12 | City of San Antonio Two years ago, San Antonio created the first modern-day bike share system in Texas which has grown rapidly. Mayor Castro says that additional investments in the City’s 242 miles of bike routes (and more than 100 miles of trails) helped secure Bicycling Magazine’s recognition of San Antonio to its list of Top 50 bike-friendly cities in America. According to Mary Hammer, the bike program not only helps address concerns about alternative transportation, but also health and wellness, another one of the Mayor’s priorities. San Antonio has already built some 30 bicycling stations around the city, and is expected to roll out another dozen by the end of the year. Beyond offering means to get around in a healthy way, the program has helped reduce pollutants arising from automotive exhaust. The program, in conjunction with other alternative transportation initiatives, has reduced miles, which would have otherwise been driven by cars, in excess of 20 million miles. In the realm of alternative transportation, San Antonio has also facilitated opportunities for increased usage of electric cars. This has included a partnership with Hertz which offers residents opportunity to utilize an all-electric vehicle while using the downtown-based program. San Antonio also provides free downtown parking for hybrid and electric vehicles and through the partnership with CPS Energy more than 130 publically accessible electric vehicle charging stations can be found Repairs are made through San Antonio Home Weatherization initiative City of San Antonio | 13 throughout the city. As the project leader for transportation initiatives, Bill Barker provides examples of several developments that further distinguish City sustainability efforts. One case involves a partnership with Austin Energy to create an infrastructure for electric fueling stations along the Interstate 35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio, essentially allowing anyone to have access to pumps for travel purposes. He says the biggest challenge is creating a system that allows for drivers to fuel their vehicle and pay for it through a mechanism that sends the bill to the appropriate energy provider, or have it added to the respective person’s monthly utility bill. Developing the business model is more difficult than installing the electrical pump. Barker points to other initiatives involving fleet operations. The City has made use of 600 cleaner fuel vehicles, including compressed natural gas, propane, electric, and hybrid technologies. A Green Fleet Acquisition Policy requires City fleet purchases to use a total cost of ownership approach including environmental impacts in assessing which vehicles to acquire. In addition the City is also testing all-electric trucks manufactured by Boulder Electric Vehicle. San Antonio will also soon be one of the few cities in America to have an electrical-powered bus for their public transportation system. The reliance on such vehicles helps mitigate what Barker says are key issues of the future: air quality, water quality and water shortage as a result of climate change. Boulder Electric Vehicle DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - SOUTH
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