City may wheel out service

Newport Beach is considering partnering with a local foundation to bring to the city a program that would allow users to borrow bicycles from solar-powered kiosks around the city for a small fee.

The program is being championed by the Newport Beach-based Brandenburger Foundation, a organization dedicated to promoting bike sharing programs in coastal cities to help reduce carbon emissions.

“It’s going to allow access to different parts of the city,” said Alan Brandenburger, president of the foundation. “For example, we’d like to see more people in Fashion Island that want to go and visit the Back Bay that doesn’t want to load up a bunch of bikes use this, rather than hoping in your car every time.”

The bike-sharing system Brandenburger wants to bring to Newport Beach, called BIXI, a combination of the words bicycle and taxi, has just been unveiled in Montreal. The Canadian city unveiled its BIXI bike sharing program in May, with 3,000 bikes available at 300 pay stations.

“People in Montreal are really embracing it there. It’s giving them a sense of community pride, a healthier lifestyle and reducing carbon emissions,” Brandenburger said.

The bike sharing program is designed for users to park their cars or use public transportation and then borrow a bike for a short period of time, returning it to another station near their destination.

Users pay a $5 access fee to ride a bike and the first 30 minutes is free.

“It will take cars off the road, reduce traffic problems and also some of the parking issues we have,” Brandenburger said “We’d like to see people use the bike system rather than their automobiles.”

The Brandenburger Foundation has been hosting demonstrations around Newport Beach for the BIXI bike sharing system in the past few weeks to drum up interest.

Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Sharon Wood took a BIXI bike for a spin at a recent demonstration at City Hall a few weeks ago.

“It has potential,” Wood said. “We’re supportive of the demonstrations so we can get a better idea how feasible it is for us.”

How To Help

 Donations can be made to the Brandenburger Foundation for the BIXI bike sharing system at 201 Shipyard Way, Suite 6, Newport Beach, CA 92663

 The Brandenburger Foundation also is looking for volunteers. E-mail Alan Brandenburger for more information at alan@brandenburgerfoundation.org.

 For more information, visit www.brandenburgerfoundation.org.