St. Pete Bike Share Goes All Electric
St. Pete bike share goes all electric. The city of St. Petersburg is updating its bike-share program with the addition of 300 electric bikes, replacing the existing manual bikes. The new bikes are expected to be on the streets by mid to late April. The new bikes weigh in at 70 pounds, have a swappable battery that can travel up to 25 miles, and an assisted speed of up to 15 mph. The city’s new vendor, Neutron Holdings, also known as Lime, will provide up to 500 additional e-bikes based on demand, with no cost to the city.
The new e-bikes will require pedaling to activate the electrical function and will cost $1 to unlock and 39 cents per minute. Lime is also offering a 70% discount for those who receive federal, state, or local financial assistance due to their income. Additionally, Lime will offer a $1 discount to those who properly park their bikes, park overcrowded corrals or wear a helmet, confirmed by taking a selfie.
The St Pete Bike share program will also expand west along Central Avenue and south to the Skyway Marina District, focusing on connections from the Pinellas Trail to the Clam Bayou and Skyway trails. Like scooters, e-bikes are not allowed on sidewalks and must be parked in designated corrals. The city will manage the bike hubs instead of the vendor under the prior agreement.
The new program is expected to save the city $60,000 annually in operating expenses compared to the current program, which included manual bikes. The previous vendor agreement with CycleHop, which included the manual bikes, ends on Friday. TBT