Next week, Portland, Maine will see the result of a decade-long push for a new way to get around the city.
A bike share program will launch finally launch in the city with what is expected to be 30 bike stations and 200 bikes.
The bikes can be accessed through an app and will be available in both pedal and electric versions.
The pricing will be $1 to unlock a pedal bike then $0.15 for each minute the bike is used. Electric bikes are $2 to unlock and $0.30 per minute to ride. There is also an option to get a $14.99 monthly subscription that eliminates unlock costs and reduces minute-by-minute rates.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
"I think it’s awesome," said Marty Clark, a Portland resident who runs in the city’s hottest weather and cycles when it’s cooler.
"Most people are courteous, runners to the right, bikers pass on the left, we got a good thing here in Portland," he said, explaining that he believed there would be plenty of room for numerous new cyclists.
Jessica Brown, a visitor to the city from Pittsburgh, agreed.
However, based on her experience with bike shares in her area, she believes maintenance and upkeep of the bikes and the stations are critical.
"The one negative is if they’re not well-tended," she explained, adding that if they are neglected "they can become a safety hazard for pedestrians and other bikers."
If that work is done, Brown believes there are all kinds of benefits to bike shares like "taking cars off of streets."
Tandem Mobility and the City of Portland expect the bike share to launch on Monday, August 15.
