The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city of Los Angeles plan to launch Metro’s innovative bike sharing system in Venice on Thursday, September 7, bringing the distinctive, easy-to-ride bikes to one of the most popular beachfront destinations in Southern California.
Metro’s vendor Bicycle Transit Systems, Inc. will install 15 stations with 165 Metro Bikes throughout Venice. Destinations accessible via Venice bike share will include the Venice Beach Boardwalk, the Abbot Kinney shopping district, Muscle Beach, Rose Avenue, Downtown Santa Monica Expo Line Station, the 17th Street/SMC Expo Line Station and the Marvin Braude Bike Trail along the beach, among others.
“There’s no better way to explore L.A.’s beaches than by bike — and now, we’re making it easier than ever to discover Venice on two wheels,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, chair of the Metro Board. “Metro Bike Share has brought easy bicycle access to neighborhoods across our region, and I am proud that this program continues to thrive and expand.”
This will be the third launch of Metro’s Bike Share system this summer. Metro and BTS opened bike sharing in Pasadena on July 14 and at Port of Los Angeles on July 31. Together, the region’s three bike share expansions will result in approximately 1,400 bicycles at up to 125 stations.
Metro worked closely with the city of Los Angeles to strategically place bike share stations at major destinations of most benefit to people living, working and playing in the Venice area.
Metro is studying the feasibility of future bike share expansion to more than 20 other parts of the county, including Hollywood, North Hollywood, MacArthur Park, Koreatown, the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights, Burbank, Glendale, Culver City, Palms and others. Metro seeks to create a regionwide system of more than 4,000 bicycles pending ongoing Metro Board approval.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome Metro Bike Share to the Westside, and can't wait to see my constituents in Venice using this convenient and increasingly popular service that will expand our network of mobility options, as it has downtown,” said Mike Bonin, who serves as both a Metro board member and chair of the Los Angeles City Council's Transportation Committee. “Bike share gives people yet another alternative to their cars, which in turn will help relieve traffic in our neighborhoods. On the Westside, it will give Metro commuters an on-demand, clean-air option for traveling to and from Expo Line stops, several bus lines and countless places to eat, shop and play.”
Prospective bike share users in Venice can now buy a monthly or annual pass for Metro Bikes by registering online. A single pre-registered Metro TAP fare card can serve as the key to both Metro Bus and Rail lines and the Metro Bike Share system, making it the most integrated with transit than any other system in the United States.
“Bike sharing is an increasingly important first-mile, last-mile strategy that enables Metro to facilitate bicycle and transit connections in Los Angeles County,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “We are making great progress on our goal to create new mobility options that meet more of our customers’ needs as we continue expanding our region’s world-class public transportation system.”
