Lancaster City offers relative level terrain. Those who use Amtrak witness young and early middle age visitors traveling with folding bicycles. Cycling throughout Lancaster City and County is a splendid way to spend a day or a vacation.
So why isn’t there bike sharing facilities at the station and near the Center Square?
Bike sharing is popular in Washington D. C. and New York City and coming to Philadelphia. It makes even more sense for Lancaster.
Oops. We forgot that Rick Gray is probably off someplace lecturing about his trolly care scheme. And Randy Patterson is searching for roof tops and parking lots to put on a benighted show of dealing with the storm water surges at the sewer plant. Redevelopment of Lancaster Square East? They don’t even want to talks about it.
How would bike sharing be funded? Beyond the initial investment, organization and maintenance costs could be substantial. Grants have dried up for the most part, as have donations by businesses.
Like with so many other outstanding ideas, the stumbling block for bike sharing is money.
EDITOR: Before funds can be solicited from investors or philanthropists, first there has to be a proposal. Otherwise we wallow in defeatism and continue to re-elect incompetents.
Note there seems to be plenty of money available for downtown hotel development and bowling allies in the white elephant of the Bulova Building.