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Bublr Bikes Expands Program and Lowers Prices for Low-Income Communities

Cory Savage
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Bublr Bikes

Bublr Bikes is expanding its operation to two, low-income Milwaukee neighborhoods, thanks to a $64,000 grant from the Better Bike Share Partnership to Milwaukee's Housing Authority. Bublr Bikes is partnering up with non-profit bike shop DreamBikes and the Housing Authority, and will use the grant to hire ambassadors to increase bike usage and lower the price for locals. 

The group is focusing its effors on two neighborhoods: the Hillside Terrace developments and the Townhomes at Carver Park. Low-income residents will be able to purchase an annual Bublr Bike pass for $8, a 90% decrease from the usual price of $80.

"Providing bikes to people regardless of their economic status is core to what we're doing," says Kevin Hardman, executive director of Bublr Bikes. "We want to create a system that is not just accessible by all Milwaukeeans, but most importantly used by all Milwaukeeans."

But the progress doesn't end with the grants. "There's great potential for this as a model for other housing authorities across the country," explains Paul Williams, from the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. "It's actually one of the intentions of the grant: to develop a best practice we can share with other housing authorities so that equitable bike share is available all across the nation."