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Long Beach Announces Soon-to-Come Bicycle Sharing Program
Bicycle sharing in Montreal | Photo by pdbreen via Flickr
Long Beach continued its challenge to all mayors, including L.A.'s Villaraigosa, around the country in its bid to become the greenest city in America. On Tuesday, the city officially announced a new bicycle sharing program, something that has been talked about for years in Los Angeles, but has not been able to get off the ground, even if for one area like downtown. To launch in the Spring, the program will include 500 bicycles to be found at more than 50 bicycle kiosks in the downtown area, including near hotels for tourists, and around the CSULB campus, according to the Press-Telegram. Additionally, a car sharing program is expected to begin in the Fall of 2011.
Metro gave Long Beach grant funding -- Los Angeles also received some, but plans have not been announced -- so the city could become an "Integrative Mobility Hub," which gives commuters even more options when they park their car or get off a bus or train, playing into the all too important, yet hardly talked about first and last mile concept.
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