The city of Aspen is continuing to invest in the WeCycle bike share program.
Last week Aspen City Council opted out of the so-called “Burlingame experiment” which would have added WE-cycle stations at the affordable housing neighborhood north of Highway 82 and the nearby Buttermilk bus stop.
Instead, council approved $50,000 to WE-cycle to add additional stations within the downtown Aspen core.
The proposal is the cheaper of the two options because it will not require any additional staff or operating funds of WE-cycle. The money can instead be applied to “brains” - or the computerized ticket kiosks that sits at each station.
“We will use these stations exclusively with the goal of increasing ridership,” Dan Pearl, WE-cycle Operations Manager told the council during their work session March 1. He said increasing the number of stations in Aspen will allow for greater community buy-in, which is needed for any future geographical expansions to be successful.
The city’s latest monetary investment allows WE-Cycle to purchase three “brains”, and nine new bikes. The non profit has received more than one hundred thousand dollars from government agencies.
