With seven automated kiosks throughout downtown, Oklahoma City’s bike share program Spokies has formed a committee to explore expansion through 2016.
A pending corporate sponsorship of nearly $50,000 could expand Spokies later this summer to an eighth kiosk located in Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District. The sponsorship could additionally contribute $100,000 per year for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to purchase six additional kiosks for the growing system.
With regard to demand, Spokies has seen a monthly average of about 1,245 users in just the past four months and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. reports fielding a considerable number of requests from citizens for program expansion throughout Oklahoma City. Consideration through a committee is being made for future expansion sites; multiple locations are being assessed including, in no particular order:
- North Hudson Avenue and NW 8th Street
- North Dewey Avenue and West Sheridan Avenue
- North Broadway Avenue and NW 4th Street
- North Broadway Avenue and Park Avenue
Though there is significant demand for Spokies kiosks beyond the downtown area including NW 23rd Street, the Paseo Arts District, Oklahoma City University and the Plaza District, Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. is sure to emphasize the need to build stations outward from downtown to provide connectivity first and foremost.
Spokies was made possible through the City of Oklahoma City’s Office of Sustainability via an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Spokies places Oklahoma City among the more than 500 cities in 49 countries with bike sharing programs and Oklahoma City’s 95 bikes are part of a combined worldwide fleet of 500,000 bike share bicycles.
For more information, you can visit the Spokies website and be sure to follow Spokies on Twitter and Facebook.