Wake Forest welcomes bikeshare LimeBike to town
Bikeshare provider LimeBike started an exclusive two-year contract with the Town of Wake Forest on Monday. Staffers for LimeBike began placing nearly 100 bikes around the area in "popular" locations.
"I think it'll catch on! But I don't know what age group," said Parker Wayne, who works at a hardware store in downtown. "I am concerned about speeding downtown. We have a lot of speeders coming down through here," Wayne said. W
On Tuesday, Wayne noticed a group of kids riding the green bikes in the street and believes the town should have regulation in place to monitor such activity.
The company published a list of 12 popular locations for where riders can rent bikes. They include:
- E. Carroll Joyner Park (Parking lot)
- Downtown Wake Forest (Bus Stop @ White Street Park-n-Ride, Pizza Amore, Wake Forest Town Hall, Lumpy's Ice Cream, Wake Electric bike racks, Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, H.L. Miller Park)
- Gateway Commons
- Smith Creek Greenway
- Flaherty Park
- Tyler Run Park
- Mill Bridge Park
- Sanford Creek Greenway
- Wake Forest Historical Museum
- Bus Stop - Wake Forest Crossing
- Bus Stop - Wake Forest High School
- Ailey Young Park
Shorty's Hot Dogs, which has been around since 1916, may end up seeing a lot of business from LimeBike. "(The bikes) probably help a little bit," said William Wrenn Joyner Jr., whose family owns the restaurant.
It's not uncommon for customers to have to park 1-2 blocks away from the restaurant due to a lack of available parking. "Maybe they might get on it and ride it here," Joyner said. "All in all, it's probably helpful."
A LimeBike rep said Durham has responded well to LimeBike, even with the existence of competitors Ofo and Spin. Therefore, they are predicting business to do well in Wake Forest as their contract guarantees them exclusivity for the next 2 years.
