HACM and Bublr Bikes Partner to Expand Bike Share into Low-Income Communities

Milwaukee (July 8, 2016) -The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) and Bublr Bikes announced a new partnership to promote equitable use of the bike share system through an innovative outreach effort in two HACM neighborhoods.  The announcement was made during the ceremonial grand opening today of the Bublr Bikes station at the corner of 6^th Street and Reservoir Avenue near the Townhomes at Carver Park.

HACM and Bublr Bikes, along with DreamBikes, were recently awarded a $64,000 grant from the Better Bike Share Partnership to support the work. The agencies will provide assistance, encouragement, and events to promote the use of bike share within and around HACM’s Townhomes at Carver Park and Hillside neighborhoods. Key elements of the program include:

• Hiring of resident bike ambassadors to work with Bublr staff to facilitate neighborhood rides and demonstrate use of the Bublr Bikes system.
• Directly engage residents to encourage bike share use in their daily routine.
• Identifying barriers to residents’ use of the bike share program and strategies for overcoming them.
• Offering a significantly reduced-price Bublr Annual Pass ($8 rather than $80 regular price) and a cash-purchase option to all HACM residents.

“This partnership is a great example of a shared vision for our neighborhoods – and our City – that moves us forward with innovative transportation systems that will benefit all of us now and for future generations to come,” Mayor Barrett said.

“We are thankful to the Better Bike Share Partnership for their support of this effort to extend bike share into neighborhoods challenged by insufficient affordable transportation options,” said Tony Pérez, Secretary-Executive Director of HACM. “Bublr presents our residents with a new transportation option, whether it is to get to and from work, to run errands or for recreation. We are pleased to have this opportunity to partner with Bublr Bikes and DreamBikes to ensure that residents of all incomes can use bike share to connect with the people and activities that are important to them.”

“Bublr Bikes is committed to building a system that is accessible and used by all Milwaukeeans,” said Kevin Hardman, Executive Director of Bublr Bikes. “Our partnership with HACM and DreamBikes is at an exciting beginning of what will be long-term collaboration to build an equitable bike share system.”

In addition to the station located at 6^th Street and Reservoir, Bublr Bikes installed a station last fall at 6^th and Galena Streets in the Hillside Terrace public housing development as part of the partnership with HACM.

“The Department of Public Works congratulates HACM and Bublr Bikes on receiving this generous grant,” said DPW Commissioner Ghassan Korban. “DPW, as a proud committed partner in Bublr Bikes, continues to seek additional funding to help bring more bike share locations to the City, spreading out into our many wonderful neighborhoods with each new station.”

About Bublr Bikes

The Bublr Bikes system is a public-private partnership between the City of Milwaukee and Bublr Bikes, with additional support from many other public and private partners. Since Summer 2014, Bublr Bikes, a Milwaukee-based not-for-profit, has launched 40 bike share stations in Downtown Milwaukee and adjoining neighborhoods including Halyard Park, Brewers Hill, Walker Square, Walker’s Point and others.

In the coming years, the system plans to expand to over 100 stations and 800 Bublr Bikes in the Milwaukee area. Bublr Bikes is actively raising private funds for continued network expansion.

Information on using Bublr Bikes is available at BublrBikes.com. Bublr Bikes is on social media at: http://facebook.com/BublrBikes and https://twitter.com/BublrBikes.

About the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee

HACM has been a national leader in housing and neighborhood development for over 70 years and currently provides high-quality, affordable housing options to over 10,000 Milwaukee families, seniors and disabled adults. HACM works to connect its residents to educational, economic, health and social services to improve their quality of life and to assist them in achieving self-sufficiency. www.hacm.org

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.