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E-Bike Libraries Advance Mobility Options that Incorporate Equity and Climate Goals in Denver, Colorado

File Language:
English


Details

  • Corporate Creators:
    United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Publication/ Report Number:
    FHWA-HEP-24-032
  • Resource Type:
    Brief
  • Right Statement:
    Public Domain
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States;Colorado;Denver (Colorado)
  • Corporate Publisher:
    United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
  • Abstract:
    The City of Denver is funding shared e-bike systems in neighborhoods with limited and unreliable transit access to advance its climate and equity goals. Voters created a local $40 million per year Climate Protection Fund (CPF) financed by a .25 percent local sales tax to fund climate initiatives, including a shared e-bike library in northeast Denver. The library lends e-bikes at no cost to low-income residents of two Latino neighborhoods, Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, providing a reliable, low-emission transportation option. Globeville and Elyria-Swansea residents have limited access to safe transportation and transit options. Since 2013, there have been four people killed in traffic incidents while biking or walking in the area and 22 more injured, though none were e-bike library users.1 The historically industrial area is divided by a segment of I-70. A public park was created in December 2022 over a portion of the highway. This shared e-bike program also advances climate goals. Colorado has set a target of reducing emissions 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030, and Denver has a goal of reducing emissions 40 percent from 2019 levels by 2025 and 65 percent by 2030. To achieve this goal, the city must address the transportation sector, which is the largest source of air pollution in Denver and the second largest source of greenhouse gases. E-bike incentives are more cost-effective per dollar spent at reducing emissions than electric vehicle incentives, making them an attractive and efficient climate policy.2 E-bikes also increase physical activity, improve physical and mental health, and encourage more trips outside of single occupancy vehicles. Denver already runs a popular e-bike purchase rebate program for residents. The limited number of vouchers for $300 off the cost of an e-bike and $500 off the cost of an e-cargo bike regularly run out within minutes of their release every month. Increasing private ownership of e-bikes is not the only way to increase e-bike trips. This case study examines shared use e-bikes as a method of addressing both sustainability and transportation equity priorities.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:e278ec9a8be163ae64796b39c3a8085e1d73b2b5e9e030fca77b549ba0046ab7fa87aebe72bbaa65b299a572cd43ee4328a458288fc4a7501232cfcd5b7440d0
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 457.77 KB ]
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