The funding is part of a larger $345 million infusion approved by the Texas Transportation Commission for bicycle and pedestrian mobility improvements throughout the state.
The details
The funding will allow the city to expand on its current fleet of 81 stations and 800 bicycles and replace all regular bikes with electric bikes, as e-bikes are used three times more than the regular ones, city officials said. The city’s regular MetroBikes will all be donated to mission-driven organizations, according to city officials.
The MetroBike bikes and stations are owned by the city and are operated and maintained by Capital Metro through an interlocal agreement.
By the numbers
Austin’s MetroBike service has grown in popularity since it launched in 2013. The service averaged less than 5,000 trips in 2019, 12,000 trips during the height of the pandemic, and reached about 28,000 trips in April after the city introduced e-bikes.
Quote of note
"Thanks to this grant award from TxDOT, Austin will receive a tremendous boost to active mobility," said Richard Mendoza, interim director of the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department, in a news release. "As our city grows and grapples with the issues of congestion and climate change, this gives Austinites and visitors more options to travel in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way."
What’s next
The city will roll out the new e-bikes and stations in 2024.
