Four Bike-Sharing Stations Planned for the South End

A new bicycle sharing program slated to launch in July will offer bike rentals from at least four self-serve kiosks in the South End, according to Alta Bicycle Share, which was contracted by the city to run the initiative.

On Tuesday, the group unveiled tentative plans to locate 41-foot-long bicycle stations along sidewalks in front of the South End Library, along Mass Ave. in the Boston Medical Center and in the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza. A station is also planned along Washington Street at Rutland Street, according to Alta President Alison Cohen.

A fifth station was initially planned on the sidewalk at Columbus and Massachusetts Avenue, but was scrapped due to lack of space.

The stations will consist of a bicycle rack with space for 15 bicycles attached to a solar-powered touch screen kiosk where members can swipe cards to rent bicycles. The program, known as Hubway, will cost about $5 a day, with free trips that are 30 minutes or less, and $85 annual memberships.

In total, the city will see 61 stations erected along its streets and sidewalks next month, according to Nicole Freedman, director of bicycle programs for the city. The stations will be removed every winter, she said.

The exact locations of the stations could still change – at a South End Landmark District Commission meeting on Tuesday, members of the community offered input on several proposed locations, including the two on Tremont Street.

“It’s a great space and we love the idea but it puts that bike rack right in the middle of an existing busy situation,” said restaurateur Gordon Hamersley of the station proposed for the BCA plaza.

A valet company serving multiple restaurants and theaters on the block sets up in the same exact spot, he said, which could create safety issues.

“There are hundreds of people here on a nightly basis,” he said. “It just gives one concern.”

Farther down the street, Holyoke Street resident Ken Kruckemeyer asked that Alta consider changing the station’s placement in front of the library. Current plans call for the station to be located up against the library’s Tremont Street wall, blocking the path of travel for those preferring a concrete surface, he said.

“Typically, the concrete is the path that people are expected to walk on,” said Kruckemeyer, who has been involved in neighborhood planning initiatives for over 40 years. “It’s harder if someone is blind and is using the side of the building as a guide.”

The Commission approved the stations at the library and Boston Medical Center but asked that further conversation with neighbors take place regarding placement of the BCA station. The Washington Street station will be placed in the roadway, and does not require the Commission's approval.