Can you imagine Norristown's streets flooded with bikes/pedestrians instead of cars? Can you imagine a day when our sidewalks and bike trails are plowed before our roads? This past weekend I traveled Washington, D.C. and noticed a growing trend that's happening in cities across the US. I saw more bikes, Segways and pedestrians walking. D.C. is known for the worst traffic outside NYC due to all the traffic restrictions and national landmarks. However, this doesn't stop people from visiting the city. Today, I will talk about a popular bikeshare program and why we could use a similar program in Norristown.
You can choose any of the over 300 stations across Washington, D.C., Arlington and Alexandria, VA and Montgomery County, MD and return it to any station near your destination. Check out a bike for your trip to work, Metro, run errands, go shopping, or visit friends and family. Join Capital Bikeshare for a day, 3 days, a month, a year or try our new daily key option, and have access to our fleet of bikes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The first 30 minutes of each trip are free. Each additional 30 minutes incurs an additional fee.
A similar program can be created here in Norristown and throughout Montgomery County. Giving up our cars when driving around town is a hard habit to break. It's like quitting a bad habit, like smoking. You need support and options before you can go cold turkey.
Unfortunately, Norristown (and Montgomery County) doesn't have the support and limited options. We do have a great transportation center that connects us with Philadelphia and we are SEPTA's largest market outside Philly. So why aren't we taking advantage of that?
Parking is horrible in Norristown
For me, I would rather travel alone if I can without interruptions...so I drive. But if there were a bike share program in Norristown, you bet I would rent a bike instead. Capital Bikeshare is as cheap as $75 a year for unlimited use. Or if you have a quick errand, the first 30 minutes are free. All you need is a credit card...if you don't, a local bank has options for you.
Norristown is in a great position to get the ball rolling on this idea. Speaking with Councilwoman Olivia Brady at several of TNP's cleanups, she shared her vision of turning our alleys into bike routes to become more accessible for our riders. So for those who are interested in getting this project going, speak with her at the next Council meeting so we can begin to get a committee going for the project. If we can find the right investor, this can quickly become a reality and Norristown will become a bike friendly neighborhood.
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