In six weeks' time, Toronto commuters will have one more way to get from the train to the office and downtown dwellers will have a new option for getting around the neighbourhood, with the launch of a city bicycle-sharing program.
In the works for roughly a year, the system will see roughly 1,000 bikes parked at 80 stations downtown, starting May 3.
The program is a joint operation between the city and the Montreal-based Public Bike System Company – branded as “Bixi” – which has already set up similar systems in nine cities, including Montreal, Ottawa, London, Melbourne and Washington, D.C.
The bikes are parked at solar-powered electric docking stations. Users can either pay on the spot or sign up for a membership that offers discounted rates. The system will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In its first phase, Bixi bikes will be stationed in Toronto's downtown core, an area bounded by Bloor Street, Jarvis Street and Spadina Avenue.
