10 hours ago
Elk Grove's e-bike program gains speed as a community favorite
The results are in, and Elk Grove is saying its electric bike lending program is a big success. The e-bike effort is giving a jolt to people looking for an alternative way to get around town without having to rely on just pedal power.
The city launched an electric bike lending program last fall, and it's been on the road to success ever since.
"We have had over 600 requests now to borrow an e-bike since we launched at the beginning of September," said Kaley Lyons, Elk Grove's senior transportation planner.
Jeff Wagley, owner of Cadence Bike Shop, said that e-bikes are popular with nearly every age group.
"High schoolers, junior high schoolers, retired folks, people who just want to ride farther, get outside," Wagley said.
Elk Grove purchased 20 bikes for the lending program, using money from a $200,000 federal grant. The city surveyed riders on why they used the bikes.
"The top two reasons are recreation and also to run errands around town," Lyons said
"I've talked to people that say, 'We rode it every single day, we started riding it to school, started riding it to work, so I think people just really appreciate it,' " Wagley said
Since the lending launched, not a single e-bike has been stolen.
The city also offered vouchers up to $1,000 for people to buy a new e-bike.
"It was insane and we had so many people coming in," Wagley said. "All four bike shops in Elk Grove benefited from this."
A goal of the program is to improve air quality and prevent traffic jams.
The City of Elk Grove says that in just the first six months, people rode the bikes more than 1,600 miles and reduced more than 600 kilograms of CO2 emissions.
"An e-bike really lets you take those in-town trips that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and really reduce congestion on our streets as well," Lyons said. "The more people we get on bikes, the fewer cars we have on our roads."
Federal grant money for the lending program runs out in December, but the city council has approved continuing the program through at least June of next year.
