Reddy Bikeshare, in partnership with Independent Health, to launch in 2019

Bikesharing will become available to Niagara Falls residents and visitors later this year. Reddy Bikeshare in partnership with Independent Health will continue to be operated by non-profit Shared Mobility Inc., with additional support from the City of Niagara Falls.

Bringing Reddy bikes to Niagara Falls is part of the city’s ongoing plans to encourage bicycling and to make the area more bike-friendly.

“I am committed to making the City of Niagara Falls a vibrant, safe space for residents, visitors, and tourists to walk, bike, and recreate as they revel in our extraordinary natural environment,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster. “We have demonstrated this commitment through the adoption of a citywide Complete Streets policy, our roadway redesign projects such as the Robert Moses Parkway, and our colorful crosswalk projects in downtown Niagara Falls to improve walkability for residents and tourists alike. The Niagara Falls Bicycle Master Plan and launch of Reddy Bikeshare in Niagara Falls will allow this momentum to continue forward, while costing the taxpayer nothing”.

“Independent Health is excited to help bring the bikeshare program to Niagara Falls and is especially pleased to support another effort that encourages exercise and recreation in our region, while also providing an alternative means of transportation, boosting the local economy and further advancing the revitalization occurring in Niagara Falls,” said Michael W. Cropp, M.D., president and CEO, Independent Health.

“The bikeshare program in the City of Buffalo has been a resounding success, exceeding all expectations on Reddy bike utilization, distance traveled on Reddy bikes, and overall reaction from the community on the bikeshare program. To bring this successful program to Niagara Falls is exciting, and together with Shared Mobility we’re helping to create a culture of health throughout the region by supporting recreation and exercise through bicycling,” said Dr. Cropp.

Discounts for Niagara Falls residents

Discounted annual memberships to the bikeshare program will be made available for any eligible Niagara Falls resident. Working with Reddy Bikeshare, the city will also call upon Niagara Falls residents to participate in planning efforts to determine where bikeshare stations should be located, a process to be led by GObike Niagara as well as Niagara Falls Community Development. GObike Niagara is a program of GObike Buffalo and works to build a thriving, dynamic and connected Niagara by promoting biking, alternative transportation options, and improved streetscapes to create positive impacts on health, our environment, our streets and the overall quality of life for all residents.

“As part of our process for developing the Niagara Falls Bicycle Master Plan and supporting the parallel effort of introducing Niagara Falls residents to bikeshare, we’ll be hosting a series of public outreach meetings and related events, including a Slow Roll Bike Stampede and a pop-up event to allow residents to experience best practice bike infrastructure,” said Justin Booth, Executive Director of GObike. “The purpose of the bike plan is to support and elevate the community vision for Niagara Falls, so it is imperative that residents contribute to and help us craft and define the future bicycle transportation network for the city.”

Bikeshare members may use bikes in both cities

The bikeshare program will be a part of a regional system in which riders from both Buffalo and Niagara Falls will have access to bikes in either city with one membership. The two cities are connected via the Niagara River Greenway, an initiative supported by the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council. The Greenway is a roughly 20-mile trail that is accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists and once fully completed, will connect the region via a system of trails that span the waterfront between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

“Independent Health is excited to help bring the bikeshare program to Niagara Falls and is especially pleased to support another effort that encourages exercise and recreation in our region.”

Michael W. Cropp, M.D., President & CEO, Independent Health

Residents encouraged to attend planning meetings

To learn more about biking in and around Niagara Falls, as well as to provide input on new infrastructure, such as bike lanes and bikeshare station locations, residents are encouraged to attend upcoming public meetings this spring. Once scheduled, meeting times and locations will be posted at gobikeniagara.org along with other details of the Niagara Falls Bike Master Plan.

“It is imperative that residents contribute to and help us craft and define the future bicycle transportation network for the city.”

Justin Booth, Executive Director, GoBike

“Over the past few years, bikesharing has quickly become a go-to method of travel and recreation in cities around the world, including Buffalo, where it has become recognized as part of the city’s urban fabric”, said Mike Galligano, CEO, Shared Mobility Inc., “We are thrilled to be working with the City of Niagara Falls, Independent Health, GObike Niagara, and especially community partners and city residents to uncover the potential that the Falls has in becoming a true biking destination for visitors and residents alike with the addition of a transportation amenity that is healthy, fun and affordable.”

Folks interested in bikesharing can visit Reddybikeshare.com for more information. To provide input on Niagara Falls bikeshare station locations, residents, business owners or anyone else can e-mail info@reddybikeshare.com or call 716-407-7474.

About Shared Mobility

Shared Mobility Inc. (SMI) of Buffalo, New York is a transportation solutions nonprofit that focuses on cutting-edge technology and best practices to build mobility systems that serve disadvantaged communities in small and mid-sized markets. These communities are not traditional markets for shared mobility operators, and SMI’s work often requires tailoring mobility solutions to fit the needs of each area. Throughout its 10 years of experience, SMI has worked across the shared mobility spectrum in the fundraising, deployment, growth, and evaluation of shared transportation systems. This includes bikesharing, carsharing, volunteer transportation, vanpooling, and transportation demand management programs.  It seeks to apply the same social-equity focused mindset to its nationwide portfolio of projects. For further information, visit www.sharedmobilty.org.