Free Bikes for Low-Income Residents ($150,000)

Location: Citywide for three years.

Cost: $150,000

Committee: Transportation, Streets, and Sidewalks

Short Description: Expand the bike voucher program to allow more Cambridge residents to access a dependable and eco-friendly form of transit. This program provides vouchers to residents to purchase pedal bikes, e-bikes, cargo bikes, or adaptive bikes. 

Long Description: This project will help offset the cost of buying a new pedal bike, e-bike, e-cargo bike or adaptive bike. Access to bike ownership can decrease the use of carbon-emitting transportation, increase mobility, and provide transportation independence. The City will partner with a local non-profit to administer the program, using appropriate and specific income eligibility guidelines.

Residents who received vouchers through the current program say that having a bike or e-bike has greatly improved their personal and family mobility, reduced the cost of transportation, and improved wellbeing. This is especially true for residents with a disability. Creating a modified extension of this program would help more residents take advantage of the program.

The City will partner with a local non-profit to administer the program, using appropriate and specific income eligibility guidelines. 

A recipient of an e-bike in the previous bike voucher program.