Thomas Breen Photo
Alder Adam Marchand with bikeshare prototype.
The city’s future bike share program got the green light to roll into neighborhoods near you.
The Board of Alders gave that unanimous approval at its meeting at City Hall Tuesday.
It authorized a contract for New Haven Smart Mobility LLC to operate the program, which will make bikes available at stations through the city for paid members.
Smart Mobility, which already operates successful bike share programs in Hoboken, N.J., West Palm Beach, Fla., and New Rochelle, N.Y., will be responsible for establishing a 30 station, 300 bike system for New Haven. After negotiating with alders, the contract with Smart Mobility went from 10 years to five years, with the possibility for two, five-year renewals with an approval from the board.
The contract also guarantees that the first phase of the roll-out of the program will put bike stands at or near Lincoln-Bassett School, Roberto Clemente School, Columbus School, and Hillhouse High School said Morris Cove Alder Sal DeCola, who serves as the City Services and Environmental Policy Committee.
Sal DeCola.
A member of the Board of Alders, designated by the board president, also will participate in the development of the bike share implementation plan. DeCola commended the city’s Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking, Corporation Counsel, Smart Mobility and local bike activists for helping improve the ultimate contract.
East Rock Alder Anna Festa extended her gratitude to all the involved parties for working together to develop an inclusive contract that would put bike share stations beyond downtown.
City Transit Director Doug Hauslden said having alders give final passage to the allow the city to sign a contract with Smart Mobility was a “very large project milestone for New Haven bike share.”
Markeshia Ricks Photo
TTP’s Mike Pinto and Doug Hausladen with Smart Mobility’s Carlos Pujols Tuesday night.
Hauslden said crossing this threshold means that Smart Mobility has the ability to now start hiring local. He said that within the next 48 to 72 hours a job description posting for a program manager will likely go up. One place that Smart Mobility will be looking for possible help to fill that and other positions that might develop because of the new bike share program is through New Haven Works, a job-placement program set up through the city major employers like Yale.
“That person will be someone who can go into our communities, and know New Haven well enough to really speak from their heart,” Hausladen said of the future program manager. “They also will have to be engaging enough and skilled enough to plan and operate a 300 bike system.”
The city and Smart Mobility also will be looking for property owners, companies, and foundations who want to sponsor the system. Smart Mobility will be operating the bike share with no money from the city. It will have to raise money to sustain itself through rental fees, memberships, sponsorships, and advertising. Hausladen said that could take the form of a number of small sponsorships, but it would a larger sponsor — one might cover the whole thing at about $400,000 a year, or even $800,000 for two years, would be ideal.
Speaking Of Rolling …
Aaron Greenberg rolls into the alder chambers.
A slightly weakened Wooster Square Alder Aaron Greenberg rolled into Tuesday’s meeting to perform his aldermanic duties, and his colleagues made sure to show him and his cause some love. Greenberg, a member of Local 33, is one of eight teaching fellows at Yale University who has embarked on a hunger strike until university officials meet to negotiate a union contract. The strike is in its seventh day.
Hill Alder Evelyn Rodriguez led the wave of support by rising to say that she supported Greenberg and his fellow strikers and that she hoped “that their meeting will happen soon, and that their meeting will be productive for the university, for the students and the entire city.”
“I also rise in support of Local 33 and my colleague Aaron Greenberg as well as everyone who has taken a stand,” Edgewood Alder Evette Hamilton said. “We support you, Aaron. Stay strong, though we know it is not easy. We love you. We care about you and we’ll be here until the end.”
Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn said that her church and others were praying for Greenberg and his comrades. “We’re going to be praying with you until they come to the table and negotiate,” she said. “We love you.”
Fair Haven Alder Ken Reveiz called the commitment and the sacrifice of the strikers, “incredible to witness.”
Greenberg, speaking slowly, said that it was moving to have the support of his colleagues, with whom he has worked for years and for whom he has much respect.
“They are leaders in the community and on the board,” he said. “They are supporting me and my colleagues in Local 33 as we do a very difficult thing that is getting more difficult by the day. We aren’t eating, but we are very committed and we are really sustained by this kind of support.”