SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – The City of Syracuse’s new bike-share program will be hitting the streets Tuesday evening.
The fleet of 200 seafoam green e-bicycles is the first of its kind anywhere in the nation. The bikes use an electric motor to assist riders up hills, but can still operate without a charge.
“These bikes are specially designed to function in the winter the tires on the bike, there is no chain these are belt driven bikes so there is no rust. They can handle the elements,” said Community Manager, Paul Colabufo.
The bikes and batteries are GPS monitored and are rated to go 40-miles on a single charge. As they run low, teams with Gotcha SYNC Syracuse will be able to track the bike’s location and switch out the battery for a new one.
Bikes will be located at thirty-five “hubs” across the city. Users simply download the “Gotcha App” and scan a QR code on the bike’s handlebars. Once finished the bikes must be placed back at a “hub” or users will face a fine.
It will cost users two dollars for a one-time ride, each minute of use will cost fifteen cents. A twelve-dollar monthly subscription and year-long subscription for fifty-dollars are also available.
“Syracuse is a fairly small city and most places you can get to if you’re in a car within 10-15 minutes and most of the time it takes the same amount of time using a bike, so people will have other options and in this case a healthier option and we hope people will use it,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.
Riders are advised to use a helmet and follow all traffic and safety rules.
List of SYNC Bike-share Locations:
- 500 East Genesee St. – Genesee & Townsend
- Marriott Syracuse Downtown Garage – Salina & Harrison
- Creekwalk Armory – Fayette & Walton
- Civic Center – Montgomery & Madison
- Fayette & Montgomery
- Fire Station #12 – Wallace & Genesee
- Hanover Square – Water & Salina
- Warren St. – Warren & Onondaga
- Compass Square – Erie & Franklin
- Creekwalk Trailhead – Bear & Van Rensselaer
- Franklin Square – Solar & Plum
- N. Salina St. – Salina & Division
- Samaritan Center – State & Willow
- St. Joes Training Center – Salina & Butternut
- Southside Gateway – South & Onondaga
- Center of Excellence – Almond & Washington
- Marshall St. – University & Marshall
- Leavenworth Park – Wilkinson & Barker
- Skiddy Park – Otisco & Tioga
- WCNY – Wyoming & Fayette
- Gear Factory – Fayette & Geddes
- Salina & Jeerson
- James & Oak
- Lawrinson Dorm/Garage – Stadium Place
- Bird Library – Waverly & Walnut
- South Campus Student Center – Skytop & Chinook
- Wilson Park – Jackson & McBride
- Rose Garden – University & Thornden
- Westcott – Harvard & Westcott
- Westcott & Euclid
- Inner Harbor Court & Creekwalk
- Hawley Green – Gertrude & Lodi
- White Branch Library – Alvord & Butternut
- Southwest Community Center – South & Clover
- Syracuse Stage – Genesee & Irving
If you want to give the bikes a try free of charge, the official launch will happen Tuesday,at 5 p.m. at the “Rock the Block” event at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.
For more local news, follow Rob Hackford on Twitter @Robert_Hackford
