Bublr Rolling Out Hundreds of E-Bikes, 26 New Stations

Bublr Bikes is rolling out a fleet of nearly 350 new electronic bicycles and 26 new stations as part of a strategy to grow the system and its accessibility.

A bike parade of local officials pedaled from Wauwatosa to Milwaukee to highlight the new bicycles.

“The launch of e-bikes in the Bublr system is huge,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson at a press conference held at Uptown Crossing pocket park, 5527 W. North Ave. “If you haven’t had a chance to ride them, I encourage you to do it. We just did. You saw us coming and it’s extremely fun.”

Made by Trek’s BCycle arm, the e-bikes featured a battery that provides additional power when the bike is being pedaled. The system, when powered on, provides automatic support until the bicycle reaches 15 miles per hour.

“For those of us who are not in shape, these are the best bikes that are available,” said area Alderman Michael Murphy to laughter. “Riding up hills is no problem anymore.”

Individuals with a Bublr pass, either a 24-hour, 30-day or annual membership, can use an e-bike for no additional charge. Those paying for a single ride will need to pay an additional $1 fee unlocking fee to use an e-bike in addition to the $0.25 per minute fee.

“We’re getting them out as soon as we can build them,” said Bublr executive director James Davies of the new bikes.

You can tell the e-bikes apart from the existing fleet of more than 700 Bublr bikes because they are painted white. But both bike styles can be docked in the existing stations. Davies said that without the battery assist, the e-bikes are not any more difficult to ride than the existing bikes.

The dock-based system relies on users taking trips from dock to dock instead of parking them wherever one pleases or renting the bikes for extended periods. The density of stations is critical to the usability of the system.

The new stations will fill a gap on the city’s West Side, unifying the network of stations in Milwaukee with those in West Allis and Wauwatosa. In addition, new stations will be added to the south and north. The system has approximately 90 stations currently.

“It’s always been Bublr’s goal to serve the whole city, but everything always takes longer than you want it to take,” said Davies.

The new stations and bicycles are both expected to be available by the end of the year. The nonprofit system began first publicly planning the expansion in 2019 before encountering multiple delays.

The Milwaukee portion of the expansion, which includes 26 stations and approximately 270 e-bikes, is being funded by a $1.9 million federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant. The Common Council approved funding for the 20% local match in 2019.

The Wauwatosa expansion, which includes 75 e-bikes, is being funded by the suburban municipality.

Under the system’s structure, much of the equipment is purchased with federal grants, legally owned by the municipalities and operated by Bublr as a cohesive system. In addition to federal grants, the City of Milwaukee has used tax incremental financing districts to purchase specific stations and bicycles for use with the system.

Shorewood was previously part of the system, but decided against providing operating support, and as a result its stations were relocated to Milwaukee. The other municipalities have all provided financial support to Bublr through various means while it works to achieve sustainability.

Wauwatosa and Milwaukee Cooperation

The symbolic nature of the opening ride, from N. 64th St. in Wauwatosa, across the nearly invisible border at N. 60th St., to N. 56th St. in Milwaukee was not lost on the speakers.

“It is seamless,” said Murphy. “There shouldn’t be any of these artificial borders.”

“Wauwatosa cannot thrive without a strong Milwaukee,” said Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride. “I’ve been telling everybody that for years as an alderman and as a mayor.”

He counts former mayor Tom Barrett as a longtime friend and said he’s pleased to be developing a relationship with Johnson.

“Whatever we can do to make Milwaukee a better place will make Wauwatosa a better place,” said the suburban mayor. “If e-bikes are the symbol of that, well good. I’ll take many more rides.”

McBride might also have more to ride to. Uptown Crossing Business Improvement District Executive Director Tracy Staedter said improvements were coming to the pocket park, including a stage and pop-up vendors. Murphy said the park was a positive outcome after a devastating fire that destroyed the building previously on the site. The alderman said the BID and neighbors had taken a blighted site and made it into something that is attracting other investment in the neighborhood.

Others that joined McBride and Johnson for the ride included Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson, Department of City Development Commissioner Lafayette Crump, Interim Public Works Commissioner and City Engineer Jerrel Kruschke, multi-modal planning manager Michael Amsden, Bublr board chair Therese Cluck Schneider, Bublr board vice president and co-founder Barry Mainwood.

You can learn more about where to find a Bublr bike, how to ride and pricing options on the organization’s website or in the Bcycle smartphone application. You can try a Bublr e-bike for free on May 18 at Indeed Brewing Company as part of the brewery’s Indeed We Can fundraising series that donates a portion of beer sales proceeds to nonprofits.