Harvard To Sponsor Five Stations in Boston Bike-Sharing Program

Harvard announced that it will sponsor five bike stations in Allston and Longwood as part of Boston’s “Hubway” bike sharing program, which officials said will launch this summer.

Hubway, unveiled last week by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, will allow users to rent bikes at 61 stations scattered around the Boston metropolitan area.

Riders must first sign up for memberships on kiosk touch screens, and prices will likely range from about $5 per day to $85 a year. Trips shorter than 30 minutes are expected to be free.

Harvard’s support of Hubway is the latest example of the University’s encouragement of biking in the area.

In 2009, Harvard and Boston collaborated on the completion of bike lanes on North Harvard Street. The University worked with the city last year to stripe bike lanes and install a cycle track on Western Avenue in Allston.

Cambridge also recently installed three free bike maintenance stands around the city.

Planning for Hubway began in 2008 and is a collaborative project between the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the Federal Transit Administration, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

“Over the past four years we have taken great strides toward making Boston a city that welcomes and encourages bicycling, but this innovative bike share system may be the most significant step yet,” Menino said in a press release.

“It’s a completely new part of our transportation network, giving people a green and healthy way to get around,” said Marc Draisen, the executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, in the press release.

Hubway currently has 11 sponsors, including Harvard, Northeastern, Children’s Hospital Boston, and New Balance.

Cambridge officials said the city is hoping to join the regional bike sharing program this fall or early next year. Harvard has also agreed to sponsor four bike share stations in Cambridge when the program expands.