Site suitability and public participation: a study of bike sharing stations in a college town.

Concerns about global climate change, energy security, and unstable fuel prices have motivated decision makers worldwide to explore sustainable options for transportation (Schäfer 2009). One strategy supported by transportation planners is bike-sharing programs (BSP), which ease both traffic volume and provide sustainable and green options for urban environments (García-Palomares, Gutiérrez, and Latorre 2012). Users of BSPs can take advantage of biking without the responsibilities of bike purchases, maintenance, and obligations related to parking and storage. Moreover, BSPs incorporate cycling into the public transportation system (Shaheen, Guzman, and Zhang 2010), providing transit users an option that offers mobility and flexibility at a lower cost (Metro Vancouver TransLink 2008). In the U.S., there are several implemented examples of BSPs, such as Hubway in Boston, MA; Smartbike in Washington DC; and NiceRide in Minneapolis, MN (US DOT 2012). However, according to DeMaio and Gifford (2004), BSPs are not suitable for all American cities. BSPs are more appropriate for “urban areas with more compact downtowns, university campuses, and dense neighborhood with a concentration of younger people (DeMaio and Gifford 2004, 11)