Donors step up for Red Bike in Newport

NEWPORT – Residents and businesses in Newport really want Red Bikes rolling throughout their city by summer.

Businesses, residents, developers and economic development organizations have so far raised $120,000 of the $200,000 needed to bring four of the Red Bike bike sharing stations to the city this summer, Newport City Manager Tom Fromme told the Newport City Commission on Monday.

That total grew on Monday when coffee shop owner Peter Newberry pledged to donate $1,000 to the cause. The East Row Historic District neighborhood group has also pledged $5,000.

Red Bike stations cost about $50,000 apiece.

The stations would go on the Purple People Bridge, the Taylor-Southgate Bridge, Phelan Park and Sixth and Washington, Fromme said.

"Adding Red Bike will connect Newport to the rest of Greater Cincinnati urban core," Fromme said. "When Newport gets its stations, you'll be able to ride it from Sixth and Washington all the way to Northside."

Newport, Bellevue and Covington want Red Bikes by the All-Star Game in July at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. The city of Newport will likely have to put in some money for the cause, Fromme said.

"I still think we should be a participant in that and exhibit a leadership role and our support for it, considering our business community has stepped up to the plate quite a lot for it," Fromme said.

Red Bike seems to have the support of residents in Newport. Several attended the meeting urging the city to get the stations up and running as soon as possible.

"I think very much the city should support this," said East Row resident Jeff Richardson. "This is a tremendous thing for the city. And as a resident for the city, it's just as tremendous as for a business owner for the city. This is an incredible thing, and I'll personally do everything I can to make sure we get a location in the East Row, because it's such a tremendous thing as a resident to have.