Hastings bike-sharing program rolls along with more than 200 rides since June

Riders have taken more than 200 bicycle trips along riverfront trails and to shops and restaurants in downtown Hastings since the Zagster free bike-sharing program kicked off at the end of June.

The average Zagster ride lasts for one hour and 45 minutes, and 32 percent of riders are repeat users, which points to them likely being Hastings residents, said Lee Stoffel, the city's communications coordinator. Through Aug. 3, 164 people had signed up for the program and 106 had gone for at least one ride.

Mayor Paul Hicks called the program a success so far based on the use of the bikes, which are available under the Hwy. 61 bridge in the Second Street parking lot.

"I see people down there taking bikes out of the rack, using them on the trail system and using them downtown," Hicks said. "So the success seems to be telling early that they're popular."

Riders download the Zagster mobile app to create an account and check out one of 10 bikes. Users can ride for free for up to four hours. Each additional hour costs $3.

The Zagster program helps raise awareness of the city's system of nearly 30 miles of bike trails, Hicks said.

"This helps promote what are probably the metro area's most beautiful trails for a suburban community," Hicks said. "We have bike trails that go through some prairie, that go along the Vermillion River and the Mississippi and the beautiful Vermillion Falls. It's great beauty and great exercise as well."

The bikes will be available as long as the weather allows riding to be enjoyable, said Chris Jenkins, the city's parks and recreation director.

"Not knowing what to expect, I believe everyone is happy with the program so far," Jenkins said. "It is still young. We are all excited to see how the summer progresses."

The program has received funding for a 12-month period, so the bikes will return in the spring and early summer, Jenkins said. The partners will evaluate the program and consider whether to keep the bike-sharing free, transition to a fee-based rental program or develop a hybrid of the two approaches.

Allina Health hopes to continue supporting Zagster in Hastings for the next year or two, depending on ridership, community interest and the city's ability to administer the program, said Heather Peterson, director of community health for Allina's east metro region.

"The bike-sharing program is one way we can offer tools and resources for community members of any economic status to be active, have fun together and enjoy being outside," Peterson said, adding that those things all improve the community's health and quality of life.

The Mississippi River Regional Trail, which Dakota County plans to complete by 2017, will enable riders to go from St. Paul to Hastings. Washington County, meanwhile, is working on a trail system that would allow riders to go from Hastings to Prescott, Wis.