Indego bike share expands; East Passyunk again gets screwed
For Indego‘s first birthday, the bike share system for Philadelphia announced an expansion of 24 stations that would add an additional 300 bikes to the service. So how many new stations will be coming to South Philly?
Not all that many. This addition of stations only adds five more bike share locations to the general area (including the two on South Street). One major gap noticeably left off of the map in this new round of additions is still the East Passyunk area.
The South Philly locations:
- 10th and Federal
- 11th and South, Magic Gardens
- 15th and South
- 4th and Washington
- Moyamensing and Tasker
When the bike share first unveiled the official locations for the first phase of the service in March of 2015, a location originally planned for the Acme on Passyunk Avenue disappeared. We talked with Andrew Stober, Chief of Staff of the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, and he told us at that time that Acme on a local and regional level was in favor of the bike share location for their parking lot, but the company’s corporate lawyers in Idaho did not have the same feelings. The other potential location in this area was originally the East Passyunk Avenue gateway, but plans also changed for that public space. The closest station to the area will now be the new 10th and Federal station.
Another new change to Indego is slashing the price of ACCESS cards to $5. This improvement in price, along with new stations in some under-serviced communities, makes Indego, “the first bike share system established with an explicit focus on racial and socioeconomic equity,” according to PlanPhilly.
Does anyone have ideas for where a bike share station could be placed in East Passyunk?
Ok you’ve left of quite a few that are surrounding Passyunk Sq. 11/Wharton. Federal/Broad. 11/Washington. If anything, the new stations are designed with the “explicit focus on racial and socioeconomic equity”. Don’t most folks in Passyunk Sq already own their own bikes?
yeah, no need for one at the acme when there is one <1 block away already. and they generally aren't putting stations where it would cost parking spaces (plus, imagine the uproar in the hood if they did that…).
if bike share is going to reach into South Philly below washington, it honestly should be in point breeze and pennsport first. EPX already has decent access and good alternative transportation options as well.
While it may be true that most residents own bikes, a lack of stations in the neighborhood deters indego users from using the bikes to travel to East Passyunk. More stations near the avenue, means more spots to dock bikes, means more people coming to shop/eat from outside of the neighborhood.
It’s still useful to have a station in the area. I was out drinking in center city with a buddy who biked there. It was a nice evening, so I got an Indego bike so I could bike back too. Finding one in center city was easy, it only took me a minute. Finding a docking station in East Passyunk. The only reason I found one is because Andrew Stober heard me loudly complaining about it and pointed me in the right direction.
So lame. Just put a bike station next to the Fountain, on the west side of Passyunk, right above Tasker. It would only cost 2-3 parking spaces.
Good luck with that. Even if there was definitive proof that removing 2 parking spaces would enable world peace, many neighbors would still cause an uproar.
What about one right on the pavement where the Man’s Image is about to close? That is perfect perfect perfect. Instead of the outdoor clothing and shoes racks, you’ll replace it with the bikes. Everyone is satisfied. Done and done.
A shame the Acme location got switched to the Police station, but it’s not that far away. I think they are just having trouble finding valid spaces in the area as most are spoken for, unlike point breeze et al.
Agree by the fountain would be a great spot, but taking away parking spots there will cause an uproar and flame war of ungodly proportions. Sphl is not great at accepting change, which is one of the reasons I love it here, maddening as it may be.
I still do not understand the “gateway” at Passyunk and Broad and how that space could not have been designed for a rack of bikes. No lost parking spots and the space actually serving a purpose. Any future chance?
I’m not going to defend all the decisions made at the gateway, but the original specifications that the city shared for bike stations required dimensions that space could not have accomodated. While they’ve now become more flexible, that was not the case when the design and construction happened. Also, on Broad between Snyder and Mckean may be Indego’s preferred location (possibly on the wide sidewalk in front of the Verizon buildign), although having both locations eventually is not out of the realm of possibility.
The bottom line: the dearth of stations further south is not a matter of lack of space, but of funding.
I agree with you Marc. Perfect spot for them.
Are there still pedestrian improvements planned for the Passyunk/Morris intersection? A bike station should be part of those plans.
Parking Police: Well said. Having the rack brings people from other areas to shop/eat. I’m surprised the BID hasn’t lobbied hard for a rack to be installed.
Marc: Perfect point. It is beyond stupid that the “gateway” did not get a rack.
J: Great idea! This needs to be done, especially in light of the major fumble with the “gateway”.
Here is the response I got from Indego when I asked about getting more stations near the avenue:
The City of Philadelphia received a one-year, $1.5 million grant from the William Penn Foundation to expand Indego. Station locations were selected with emphasis on increasing the accessibility of City parks and waterfronts, and with the input of Philadelphia residents.
The group to talk to about further new locations is the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) in the Mayor’s Office. They have the final say on all station locations, and are responsible for collecting location feedback.
You can contact them at:
Aaron Ritz
p. 215-686-9000
e. aaron.ritz@phila.gov
Cara Ferrentino
p. 215-686-9001
e. cara.ferrentino@phila.gov
That Gateway is such a joke, it may as well just be made into a giant Indego Bike Share station.
The Passyunk and Mifflin Triangle would be a perfect spot.
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