Editorial: City of Fort Pierce takes a step into the future with installation of bicycle stations downtown

The city of Fort Pierce may be taking a trip into the future by taking a trip into the past.

Returning to a time when more bicycles not to mention more horses than automobiles were used for transportation in the downtown area, the city is encouraging more bicycle use by creating facilities to store and repair bikes.

And, in a high-tech innovation, the stations also will be solar-powered so riders can monitor their riding.

Earlier this month, city commissioners approved the expenditure of $20,500 from more than $225,000 in available transportation impact fees to finance the bicycle stations. Efforts to secure a $10,000 grant for the project fell through.

The city will install bike racks, long-term storage lockers, repair stations with tools and tire pumps, mobility trackers and covered parking in the City Hall parking garage and along the downtown waterfront. Facilities will be placed at the three entrances to the parking garage and to the west and south of the marina building and along a fence adjoining marina slips.

The free facilities will include solar-powered monitoring stations where bicyclists can scan registered radio-frequency identification tags attached to their bicycle wheels. Bicyclists can get the tags from the city's Planning Department and log on to a website to view their travel statistics, including distance traveled, calories burned, pounds of carbon dioxide emissions reduced and gallons of gas saved.

Earlier this year, the city installed a similar facility at the Police Athletic League Park on 21st Street.

By encouraging bicycle traffic, city officials hope to reduce the automobile traffic and parking problems in the downtown area on Saturday mornings during the weekly downtown farmers market.

The new bicycle facilities also are expected to complement the city's transportation alternatives in conjunction with a potential Amtrak passenger station proposed in the downtown area.

With the move to more bicycle traffic, a remaining issue will be assuring those who bicycle to and from the facilities that they can do so safely. That's an issue that will have to be carefully monitored if the new additions to downtown are to be successful.

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Editorial: City of Fort Pierce takes a step into the future with installation of bicycle stations downtown