Dozens of bicycles hit the streets of Broward Wednesday as the county's B-cycle bike sharing program launched.
"You feel, you smell, you hear the noise," said Josh Squire, one of the first to hop on one of the bikes.
That experience is what Broward Commissioner and bicyclist Kristin Jacobs wanted more of her constituents to enjoy. Last year, she and fellow bikers got their chance.
"We had about $311,000 dollars that was leftover as a grant from F-Dot,” Jacobs remembered. "We asked if there might be a way to use it for a bicycle launch program -- a bike-sharing program."
If the funding was not used, it would have been lost. The decision to green light bike sharing in Broward was up to the county commission and they voted yes.
After reviewing several bids, Broward chose to partner with health insurance company Humana and B-cycle, a bike-sharing company with operations in cities around the United States.
Broward is B-cycle’s first county.
Commissioner Jacobs said Broward expects the program will be a hit here in South Florida, because we have a competitive advantage.
"We, by far, have the best weather," she bragged.
Annual membership is $45, $25 for a week, and $5 for a day.
This week, Broward B-cycle is rolling out 250 bikes at 20 stands. In a few years, they plan to add more stands and offer 500 bikes.
