Montgomery will soon join many other cities in the US to launch a bicycle-sharing program.

Three of 11 self-service bike rental stations were installed in downtown Montgomery this week.

All 11 bike-sharing racks will be installed and 55 bikes will be available for rent by Friday, when the program is officially launched. The bikes will cost 1$ for every 15 minutes of use.

The project was announced in May during Bike Month after the city secured funding for the bike-sharing program. No city tax dollars were used for the program. Private sponsors include Baptist Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and Wind Creek Hospitality.

Bicycle rental locations

• Old Alabama Town on Columbus Street
• Riverwalk Stadium on Coosa Street
• Renaissance Hotel Spa on Tallapoosa Street
• Wright Brothers Park on Maxwell Boulevard
• Rosa Parks Museum and Library on Montgomery Street
• The Intermodal Transit Center on Molton Street
• The Kress Building on Dexter Avenue
• The Alley on Commerce Street
• Montgomery City Hall on Monroe Street
• Morgan Library on High Street
• First White House of the Confederacy on Washington Avenue.

Michael Briddell, city director of public information and external affairs, said Montgomery studied the positive impact of bike-sharing programs in other communities before beginning the initiative. Briddell said the purpose of the project was to provide an additional transportation option to Montgomery residents.

When asked how bike-friendly Montgomery is, Briddell said city departments assess whether it’s financially feasible to add a bike lane when planning road projects. As far as bike lanes go, Hall Street has a bike lane from ASU to High Street. Ray Thorington Road has bike lanes in both directions connecting Park Crossing High School to some of the neighborhoods where students reside.