New ValleyBike Share station opens at Prospect Place in Northampton

The city of Northampton hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 31 to celebrate the launch of a new ValleyBike Share station outside of the Prospect Place apartments.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis

NORTHAMPTON — A new ValleyBike Share station officially launched outside of the Prospect Place apartments on March 31.

The new station, which was celebrated with a ribbon cutting, is part of a $1.5 million state grant awarded to Northampton for continued upgrades and renovations to the ValleyBike Share system.

The project expands the city’s sustainable transit network to provide more accessible, eco-friendly transportation options.

The new share station is located at the Prospect Place apartments on Bridge Road, a new 60-unit, energy-efficient, affordable housing development that opened last fall. The site, which was formerly a nursing home, was developed by Valley Community Development and HMR Properties.

“This station here at Prospect Place is our 20th station here in Northampton. This is our first expansion since pre-pandemic,” said Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra. “This support from both Mass CEC and Valley CDC really exemplifies the extensive, interconnected partnerships that a municipality needs to build and support sustainable, affordable housing.”

Joining Sciarra for the ribbon-cutting were members of Valley CDC, Mass CEC, Northampton Planning and Sustainability Director Carolyn Misch, Community Development Planner Keith Benoit, Ward 1 City Councilor Gwen Nabad and members of the public.

A bus station is also located next to the new station, reinforcing the community connections effort by the city, which aims to offer different transportation options in the community.

Northampton’s Office of Planning and Sustainability is in charge of overseeing the ValleyBike Share system for the entire region, which means they hold the contract for Drop Mobility, the group that runs the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the bikes, which serve 10 communities in the region. The recent $1.5 million state award is supporting the regional ValleyBike electric bike share system, helping to expand operations, modernize fleets and replace bike docks.

The program has played a key role in connecting residents to transit hubs, jobs, housing and other essential destinations throughout the Pioneer Valley, according to the local leaders who attended the ribbon cutting.

“Transportation is actually a really big component of a residence project. This provides choice of mobility [for Prospect Place residents] throughout the interconnected network of the Pioneer Valley, in tandem with the bus station here,” explained Valley CDC Real Estate Project Manager Bill Womeldorf. “So, providing a choice where you don’t need to actually own a vehicle here to be plugged into amenities and services nearby. We’re really thankful for ValleyBike for the collaboration here at Prospect Place.”

The new bikes are E-assisted — for smoother rides — and lighter than the previous models, according to local leaders. Most notably, the new bikes include a swappable battery system that does not need to charge at a docking station. Sciarra said the city wants to swap the fleet with these new models.

Misch noted that the new station is conveniently located within a quarter mile of the city’s shared use path that connects downtown Northampton, Florence Center and Amherst.

After downloading the ValleyBike app, users can pay as they go. It is $0.25 a minute or $25 a month. ValleyBike also offers subsidized equity membership for those who qualify. To learn more about the subscription offers, as well as how to register, visit www.valleybike.org.

ValleyBike Operations Manager Edgar Cancel broke down some of the new fleet’s features. He explained that the bikes are tethered to anything if a station rack is filled. The GPS trackers in the bikes and the swappable battery system make it easier to swap out dying batteries for fresh ones.

Cancel said that it is exciting for him, both in this role and as someone who grew up in the community, to see this effort in the name of equity.

“I grew up here in Northampton, and to see things like this in the community, especially for folks who don’t have as much access as some of us do. It’s a great way to bring equity to our community,” said Cancel. “It’s really exciting to see the program grow, and all of the support that people like you give us to keep us going. Thank you, because of all of you, I have a job that I love.”