Cincinnati's nonprofit bike share system just expanded its reach with the opening of a new Red Bike station in Lower Price Hill.
The station, located at Hatmaker Street and State Avenue, is Red Bike's 63rd in Cincinnati and "represents the westernmost expansion" of the bike share network, per a release.
“We are so excited to open a station in Lower Price Hill. Neighborhood residents will now just be a short bike ride to downtown Cincinnati across the Eighth Street Viaduct,” said Red Bike Executive Director Jason Barron in a release.
The station is being sponsored by Nehemiah Manufacturing, a Lower Price Hill manufacturing plant with a focus on hiring what it calls "second chance" individuals. On its website, Nehemiah says the company works with local social service agencies like CityLink, St. Vincent de Paul, Jobs Plus and City Gospel Mission to build and support its workforce of employees, many of whom have been formerly incarcerated or are considered "hard-to-hire."
"Being fully integrated in our community has been Nehemiah's formula from the start. We are honored to be part of the Red Bike bike share system and hope this new station provides an added benefit to the streets we call home," said Dan Meyer, CEO of Nehemiah Manufacturing, in the release.
And the nonprofit says Red Bike Go memberships accounted for 19% of all rides in 2021, making its one of the most successful equitable bike share programs in the U.S.
Part of that success is driven by a grant from the Better Bike Share Partnership Red Bike received in 2020. One of five grantees, the two-and-a-half-year, $200,000 grant was bestowed to help grow equitable access via the Red Bike Go program and helped launch the Lower Price Hill station.
“Ensuring that everyone not only has access to Red Bike, but more importantly feels like Red Bike is actively catering to them has been a priority from day one,” Barron said when the grant was announced.
For more information on Red Bike, to find Red Bike stations or to sign up for a membership, visit cincyredbike.org.
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