After lengthy delay, bike share finally opens in Phoenix

PHOENIX — After several months of delay, the city of Phoenix is ready to debut its bike share program.

The program, called GRID Bikes, was expected to open in April this year, but delays and testing pushed that opening back until this week.

On Tuesday morning, Phoenix will join 36 other U.S. cities that have bike share programs. Phoenix Public Information Officer Monica Hernandez said more than 100 bicycles will be available for people to rent.

“Really the whole intent behind this initiative is to make it convenient, fun and at the same time to provide an option to people so that they can move around the city,” she said.

Customers can pick up a bike at any of the 27 stations located around downtown Phoenix, rent a bike to travel wherever they need to go, and return the bike to the nearest station, Hernandez said.

“We’re looking forward to a big opening,” she said.

“This is just the start. Soon thereafter we will continue to expand the system.”

Hernandez said the bike share program is all part of the city’s efforts to create a bike-friendly and simple public transit network across Phoenix.

“This provides an option for people. It provides an option to make that short trip connection from point A to point B,” she said. “It allows people to make that final one-mile connection, if you will.”

The bike share system will be a convenient option for visitors to downtown Phoenix, especially for light-rail riders, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said the program will eventually expand outside of Phoenix’s downtown corridor, and it is even expected to spread into Tempe and Mesa.

Hernandez said there are several different pricing options, from student to day rides, to annual and monthly memberships.

A map of station locations and more information can be found on the program’s website.