The City Council approved April 14 the addition of 11 new BCycle kiosk bike stations through $150,000 in the city’s Parks Consolidated Construction Funds, set aside for the implementation of the Houston Bike Plan.
To make way for the funding, council first needed to approve an ordinance allowing the city to provide Houston Bike Share funding for nonfederal share costs, nongrant equipment, and installation costs for bike stations located on city property or right of way. As it stood previously, Houston Bike Share was responsible for 100% of those costs.
The item was first postponed during the council’s April 7 meeting by At-Large Council Member Mike Knox, who wanted time to ensure the funding for the expansion did not come from taxpayers.
“After much discussion and gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair, I had a nice conversation with our planning department and with our attorney, Arturo Michel, that the use of bond money for this purpose is not a violation of any law, which was my main concern,” Knox said. “Although I do think we’re setting a bad precedent here, I have no basis to vote ‘no’ on this, so I will be supporting this item.”
Houston BCycle has a network of over 100 stations and 800 bicycles across the Houston area. The new kiosks will be located at the following locations:
- Bob Lanier Public Works Building: 611 Walker St.
- Houston Permitting Center: 1002 Washington Ave.
- S. Braeswood & Linkmeadow METRO Bus: 3627 S. Braeswood Blvd.
- Quitman Near Northside METRORail: 638 Quitman St.
- Mason Park: 541 S. 75th St.
- N. Braeswood & Kirby METRO Bus: 7550 Kirby Drive
- Telephone & Eddington: 619 Telephone Road
- 19th & Rutland: 249 W. 19th St.
- Sawyer Yards, The Silos @ Winter: 1502 Sawyer St.
- The Exchange at Hardy Yards: 1250 Leona St.
- South Yards @ Washington: 1818 Washington Ave.
