Bikestation, a national company that places bicycle centers near public transportation facilities, will open a new station in Claremont on Feb. 24.
In an effort to increase bicycle use, the Bikestation, which will be located near the Claremont Metrolink station, will provide lockers, basic bike repair tools, and a restroom to make cycling more convenient and practical for Claremont residents and tourists.
Claremont’s Bikestation will work in conjunction with Jax Bicycle Center, located across the street from the new station, to offer more extensive bike repair and bike rentals.
The Bikestation facility will charge one dollar for anyone who needs to leave a bike in a safe place over the course of a single day. For a fee of $96 per year or $12 per month, members can leave their bikes in the facility all day and overnight. The Bikestation is also offering a 50 percent discount for the first 50 people to sign up for an annual membership.
Claremont’s housing and redevelopment manager Brian Desatnik said Bikestation encourages the use of public transportation by increasing access to the train or bus stations without the use of cars.
“One of the missing links for getting people to ride [public] transit, and not use their cars is the link between getting to and from the station, especially in areas that aren’t as dense as major cities,” Desatnik said. “Bikestation offers an inexpensive means for people to store their bikes near transit facilities.”
Some trains, such as the Metrolink that runs from Claremont to Los Angeles Union Station, even allow bikes to be brought on board, which makes the Bikestation even more convenient for travelers.
Desatnik also said the new Bikestation is part of Claremont’s recently adopted sustainability plan. The city received a grant of $498,000 from the State of California to help pay for this new plan. The money is being used to pay for the Bikestation and improvements to the city’s “Bike Priority Zone,” which runs from Foothill Boulevard to Arrow Highway.
“I don’t know if this would have all happened if we weren’t successful at getting the grant,” Desatnik said.
There are now nine Bikestations: seven in California, one in Seattle and one in Washington, D.C. Covina, a city 10 miles west of Claremont and on the same Metrolink line, is also set to open a new Bikestation on Feb. 24.
