Seattle Children’s invests in Puget Sound Bike Share

Image

Seattle Children’s Hospital today became the first major Seattle-area employer to invest in Puget Sound Bike Share with a $500,000 grant.

Image

Puget Sound Bike Share is a nonprofit working with the support of local government agencies to bring a bike-sharing system to the Seattle area. The first phase of the program, scheduled to launch in spring 2014, will include 50 bike-share stations and 500 bikes near Seattle’s most popular urban destinations.

The Seattle Children's grant will provide the program with adult helmets at future bike-share stations in the Seattle area. As part of the partnership, Children’s employees will receive memberships to the bike-sharing program, and Puget Sound Bike Share will operate two bike-share stations on Seattle Children’s main campus.

“We are dedicated to supporting a healthy workforce and helping our employees find commute alternatives,” said Lisa Brandenburg, president of Seattle Children’s Hospital, in a statement. “Less than 40 percent of our employees drive to work alone. Bike sharing will be another great option our employees can use to get around the city.”

The grant is part of Seattle Children’s overall commitment to providing sustainable alternate commute options for the Puget Sound region. As part of the hospital’s 20-year master plan, Seattle Children’s has already committed nearly $4 million for neighborhood transportation improvements, including a cycle track along Sand Point Way NE and a new connection between the Burke-Gilman Trail and Sand Point Way NE.

“Bike share will be a success in King County because of generous and visionary community partners like Seattle Children’s Hospital,” said Holly Houser, executive director of Puget Sound Bike Share.

In addition to the Seattle Children's grant,  Puget Sound Bike Share has received $1.75 million in state and federal grants to date.

“Seattle’s bike-share network will help provide a new option for people to get around, supporting health, safety and vibrant communities,” said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn in a press release. “This program is a partnership with the private sector, and we hope other institutions in our community will step forward to match Seattle Children’s investment.”

Send a thank you to Seattle Children’s, Mayor McGinn, and Councilmember Rasmussen >>

Cascade is excited by the potential for Puget Sound Bike Share to open the city to bicycling to whole new set of people. Puget Sound Bike Share, scheduled for rollout in spring 2014, will initially provide 500 bikes at 50 kiosks throughout the city for people to use on a short term basis.

For more information, visit the Puget Sound Bike Share website and our previous Puget Sound Bike Share coverage.

Share this post