A bike share may be coming to Cedar Rapids as soon as next spring.
The city is seeking a vendor to provide an estimated $570,000 worth of equipment, which would include bikes, stations, kiosks and signs. Separately, the city is seeking another vendor to operate the system, which envisions offering 200 bikes with 20 pickup and drop-off locations.
“It adds another amenity to downtown and makes it more dynamic,” said Bill Micheel, assistant community development director.
Hotel visitors, college students and people eating at restaurants or attending downtown events could use the bikes to expand their options and get to destinations more quickly.
“It provides another option for covering what urban planners call the last mile,” Micheel said. “Say people show up at the (Ground Transportation Center) and they have a destination downtown, they can hop on a bike. They can cover the last mile distance faster than walking.”