Atlanta’s e-bike vouchers wildly popular
Atlantans are voting with their wheels for micromobility. Or at least that’s the direction in which things are rolling.
Evidence can be found on the Beltline, where people-powered and personal-electric vehicles are crowding alongside pedestrians to create ever-worsening traffic jams. Obviously, more room is needed.
Then, there’s Atlanta’s new e-bike voucher program. In June, on behalf of the city, the Atlanta Regional Commission opened a one-week window to accept applications for the vouchers. Calling the response “enthusiastic” would be an understatement. From the Atlanta Business Chronicle:
A total of 8,888 people applied to the initial vouchers, three-fourths of which will go to individuals earning at or below 80% of the region's area median income. The level of interest equates to roughly 2% of the City of Atlanta’s population, according to ARC.
Consider that only 700 vouchers will be available. Applicants might enjoy better odds if they tried to get into Harvard.
Although similar programs have proven popular in other American cities, the Atlanta version was the brainchild of Councilman Matt Westmoreland. And now ARC – the primary transportation planning agency for the metro area – wants to greatly expand it.
In a city expected to add 100,000 people over the next decade and a region expected to add 700,000, we have no choice but to stop ceding precious space to car lanes, parking lots and automobile-scaled developments. Getting more residents to take more trips by bike and other micromobility vehicles isn’t just a luxury; as the greenest, least expensive and least space-consuming transportation mode, it’s an imperative.
So even before kicking off the Atlanta voucher program, ARC was proposing a voucher program for the entire 21-county region. Eventually, the agency teamed up Clark, Bibb and Chatham counties to apply for a $42 million federal micromobility grant, which could fund some 20,000 vouchers across all four regions.
The voucher approach has another built-in benefit: It could prove to be the most efficient way to improve mobility for residents who can’t afford cars. In the Atlanta program, three-fourths of the vouchers will go to households earning less than 80 percent of the metro area’s median income. The voucher amount for income-eligible residents is also more generous. They can receive a $1,500 rebate for a standard e-bike and $2,000 for a cargo e-bike, while other residents get $500 for a standard e-bike and $1,000 for a cargo e-bike. Budget e-bikes sell for as low $600, but models with decent range, dependability and the power to handle Atlanta hills run $1,500 and up.
— Ken Edelstein