2 consultants respond to Tacoma Bikeshare Planning Study RFP

Two consultants have responded to a Request For Proposals (RFP) issued by the City of Tacoma to complete a bikeshare program planning study.

Bikeshare programs allow people to check out bicycles for short trips around the city. In October of 2014, the City of Seattle partnered with the non-profit organization Pronto Cycle Share to introduce a bikeshare system that includes 500 bikes and 50 stations throughout the city. Similar programs have been launched in at least two-dozen U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C.; Austin, Tex.; Boston, Mass.; Denver, Colo.; and New York City.

The City of Tacoma’s 2010 Mobility Master Plan — which is designed to develop a comprehensive network of bikeways and pedestrian walkways citywide — includes a bikeshare program that aims to enhance the city’s transportation network and make cycling a more viable option for all.

The City issued the RFP earlier this month (see “City issues RFP for Tacoma Bikeshare Planning Study,” Tacoma Daily Index, Sept. 14, 2015), and published a legal notice in the Tacoma Daily Index announcing the call (see “City of Tacoma Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability REQUEST,” Tacoma Daily Index, Sept. 10, 2015). The RFP noted the City was looking for consultants with experience helping to create bikeshare plans in other cities. The City has budgeted $60,000 for the study.

The deadline for consultants respond to the RFP expired on Tues., Sept. 29. According to information posted on the City’s Web site, the following consultants responded to the RFP: Toole Design Group (Seattle, Wash.) and Alta Planning & Design (Seattle, Wash.).

To read the Tacoma Daily Index’s complete and comprehensive coverage of the City of Tacoma’s Mobility Master Plan, click on the following links: