City to Expand Bikeshare Program and Offer Free Memberships to Public Housing Residents, Richmond, VA, 2021

The City of Richmond has announced its intention to expand its bikeshare system, RVA Bike Share, and to pilot offering free memberships to residents of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, a public housing authority. Currently, RVA Bike Share has an existing fleet of 220 bicycles and twenty docking stations, largely located along Broad Street in the downtown area and near Virginia Commonwealth University. RVA Bike Share’s expansion will see the program double its fleet with twenty new docking stations across different neighborhoods, making the program more accessible to different populations. Richmond’s Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility is seeking input on the bikeshare expansion through an online survey.

Free and low-cost bikeshare programs can be valuable efforts in addressing transportation equity for low-income populations. Coupling that with an intentional expansion to a broader range of neighborhoods, Richmond can see that its bikeshare program also has more utility. Free memberships for Richmond’s public housing residents can also help to ensure that ridership on RVA Bike increases alongside its expansion.

Last updated June 15, 2021