Bluebikes, Metro Boston’s publicly owned bike-share system, will expand to the City of Everett in spring 2019, Bluebikes and Everett city officials announced this week.
Nine Bluebikes stations will be installed in Everett, providing residents with an efficient and affordable transportation option to connect to Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.
“The City of Everett has become a leader in smarter transportation, adding a dedicated bus-lane and bike-share programs,” said Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “We want to provide residents with affordable and reliable transportation options as well as reducing congestion, air pollution and growing economic opportunity, health and well-being in the City. I’m excited to be adding the Bluebikes bike-share program to our community that will help us achieve these goals.”
“It’s great news that Bluebikes is expanding into Everett,” said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Having a strong regional network of Bluebikes stations provides more people with the option of biking. Adding new destinations will also inspire more of us to choose this healthy, sustainable, and, frankly, fun transit option.”
The Bluebikes system is jointly owned by the participating municipalities. As a publicly owned bike-share system, Bluebikes preserves and promotes equity of access for members, ensures that memberships remain affordable, and protects members’ personal data. The station-based system promotes riding and commuting across city lines, preserves predictability and management for the public right of way, and allows for the continuous monitoring of bike availability and maintenance needs.
A major expansion in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville was made possible in 2018 with the introduction of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts as the title sponsor. This sponsorship provided for last year’s system upgrades including new bikes, new mobile app features and additional valet service at busy stations.
By the end of 2019, there will be more than 3,000 bikes and 300 stations on the streets, including a significant geographical expansion of the system.
The new Everett stations – funded by development mitigation and the City of Everett – will widen that reach even further.
“Bluebikes promotes healthy living and provides an environmentally friendly transportation option to more people,” said Kathy Klingler, Chief Marketing Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. “We’re thrilled that many more residents will now be able to take advantage of all that Bluebikes has to offer.”
Bluebikes continues to be an affordable public transportation option. Annual memberships, which include unlimited 45-minute rides, are just $99 per year. Bluebikes also offers a discounted membership program to income-eligible residents over the age of 16 who participate in a wide array of assistance programs. Income-eligible memberships are $5 per month or only $50 per year and include unlimited Bluebikes rides of up to 60 minutes each.