“Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race.”—H.G. Wells
When was the last time you hopped on a bike? Whether it’s been one day or one year, anytime is a perfect time to ride. Now, spending your lunch on 2 wheels is easier than ever with the City of El Paso’s new ‘SunCycle’ bike sharing program that launched across Downtown El Paso, EPCC and UTEP in mid-September.
If you haven’t had a chance to try the bike share program yet, using the bike share is a breeze: stop by one of 8 SunCycle bike docks, purchase a pass, choose a ride, get going, then return the bike to any other SunCycle station. These gleaming red bikes are manufactured by Trek, who started the B-Cycle national bike-sharing program.
Although the bikes are certainly pretty to look at, they’re primarily made for utilitarian—not recreational—purposes. The bikes can withstand all kinds of inclement weather—another plus considering El Paso’s unpredictable climate. SunCycle bikes also feature a spacious basket for cargo, and front and rear lights powered by pedaling.
El Paso is bursting at the seams in all directions—a great thing for attractions, home builders and the local tax base—but not so great for the environment. One of the aims that the bike share program seeks to accomplish is to enable people to get from ‘point A’ to ‘point B’ without having to put their keys into a car ignition, in turn lowering emissions. Most folks have lived with the assumption that everyone drives a car, but the City of El Paso, along with pedestrian and bicycling advocate groups, are saying that it doesn’t always have to be this way.
Downtown business owners may even start seeing an increase in curious shoppers. Scott White, Policy Director for Velo Paso, explains the inevitable domino effect: “When people drive, they rarely make impulse stops. However, when they’re riding a bike or walking, they’re much more likely to stop at an interesting looking shop or restaurant.”
On September 16th, 60 community members, including Mayor Leeser, happily cruised through Downtown El Paso for the bike share’s maiden voyage that ended with a launch party at The Garden in Union Plaza. With such a welcome reception, it’s hard to believe that the bike share program almost didn’t happen.
The bike share was initially approved with a $2 million dollar budget by the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization. In response, $1.6 million was withheld by the Texas Department of Transportation because they said a bike sharing program wouldn’t reduce traffic congestion or improve air quality. Despite not having the full anticipated amount, a scaled down ‘Phase 1’ launched successfully with $720,000.
White is one of many advocates that have poured an immeasurable amount of energy into making the bike share program a reality. He encourages would-be riders to give the bike share a try and “slow down to enjoy your surroundings.”
“If you want to get better walkability and rideability in your neighborhood, you can become an active voice in making Phase 2 happen,” White says. “You can write to your City Representative, County Commissioner or by joining Velo Paso in our mission to making El Paso a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly city.”
Phase 2 of bike share is in the horizon, but it all depends on the success of Phase 1. Checking out a SunCycle costs $6 for a full day pass, which allows you to take the SunCycles out for a spin in 30-minute increments. Purchasing a membership might be the most frugal option for riders who plan on using the bike share more often.
Get Connected
Web: elpaso.bcycle.com
Twitter: @SunCycleEP
Facebook/SunCycleBikeShare