Perhaps no civic fixture in Portland will ever be as beloved as those strategically uncomfortable public toilets, but the new bike share is coming close after a mere six months in operation.
The Nike-sponsored Biketown program, which rents 1,000 carrot-colored “smart” cycles for $2.50 a trip, has logged 160,000 journeys since July for a total distance of 312,690 miles. That’s the “equivalent of 49 round-trip rides from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine,” according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Last year also saw 3,000 people sign up for year-long contracts, which cost $12 a month and provide 90 minutes of free riding daily.
