East Grand Forks staff recommend $10,000 renewal for Grand Rides bike-share sponsorship

City staff recommended the East Grand Forks City Council renew a $10,000 sponsorship for the Grand Rides bike-share program in 2025, saying the Downtown Development Association (DDA) runs the system and the city has sponsored it for three years.

Mr. King, presenting the request, said the DDA reported “over a thousand rides start and end in East Grand Forks” in 2024 and supplied a GPS-based heat map showing most trips concentrated downtown and a pattern of trips between the University of North Dakota campus and downtown. King said the city previously funded the sponsorship with Altru Partnership funds and that the Altru account currently has “just over a hundred and $51,000,” enough to cover the $10,000 request.

The memo to council noted the DDA added adult tricycles in 2024 and that the bikes are used “for both recreational and daily transportation.” Council Member Dale Helms asked whether ridership increased year-over-year; King said the East Grand Forks–tracked starts and ends showed “about a 60 ride increase” over the prior year. King also described maintenance arrangements: a local bike shop handles daily repairs and a seasonal full inspection; GPS-enabled locks and back-end software (MOBATIC) are used to rebalance bikes and limit abandonment.

Council members voiced support during discussion. Helms said, “I’m for the program,” and Mayor Mark Olstead and others expressed interest in continuing the partnership. The work session record does not show a formal motion or vote on the sponsorship during this meeting.

If the council later places the item on a regular meeting agenda, staff recommended using Altru Partnership funds as a funding source if needed.