Bike Share KC plans major expansion, announces crowdfunding effort

Kansas City B Cycle recently announced an ambitious plan to expand the KC-area bike share system, and a crowdfunding campaign to help finance the addition of new stations to the system.

A Kansas City Star editorial gave strong support to the work to expand the system:

When Kansas City jumped into bike-sharing in 2012, it was the only U.S. city to do so without any public money. Led by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Greater Kansas City, corporate sponsors and individual donors got the program rolling with 90 bikes at 12 downtown stations.

Backers of the program now are making plans for a second phase in the vicinity of the Country Club Plaza and Brush Creek. Again they are seeking support from businesses and institutions — a request well worth consideration.

Bike sharing makes bicycles easily available to anyone with a credit card. Customers can check out a bike at one station and leave it at another. It is intended for short commutes.

Kansas City’s downtown network averages 700 to 1,000 rides a month. That represents a lower level of use than in some other cities. But in Kansas City, which hasn’t yet done enough to encourage alternative forms of transit, it’s a credible range. The planned downtown streetcar should encourage more bike-sharing and other transit alternatives.

The B Cycle expansion was also covered in the KC Star and the Kansas City Business Journa|.

Find out more about Bike Share KC or make a donation here.  Bike Share KC is operated by KC-area advocacy group BikeWalkKC.

Building a statewide movement around bicycling and walking is one of the primary objectives of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri--which is why we like to help to spread the word about exciting developments across Missouri and support the work of organizations like BikeWalkKC and Bike Share KC. 

Encouraging programs like bike share helps reach two more of our Vision's primary objectives: To encourage more bicycling and walking in Missouri and create a world-class bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in Missouri.  Your membership and generous financial support help make our vision a reality across the state!