by Kären Haley, Executive Director, ICT, Inc.
It’s been one year since the vibrant gold bikes that comprise the Indiana Pacers Bikeshare program made their first appearance in downtown Indianapolis. We are proud to report that the bikeshare program has made downtown Indianapolis a better place to live, work and play.
Success on Two Wheels
Over the past year, the citizens of Indianapolis adopted the bikeshare as their own, and shared it with family, friends and visitors. Yes, thousands of people have taken rides on the bikes, but the year has provided other milestones as well. Along the Trail, we’ve witnessed:
- Groups of people wearing suits ride the bikes to lunch locales farther than they would normally walk.
- Pacers player George Hill leading a group bikeshare ride on the Cultural Trail with over 75 people on a weekday morning.
- People giving up car ownership because of the bikeshare program.
- Annual members Garth Brazelton riding 600 miles in less than a year… 600 miles!
- Record-breaking numbers of annual member–we estimated 750 annual members in our first year, we actually may have passed that estimate in the first month!
The Cultural Trail Provides Safe Passage
One of the reasons there have been so many people ride the bikes is the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick. The Trail is the safe and beautiful connection on which the bikeshare program was built. The Trail is accessible by bikes and pedestrians 24 hours a day, 12 months a year thanks to the lighting and snow removal efforts by Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc., the organization that manages the Trail and is responsible for the Pacers Bikeshare program.
So Many Reasons to Ride
Residents and visitors alike are riding our gold bikes; people are riding them to go to work, to get exercise, and to see the city. Our success is measured not only by the success of the Pacers Bikeshare, but in the success of the businesses and institutions in our downtown where people ride to eat, shop or just hang out. We also believe that Pacers Bikeshare is helping Indianapolis attract the young, talented workforce that cities and businesses are working so hard to recruit. We believe the the past year shows that we are a better city because of Pacers Bikeshare.
Bikeshare Birthday Bash!
On April 22, 2015, we celebrated Pacers Bikeshare with Mayor Ballard presiding over the festivities. On behalf of everyone at Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc, many thanks to our annual members, our partners, and especially the Herbert Simon Family Foundation for moving our community forward!
