By Shereen Siewert
City leaders have secured grant and sponsorship dollars to fund two years of a proposed bike share program in the Riverlife area of Wausau.
The program will be operated by Zagster, a bike share company that uses an app-based system for customers to rent cycles. Typical prices in other communities are about $3 per hour or $30 for a full day. The program is expected to launch in either July or August of 2019.
The city received a combination of grant and sponsorship dollars through the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin to fund 10 bikes for the first two years of bike share, and any additional infrastructure needed to support the system.
The 10 bikes will be split into two stations of five bikes each, both of which will be located in the Riverlife area.
The bike share costs $36,000 for the first two years of the program, which includes the cost of the bikes, bike stations, use of the Zagster technology and app, and repair or replacement of bikes as needed. Officials will seek additional sponsorships to continue and expand the program with locations throughout the city.
