Biki surpasses monthly milestone, plans to expand

As it marked a milestone in October, Honolulu’s bikeshare operator, Biki, also announced it would be expanding by about 30 more stations and 300 more bikes by the end of the year, thanks to federal funding.

In October, Bikeshare Hawaii, the nonprofit manager of Biki, said it logged a record number of rides, surpassing the 100,000 mark in a single month, hitting 100,954 for the first time. It was a 62 percent jump compared with the same time last year, with two-thirds of the rides taken by members.

“We are very pleased with the record number of rides taken in October, especially compared to the numbers from last year,” said Bikeshare Hawaii Executive Director Todd Boulanger in a news release. “This progress demonstrates that both Honolulu residents and visitors are seeing the benefits of Biki and that it’s a viable transportation option for short trips around town. As reported in our member survey earlier this year, 50 percent reported that they drive and carpool less often since becoming a member, thus helping to ease the pressure on the city’s parking and street resources.”

With funds from the federal Transportation Alternative Program, Bikeshare Hawaii said it would be adding about 30 stations and 300 more bikes in neighborhoods including Iwilei, Makiki and Waikiki. New Biki stops will be added at Dole Cannery in Iwilei, six on the UH-Manoa campus, by the Safeway on South Beretania Street and by the newly renovated Queen Kapiolani Hotel in Waikiki.

Approximately a third of the new Biki Stops will be added to existing ones in the urban core, according to Bikeshare Hawaii. New stations on Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee, Kamoku and Hihiwai streets were added in response to requests to increase station density in neighborhoods where Biki already exists.

Bikeshare Hawaii said it shared the proposed locations for the 2018 expansion in late 2017 and that the sites had been selected, revised and vetted since then based on community feedback.

“We are very encouraged both by a successful first year of service and record-breaking rides since then, and look forward to servicing more residents and visitors with these expanded sites,” said Boulanger.

Bikeshare Hawaii launched Biki in June 2017, offering about 1,000 rental bikes at 100 stations from downtown Honolulu to Diamond Head, with funding and support from the city, state and public institutions including the Ulupono Initiative and Hawaii Pacific Health.