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Electric-assist RideKC Bikes coming to North Kansas City

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2023

The City of North Kansas City will soon upgrade the bicycles available and the parking rules for its bike share program. Beginning January 17, 2023, a new fleet of smart electric-assist RideKC Bikes will be replacing the classic pedal bikes. The e-bikes feature electric motors that will give riders a boost when they engage the pedals and solid tires that never go flat.

Formerly, the City of North Kansas City required riders to park and lock RideKC Bikes at designated RideKC Bike hubs. The new rule takes advantage of the e-bikes’ smart “lock-to” technology, allowing users to use the built-in lock to secure bikes at existing RideKC Bike hubs, or any publicly-available bike rack within the RideKC Bike service area, which now includes North Kansas City.

This lock-to technology ensures that bikes are parked responsibly and out of the public right-of-way. RideKC e-bikes feature on-board GPS, which notifies local operating staff when the equipment needs servicing, charging, or is improperly parked.

Pricing, user instructions, and a link to download the RideKC Bike can be found on RideKC Bike’s website: www.ridekcbike.com/ride-with-us/. Locations for all RideKC Bikes and parking hubs are available in the RideKC Bike app.

“North Kansas City is proud to offer electric-assist bikes as a more accessible, equitable and healthier mobility option,” says Bryant DeLong, North Kansas City Mayor. “Electric-assist bikes help advance the priorities of the NKC Bike Master Plan and further positions our city as a leader in micromobility and transit in the region”

“Residents are really looking forward to electric bikes,” says Eric Vaughan, director of bike share with BikeWalkKC. “We are excited to be a part of North Kansas City’s future of connectivity.”

The public and members of the media are invited to an event launching the new fleet of electric-assist RideKC Bikes on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 4 p.m. at North Kansas City City Hall (2010 Howell Street).

About RideKC Bike: Launched in 2012, RideKC Bike is the Kansas City metropolitan area’s community bike share program and is operated by BikeWalkKC and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. The system provides a unique integration of public transit and shared use mobility for residents and visitors. The bike share program is a part of the RideKC regional transit family of mobility services, including bus, MAX, streetcar, paratransit, and bike share services. For more information, please visit www.ridekcbike.com.

CONTACTS:

Eric Vaughan
Director of Bike Share, BikeWalkKC
816-945-9545
eric.vaughan@bikewalkkc.org

Kim Nakahodo
Deputy City Administrator, City of North Kansas City
816-274-6000
knakahodo@nkc.org

Press Release: Kansas City Freight House and RideKC Bike Connect the Crossroads With RideKCBike Hub and Parking for Dozens of Bicycles and Scooters

Kansas City Freight House is partnering with BikeWalkKC and RideKC Bike to provide multi-modal parking and bike share in the Crossroads District. Freight House is sponsoring a RideKC Bike hub, and has installed scooter parking and custom-branded racks for up to 30 bicycles - without removing any car parking.

Research shows that people who walk and bicycle for transportation visit local businesses more often, and spend more money over time, than drivers do. And infrastructure improvements like good sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi-modal parking zones slow car traffic and improve community health and safety for residents, employees, and visitors.

Home to over 2000 residents, plus art studios, small grocers, shops, and restaurants, the Crossroads District is a neighborhood and a destination. In recent years, First Friday events have transformed the area into a car-free plaza for art lovers one evening every month. Kansas City Freight House’s investment in bicycle and scooter parking complements the Crossroads’s emphasis on people-centered spaces and community connection.

“Kansas City Freight House is investing in the future of their business and their neighborhood. RideKC Bike has made working closely with the local business community a priority, and this project is another great example of the community’s ongoing support,” says Eric Vaughan, Director of Bike Share at RideKC Bike.

“This new bike share hub is a prime example of how public/private partnerships can benefit Kansas City,” said Kansas City, Missouri City Manager, Brian Platt. “These are smart investments that leverage and amplify the City's commitment to healthy and sustainable transportation and coordinate with the City’s existing efforts to continue building out the network of protected bicycle facilities, prioritize our Vision Zero initiative, and invest in safe, accessible, multimodal infrastructure.”

“We have been a part of the Crossroads neighborhood for 12 years and couldn't be more excited about the growth we have witnessed and realize there is much more on the way. As new residents and businesses continue to move into the neighborhood we need to refocus our transportation strategies away from a strictly car centric approach and begin to enhance our pedestrian and bike experiences. While the new bike share is a small start we have more projects on the way to improve our connectivity both on site and in the neighborhood. We look forward to a more walkable and bikeable community,” says Nicholas Grünauer, owner of Kansas City Freight House and the Grünauer restaurant.

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About RideKC Bike: RideKC Bike is a partnership of BikeWalkKC, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, and the City of Kansas City, Missouri. The system provides a unique integration of public transit and shared use mobility. Fleets of traditional pedal bikes and electric-assist bikes provide residents and visitors with healthy, sustainable options for getting around the Kansas City metro. BikeWalkKC is the owner/operator of RideKC Bike. Learn more at www.ridekcbike.com.

About Kansas City Freight House: Located in the heart of the cultural Crossroads Arts District, the historic Kansas City Freight House building is home to three restaurants, Jack Stack Barbecue, Lidia’s Kansas City, and Grünauer.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Amy Scrivner
513-919-9613
amy.scrivner@bikewalkkc.org

BikeWalkKC’s Bike Share program to get new look after KCATA Board approves agreement

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) Board of Commissioners approved a one-year agreement with BikeWalkKC for the Kansas City Bike Share system. The agreement will expand the RideKC family of transit options to include RideKC Bike, to be offered alongside existing bus, MAX, streetcar, paratransit, and ride share services.

This unique nonprofit/transit partnership will provide shared transportation services that extend and expand bike sharing in the metro. All existing bike share assets, including the 42 kiosks and 230 pedal bikes, will be rebranded as RideKC Bike. Some existing kiosks will be relocated to locations closer to transit later this spring. The RideKC Bike smart, electric-assist bike system will grow to include 150 new bikes located at hubs around the Kansas City, Mo., area. BikeWalkKC will continue to operate the bike share program.

“We are proud to support the growth of bike share in Kansas City,” said Robbie Makinen, KCATA president and CEO. “Bike sharing will provide important first-and-last mile options for those using transit in the metro, and provide healthy, green transportation options for residents and visitors to Kansas City.”

Both RideKC Bike options (pedal and e-bikes) operate using an app-based system. The e-bikes, powered by Drop Mobility, may be checked out and returned to any designated hub around the city, with per-hour and day rates available. E-bikes feature a “hold” option that allows riders to lock the bike to any bike rack and hold their trip until they are ready to return the bike to a hub and end their trip. Pedal bikes may be checked out from and returned to any of the 42 station-based kiosks (docks), with a range of membership options from hourly to annual. More information is available on the RideKC Bike website: www.ridekcbike.com.

BikeWalkKC and the KCATA have a long history of successful partnerships. Recent efforts include the new combined Bike + Bus pass and BikeWalkKC’s bike share equity project, “Bike Share for All,” which partners with local social service agencies to provide affordable bike share access for underserved communities.

“We are excited to be a part of the RideKC family,” said Eric Rogers, executive director of BikeWalkKC. “This partnership will ensure improved equity, access, and connectivity for transit users, and provide affordable, reliable, and convenient solutions for neighborhoods, communities, and individuals across the city.”

Media Inquiries

Karen Campbell
BikeWalkKC
Director of Communications & Development
(816) 205-7056, ext. 2
karen.campbell@bikewalkkc.org

Petrina Parker
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
Public Information Officer
(816) 346-0391
pparker@kcata.org