NEWBURYPORT - Start pedaling.
A local environmental group - with help from city officials and local businesses - has installed downtown's first three bike racks in an effort to cut down on the number of cars in the downtown district and increase the number of bicycles.
The racks on Inn Street are small black structures that blend in well with the downtown landscape and can hold two bicycles each. Liss Campbell, co-founder of Seacoast Energy and Environmental Design Coalition, said the racks cost about $250 each.
"As many as we can put up, we will," Campbell said.
Other spots SEED is eying to put racks include near City Hall, at the bull nose in Market Square, the corner of Liberty and State streets, and the corner of State and Pleasant streets. Campbell said they will also look to install larger bike racks in some parks.
Pierre Avignon, who is leading the bike rack effort and is a lifelong cyclist who is also an instructor for the League of American Bicyclists, said there are plans to install at least seven more throughout the city, as funding becomes available.
"It's awesome," he said. "These are some of the nicest racks I've seen. And the locations have been carefully planned."
Officials hope the racks will encourage people to ride bikes to the city rather than drive their vehicles. There are many benefits, they say, including helping to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases and helping to fix the parking and traffic congestion problems downtown.
Ward 1 Councilor Larry McCavitt said he has been riding bikes for years, including a recent cross-country trip with this wife. He owns a Trek 1200 road bike that he uses to go downtown, pick up small amounts of groceries and other errands.
"We believe in trying to minimize the use of the car," he said. "And it's a good way to get exercise."
The effort to promote bike use comes from several groups.
Campbell and SEED are soliciting local businesses, charity groups and individuals to donate money to the effort. Ann Lagasse, who manages property for Newburyport Waterside Group, gave $1,000 to help fund bike racks in the city.
"We are very supportive of this effort," Lagasse said. "We definitely believe in bicycles as a way of getting people downtown."
On the city side, the Department of Public Works is installing the racks, and the Planning Department is helping with the locations of the racks. Other officials, such as McCavitt, have helped by passing initiatives supporting the bicycle rack project.
Campbell said they are in the midst of the second round of fundraising and have about $2,000 in the coffers for more bike racks.
