Pittsburgh city government employees to get free bike-share memberships

Pittsburgh city government employees are now eligible to receive free bike-share memberships.

City Council on Wednesday approved a proposal to offer employees the memberships through Bike Share Pittsburgh’s POGOH, which offers traditional and electric-assist bikes in many —but not all — areas of the city.

Councilman Bobby Wilson, D-North Side, who sponsored the measure, touted it as a way to alleviate transportation problems for workers and reduce vehicular traffic on city streets.

The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure already offers memberships to its employees. About 30 department workers participate, according to Director Kim Lucas. To date, they’ve taken more than 500 trips on the cycles.

Expanding the initiative to all city employees will cost the city about $35,000 annually.

The bike-share memberships will now be offered to all of the city’s approximately 3,000 employees.

Within the next month, POGOH will have 60 stations with 600 bikes in Pittsburgh, but they’re not available in all parts of the city. There are no bike-share stations in the South Hills and West End areas.

Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, voted against the measure Wednesday after saying last week that he could not support an initiative that would not benefit his constituents in the Beechview, Brookline, Bon Air, Overbrook and Carrick neighborhoods.

He said he felt the money could be used for more urgent needs that would benefit all city residents.

All other council members voted in favor of the initiative Wednesday.

Some council members also have suggested a similar measure could be implemented to provide similar incentives for Pittsburgh Regional Transit trips.