Long in need of a tune-up, RVA Bikeshare is finally planning to expand

Unlike DC’s Capital Bikeshare system which stretches across seven jurisdictions forming a useful network of 658 stations by which one can traverse the region on two wheels, RVA Bikeshare has for years confined itself to twenty stations along a few flat miles of Broad Street with little deviation — or utility to would-be riders. This year with the electrification of its fleet, a new focus on equity, and plans to nearly double the number of stations, RVA Bikeshare is finally getting the tune-up it needs.

Time for a tune-up

The planned changes to help fix Richmond’s only public micromobility system can’t come soon enough. Three years ago RVA Bikeshare boasted 22,456 riders. In 2021, only 11,356 people hopped on one of their bikes. Compared to CaBi’s roughly 6.6 million riders last year Richmond’s system looks even worse.

Part of the problem is the pandemic which has scrambled and sometimes eliminated folk’s commutes. With the vast majority of stations located around offices and not where people live, the inability to offer meaningful last-mile connections has always been one of RVA Bikeshare’s biggest weaknesses, but COVID has laid the issue bare. Over the last year the focus on office-heavy areas has begun to change with the shifting of several stations from downtown to residential neighborhoods both north of Interstate 64 as well as south of the James River.

“Bikeshare originated only in core places for visitors, so we are evolving it into an actual mode of transportation to get around,” said Dironna Clarke — the director of Richmond’s Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility (OETM). “We started our expansion plans with a survey and a list of ideal destinations from Bike Walk RVA outlining what a viable system could look like. What we saw is that people want to go further East, further North, and further South.”

To meet the demand so far four stations have been moved from downtown Richmond to the Broad Rock and North Avenue libraries, Carter Jones Park, and the Battery Park Pool. An additional 17 stations are planned for RVA Bikeshare’s Phase II expansion, including popular destinations such as Scott’s Addition, Carytown, and Manchester as well as underserved areas like Fulton, Blackwell, and Highland Park.

Southside let’s ride! Our newest station at Carter Jones Park is a great link to neighborhoods like Forest Hill, Swansboro, and Woodland heights. Grab a bike 🚲, take a late summer ride 🌇and explore your City! pic.twitter.com/BtSFwxU7VG

— RVA Bike Share (@RVABikeShare) August 17, 2022

Long known as the “city of seven hills,” Richmond’s sometimes steep terrain was another factor that kept bikeshare confined to its relatively flat downtown. By the end of the year geography will no longer be a problem for RVA Bikeshare riders as OETM finishes converting the fleet fully to e-bikes.

Public biking for public housing

Another obstacle to accessing RVA Bikeshare has always been cost. Monthly memberships are over two times higher than what CaBi charges. At $96 for a year’s worth of rides, the system is more expensive than in DC, where the average household income is more than double Richmonders’ earnings.

To improve access to the system, late last year OETM introduced a Fair Fare pilot program which offers free bikeshare memberships to residents of the Richmond Regional Housing Authority’s Fairfield Court. The pilot began with the installation of a new station at the housing complex after a survey showed just 28% of residents have access to a personal vehicle. Those who qualify receive a free fob which can unlock any bike in the system.

“We really strive to enhance existing programs by applying an equity lens that thinks of Richmonders and their needs, not just for visitors but for residents that have a walk home from their bus stop,” said Clarke. “Mobility opens jobs, schools, and medical care that you otherwise wouldn’t have access to. There are so many opportunities that public transit and transportation options provide.”

Current Phase II expansion plans don’t show any further public housing courts in line to receive stations, but OETM aims to install a further three to five if and when RRHA gives them the green light. “We are hoping to expand to additional RRHA communities and connect them to libraries, pools, and grocery stores,” Clarke added.

Five libraries around town have already included the addition of a bikeshare station into their capital plans, but so far North Avenue is the only location that has already installed one. With Phase II not yet complete, OETM is already planning a Phase III expansion, branded “Neighborhood Connections.”

“Phase III will be going further out on the horizon to try and access more residential spaces,” explained Clarke. “Proposals for Phase III stations will come out of Richmond Connects” — the process to develop the City’s strategic multimodal transportation plan. “When you place that equity lens on RVA Bikeshare you see changes that the community is due.”