Clean Mobility Study

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The City of Kingston has studied the feasibility of a community-centered rentable bicycle system. A bikeshare would offer a safe, affordable, and convenient way for people to get around, especially for those without access to a car. It will help reduce car emissions, support City and State climate goals, and promote healthier, more active lifestyles. By making it easier to take short trips without a car, a bikeshare will improve daily life for residents while contributing to a more sustainable future.

Establishing a bikeshare program stands to greatly improve the quality of life for Kingston residents. The program would provide residents with low-cost transportation, filling gaps left by limited public transit. For the 13% of households without access to a car, bikeshare opens new opportunities to reach jobs, schools, healthcare, recreation, and retail more easily without requiring investment in private e-bike ownership. Furthermore, the Kingston Bikeshare will increase access to active transportation, improving residents’ physical health through exercise and reducing the stress associated with car dependence or unreliable transit.

A rentable bicycle system will also enhance the visitor experience in Kingston while supporting local economic development. Ulster County Tourism estimates that the City welcomes approximately 2.5 million visitors each year, many of whom arrive without cars by boat, train, or bus and face significant challenges traveling between Kingston’s business districts. Even those who drive encounter limited parking, making it difficult to move around the City once they arrive. Local business associations have identified improved connections between the Waterfront, Midtown, and Uptown as critical to stimulating economic growth. A bikeshare system will offer a flexible, affordable active transit option that addresses these gaps, enabling visitors to explore Kingston more easily while bringing new customers to local businesses.

This bikeshare proposal builds on years of planning and reflects Kingston’s commitment to a healthier, more connected city, while also advancing the goals of its 2030 Climate Action Plan. Transportation accounts for 42% of Kingston’s greenhouse gas emissions, and to meet the City’s target of a 50% emissions reduction below 2010 levels by 2030, a shift to cleaner transport is necessary. Establishing a bikeshare system will provide residents and visitors with a practical alternative to short car trips, reducing vehicle miles traveled, cutting emissions, and supporting the city’s transition toward a low-carbon transportation system.

In March 2025, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority awarded funding to the City of Kingston to explore implementing a zero-emission city-wide transportation program for residents and visitors. With robust community engagement, the study will explore clean mobility solutions and determine the ideal program based on the community’s needs.

The City of Kingston was paired with WXY Studio, a multi-disciplinary agency for the built environment focused on creating equitable, vibrant, and healthy buildings, places, neighborhoods, and systems.

This solution advances a decade of planning and infrastructure investments, including the building and development of the Kingston Greenline, the Empire State Trail, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and more. Outreach through surveys, tabling, and a Project Advisory Committee related to this proposed micromobility project showed 81% of respondents support a shared mobility system, confirming strong community demand.

This bikeshare study is the direct outcome of a planning process, which included a range of outreach activities aimed at gathering input from a broad cross-section of the Kingston community. Engagement efforts included an online project page hosted by the City of Kingston, a bilingual (English and Spanish) online survey, tabling at community events such as the Kingston Earth Fair, Midtown Make a Difference Day, the Farmer’s Market, and at the Hannaford Bus Hub, and convening a Project Advisory Committee, which met three times over the course of the project.

Throughout the engagement strategy, several key themes emerged including: supporting existing residents, creating an equitable and accessible system, increasing safety and infrastructure throughout Kingston, supporting the local economy and tourism, and creating connections to existing transit options.

Under Mayor Noble’s administration, the Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 1 (Phase 2 is under design) and the Midtown Linear Park have been created, both of which provide off-street paths and connections for walking and biking. The Kingston Greenline is a network of urban trails, complete streets, improved sidewalks, bike lanes, and linear parks in the City of Kingston.

Use el botón de traducir en la parte superior derecha para español

The City of Kingston has studied the feasibility of a community-centered rentable bicycle system. A bikeshare would offer a safe, affordable, and convenient way for people to get around, especially for those without access to a car. It will help reduce car emissions, support City and State climate goals, and promote healthier, more active lifestyles. By making it easier to take short trips without a car, a bikeshare will improve daily life for residents while contributing to a more sustainable future.

Establishing a bikeshare program stands to greatly improve the quality of life for Kingston residents. The program would provide residents with low-cost transportation, filling gaps left by limited public transit. For the 13% of households without access to a car, bikeshare opens new opportunities to reach jobs, schools, healthcare, recreation, and retail more easily without requiring investment in private e-bike ownership. Furthermore, the Kingston Bikeshare will increase access to active transportation, improving residents’ physical health through exercise and reducing the stress associated with car dependence or unreliable transit.

A rentable bicycle system will also enhance the visitor experience in Kingston while supporting local economic development. Ulster County Tourism estimates that the City welcomes approximately 2.5 million visitors each year, many of whom arrive without cars by boat, train, or bus and face significant challenges traveling between Kingston’s business districts. Even those who drive encounter limited parking, making it difficult to move around the City once they arrive. Local business associations have identified improved connections between the Waterfront, Midtown, and Uptown as critical to stimulating economic growth. A bikeshare system will offer a flexible, affordable active transit option that addresses these gaps, enabling visitors to explore Kingston more easily while bringing new customers to local businesses.

This bikeshare proposal builds on years of planning and reflects Kingston’s commitment to a healthier, more connected city, while also advancing the goals of its 2030 Climate Action Plan. Transportation accounts for 42% of Kingston’s greenhouse gas emissions, and to meet the City’s target of a 50% emissions reduction below 2010 levels by 2030, a shift to cleaner transport is necessary. Establishing a bikeshare system will provide residents and visitors with a practical alternative to short car trips, reducing vehicle miles traveled, cutting emissions, and supporting the city’s transition toward a low-carbon transportation system.

In March 2025, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority awarded funding to the City of Kingston to explore implementing a zero-emission city-wide transportation program for residents and visitors. With robust community engagement, the study will explore clean mobility solutions and determine the ideal program based on the community’s needs.

The City of Kingston was paired with WXY Studio, a multi-disciplinary agency for the built environment focused on creating equitable, vibrant, and healthy buildings, places, neighborhoods, and systems.

This solution advances a decade of planning and infrastructure investments, including the building and development of the Kingston Greenline, the Empire State Trail, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and more. Outreach through surveys, tabling, and a Project Advisory Committee related to this proposed micromobility project showed 81% of respondents support a shared mobility system, confirming strong community demand.

This bikeshare study is the direct outcome of a planning process, which included a range of outreach activities aimed at gathering input from a broad cross-section of the Kingston community. Engagement efforts included an online project page hosted by the City of Kingston, a bilingual (English and Spanish) online survey, tabling at community events such as the Kingston Earth Fair, Midtown Make a Difference Day, the Farmer’s Market, and at the Hannaford Bus Hub, and convening a Project Advisory Committee, which met three times over the course of the project.

Throughout the engagement strategy, several key themes emerged including: supporting existing residents, creating an equitable and accessible system, increasing safety and infrastructure throughout Kingston, supporting the local economy and tourism, and creating connections to existing transit options.

Under Mayor Noble’s administration, the Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 1 (Phase 2 is under design) and the Midtown Linear Park have been created, both of which provide off-street paths and connections for walking and biking. The Kingston Greenline is a network of urban trails, complete streets, improved sidewalks, bike lanes, and linear parks in the City of Kingston.

Page last updated: 01 Oct 2025, 08:05 AM