PHILADELPHIA- At a celebratory press conference today at Race Street Pier, Mayor Jim Kenney announced major program updates to the City of Philadelphia’s Indego Bike Share network, including the first large-scale expansion since Indego’s launch in late April 2015.
“Part of the joy of being mayor is that I can say things like, ‘Indego is an initiative of the City of Philadelphia,’” stated Mayor Kenney. “It’s a public amenity, and for many people it’s a great way to connect with their communities, their families, jobs, and with health. I’m proud of the work that my staff has done to make Indego a program that creates partnerships with communities and neighborhoods from across the city.”
The Mayor’s remarks highlighted the William Penn Foundation’s $1.5 million contribution toward Indego expansion, with 24 new stations focused on connecting neighborhoods with the City’s parks and waterfront public spaces. The new stations also support greater access and connection to grocery stores, libraries, and employment opportunities.
Stations will be installed during the last week of April and in early May, with 300 new bikes to roll out concurrently. “This expansion allows neighborhoods to better connect with opportunities and high-quality destinations across the city,” said Dr. Janet Haas, Board Chair of the William Penn Foundation.
Indego is sponsored by Independence Blue Cross. Yvette Bright, Independence Blue Cross Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer noted, “A world-class city deserves world-class transportation. There is no better way to discover Philadelphia’s remarkable and diverse array of arts, culture, food, and sports than from the seat of an Indego bike. At Independence, we are proud to celebrate the one-year milestone of Indego, and reaffirm our commitment to helping people get fit and have fun.”
In addition to the expansion locations (list below), Mayor Kenney announced a discount for Pennsylvania ACCESS card holders, who can now pay $5 for 30 days of unlimited 1 hour trips with an Indego Access Pass. For more information, visit www.rideindego.com/access. The Mayor reiterated that goal is to make Indego accessible to as many Philadelphians as possible. In fact, Indego was the first bike share program in North America to launch with a cash payment option.
Also announced was the release of a new Indego smartphone app, available on iOS and Android for locating stations and bikes. The app features an integrated text feature that allows riders to interact directly with Indego customer service, to help make it as easy as possible to use the program for transportation, fitness, or recreation.
The City of Philadelphia launched bike share only last year, but is already a recognized leader in national best practices in the industry, particularly surrounding community engagement and inclusivity. The City leads a national initiative called the Better Bike Share Partnership, funded by the JPB Foundation, to support bike share social equity best practices. At today’s press conference, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) announced the release of a new Bike Share Station Siting Guide, which is funded through the Better Bike Share Partnership. “NACTO is looking to raise the bar on transportation across the board, and particularly in the world of bike share and how it can benefit all communities. The Guide provides a framework for making sure that bike share is a real transportation option for people from all walks of life,” said Linda Bailey, NACTO Executive Director.
This summer, the City of Philadelphia will host the first ever Better Bike Share Conference. From June 22nd through 24th, national leaders in transportation, community development, workforce development and health will gather to share and learn how bike share can serve racially, socially, and economically diverse populations. Find more at www.betterbikeshare.org.
“Even before I worked with then-Councilman Kenney and my colleagues to author the bike share legislation, I knew this green initiative would be a success. Indego is leading by example and helping build a greener, healthier Philadelphia for all, and for that we are thankful,” said Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown.
To celebrate the program’s expansion, the City invites community members to an afternoon Party in the Park, on June 4th in East Fairmount Park, with food, music, and family fun. More details will be available at www.rideindego.com in the coming weeks.
Follow Indego on social media @rideindego for information on station installations as well as updates on events and activities with Indego.
Confirmed Station Locations for 2016 Spring Expansion
Please visit https://www.rideindego.com/stations/ to see which stations are “coming soon.” Additional stations will be added throughout the coming weeks. Please check back regularly on the website or app.
- 10th & Federal
- 11th & South, Magic Gardens
- 15th & Market
- 15th & South
- 19th & Girard, PTT
- 22nd & Cecil B. Moore
- 24th & Cecil B. Moore, Cecil B. Moore Library
- 26th & Pennsylvania
- 26th & Poplar
- 27th & Master, Athletic Recreation Center
- 29th & Dauphin
- 29th & Diamond
- 31st & Girard
- 33rd & Dauphin
- 33rd & Diamond
- 33rd & Reservoir
- 34th & Mantua
- 42nd & Lancaster
- 46th Street Station, MFL
- 4th & Washington
- Berks Station, MFL
- Moyamensing & Tasker
- Penn Treaty Park
- Race Street Pier