Unfortunately Hubway is locked into a very organic growth pattern because of the chicken/egg problem that they have. They can't afford to seed the city right away with 2500 bikes and 200 stations, because they started 3 weeks ago with a ridership of 0 (techincally its 500, but thats not critical mass... no pun intended).
So they need to expand slowly, and it will probably mean concentric growth rings, in uneven fits and spurts growing from the inner downtown area. The fact that Somerville will have bikes in April, and Cambridge and Brookline are on that same timeline if not sooner, will help expand ridership, and hopefully the first growth spurt will take the bikes to the areas where the most people can benefit. I'd personally like to see a station on East Broadway, but that's just me.
East Broadway and L Street, a busy commercial area, would be a logical place for a Hubway station. It's 1.3 miles away from Broadway station, which would be a long walk but a very short bike ride for some folks (and a good alternative to the buses).
Comments
There should be Hubway
There should be Hubway stations at Ashmont and Lower Mills.
And where would those bikes go to?
You have to have other stations nearby for people to bike to, otherwise there's no point.
Eventually it will get there, I hope, but it has to grow from the center.
Unfortunately
Unfortunately Hubway is locked into a very organic growth pattern because of the chicken/egg problem that they have. They can't afford to seed the city right away with 2500 bikes and 200 stations, because they started 3 weeks ago with a ridership of 0 (techincally its 500, but thats not critical mass... no pun intended).
So they need to expand slowly, and it will probably mean concentric growth rings, in uneven fits and spurts growing from the inner downtown area. The fact that Somerville will have bikes in April, and Cambridge and Brookline are on that same timeline if not sooner, will help expand ridership, and hopefully the first growth spurt will take the bikes to the areas where the most people can benefit. I'd personally like to see a station on East Broadway, but that's just me.
"I'd personally like to see a
"I'd personally like to see a station on East Broadway, but that's just me."
Me too!
Take the "T"
Broadway Station is right down the street.
He said *East* Broadway
East Broadway and L Street, a busy commercial area, would be a logical place for a Hubway station. It's 1.3 miles away from Broadway station, which would be a long walk but a very short bike ride for some folks (and a good alternative to the buses).
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