership. Springfield Bike Share is working with South Carolina-based Gotcha to develop and run the program.

The bikes can be used for an hour or less at a time and must be returned to designated bike rakes to avoid additional fees.

“This is really a transportation modality, not a recreational program,” he said.

I’ve always thought bike-sharing programs are for tourists. But Stringer’s approach has me thinking about how I could use the program in my own city.

Google Maps shows the one and a half miles between the downtown square and Commercial Street is a breezy 10-minute bike ride.

And if you head a few blocks west, soon riders could have access south to the center of town through the new Grant Avenue Parkway Trail Connection Project. The city, Ozark Greenways Inc. and others have applied for a grant to create a greenway trail to connect Wonders of Wildlife to downtown.

These projects go hand in hand. A 2012 Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium study of Portland residents showed that 60 percent of people are “interested but concerned” in riding bikes.

Springfield currently has 78 miles of streets designated as safe bike routes, according to the city’s website. Greenway trails, including the new connection project off Grant Avenue, would greatly increase the availability of bike-friendly paths.

In 2014, the city’s Traffic Advisory Board Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee developed a Person-Power Mobility Vision for 2030. Goals include developing a pedestrian and bicycle network, noting, “pedestrians and bicyclists will be given a high priority in the downtown and university areas.”

Bike-sharing programs are gaining popularity nationwide. Stringer said Springfield wouldn’t be too far behind if the program is approved.

According to a report released by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, residents and tourists alike took 35 million bike-share trips in 2017 across the United States, up 25 percent from the prior year.

Stringer said he’s been in talks with the city since the original concept of Springfield Bike Share began four years ago.

“One of the more recent hurdles is the city’s existing limitation on putting this type of equipment on the public right of way,” he said.

Stringer’s group presented to Springfield City Council’s finance committee this month to request ordinance changes and ask for council’s support.

Stringer said the annual cost for the initial phase of the program is $50,000-$60,000.
 
He said the group is close to being fully funded for the first year by corporate sponsorships, and it plans to tap into grants, community fundraising and revenues from the ride-share memberships to cover ongoing costs.

A trip this month to the Pacific Northwest reminded me how nice it is to get out of a car to get around. Here’s to hoping that keeps getting easier in Springfield.

Springfield Business Journal Features Editor Christine Temple can be reached at ctemple@sbj.net.