“Take it for a ride,” that little voice whispers as he passes the bike rack for the third time this week. The Bulldog blue 10-speed looks so inviting the freshman pedals home, a welcome change to what would have been a mile walk.
Though the color has yet to be determined, Activate Alliance plans to place up to 25 bicycles at schools and other locations in town before the end of summer through its new bike share program. Anyone interested in free transportation may ride and return the bike at one of several designated racks.
Alliance has become more bike friendly in the past decade or so with new pathways, bike lanes and (a few more) racks. A well-worn aluminum Diamondback is my choice for commuting to work on weekdays. It is good exercise and keeps hundreds of miles worth of car exhaust out of the air each year. I enjoy seeing other cyclists while I’m en route, from the long-range riders passing by between highways to three or four kids with towels headed for the pool. I know, from visiting cities like Denver, people will pay to rent a bike for a few hours. So, I look forward to witnessing how a no-cost version will benefit people in our community.
The idea for a bike share came via sticky note more than three years ago at a community meeting where Panhandle Public Health District and Box Butte General Hospital’s Wellness Program collaborated to form Activate Alliance, member Earl Jones explained. The group’s goal, he said, is to make Alliance more walkable, bikeable and active overall. Progress on specific projects, such as bike sharing, has been slowed until recently as PPHD focused on the Covid 19 Pandemic, Jones said.
As of July 8, the public had donated seven bicycles plus a couple spare wheels. The bike share subcommittee is hoping to see more people part with their used rides, in decent working order please, during the next month. Any size that an elementary student through adult (boys or girls frames) would ride is appreciated. Four or five bike share members and a handful of volunteers are planning to perform any initial repairs. A schedule for ongoing maintenance is also planned to keep them road worthy, Jones said.
Anyone interested in donating a bicycle may drop it off at Jones’ house — 808 Cheyenne Ave., fellow committee member Larry Bolinger’s residence — 507 Niobrara, Panhandle Trails — 816 Flack Ave., or the Alliance Police Department — 512 Niobrara Ave. For information, call Jones, 762-2363, or Panhandle Trails, 761-8747. Send monetary donations to: PPHD, PO Box 337, Hemingford, NE 69348. Make sure to specify the Alliance Bike Share Program.
Bringing the APD on board would seem to include access to the cache of two-wheeled conveyances in the city bike warehouse. However, Jones explained, the law says they cannot be given away. Committee members plan to gain access to the collection like everyone else — by bidding on their favorites at the APD Bicycle Rodeo and Auction, 2 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Alliance High School parking lot.
Once acquired and in good working order, the bikes will be repainted the same (to be determined) recognizable color. Jones emphasized that riders can put any bike in any designated rack, which will include Alliance Public Schools, public locations (such as those downtown, at the pool, museum, library, etc.), hospital and Alliance Recreation Center. Jones added the committee plans to contact local welders and/or AHS classes to additional distinctive racks. “Our goal eventually,” Jones said, “is to have some of the tools tethered there.”
Listening to advice from other communities with bike shares in place, the committee is gathering enough bikes to get started and “keeping it simple.”
Who will grab the handlebars and hop on for those first rides? “Give people an option and they can think about it,” Jones said.