Hubway May Come to Jamaica Plain in Summer 2013

As the city's bike-sharing program, Hubway, keeps expanding, bike-crazy JP residents have one question.

When are we getting it?

The city's interim director of Boston Bikes, JP resident Kris Carter, says a neighborhood station for the popular service is "on the horizon." He can't make promises, but he said things look promising for JP to get a station in summer 2013.

Carter says the idea of bringing the bike-sharing system to JP is getting strong support from our district city councilor, Matt O'Malley.

Hubway grows from the inside out. That's because the further stations are from each other, the higher the chance there are no bikes available or nowhere to park your returning bike. The ideal distance between stations is a quarter mile. That gets harder to do as population density drops away from the city center.

The system is . By the end of this year, the system hopes to be at 72 stations. JP's turn could come next year as the total expands to 90.

"We're getting closer to JP with each iteration," Carter said.

Right now the closest Hubway stations to JP are Roxbury Crossing and Brigham Circle.

A lot goes in to getting a station, said Carter. One key aspect is sponsorship. The system as a whole is sponsored by New Balance, which gave $600,000 to get the program started. As far as individual stations, universities and hospitals have been the biggest sponsors so far, he said.

It isn't clear what company or agency might be willing to sponsor a JP Hubway station. The return, for the sponsor, includes having your name on the station and on the fenders of 10 bikes.

JP's first station could be Jackson Square, though Carter stressed he can't say for sure.

Carter said the fact that so many JP residents already have their own bikes isn't a deterrent to us getting a station. He's a Hyde Square resident and bike commuter, but supplements his transportation options with Hubway. For instance, if the weather in the morning prevents his usual bike commute along the to , he can take the T. Then if the weather clears and he has a meeting across town, he uses the Hubway.