New Bluebikes station added to central campus

The Boston bicycle sharing system Bluebikes added a new bike station outside of Warren Towers last week.

The addition is part of Bluebikes’ expansion that aims to add over 300 stations to Boston and its surrounding municipalities by the end of the year, according to their website.

The Warren Towers station is now one of seven Bluebikes stations located on Boston University’s Charles River campus.

BU spokesperson Colin Riley wrote in an email that the City of Boston reached out to BU about installing the new station.

“Since we have a large community of students, staff and faculty who have Blue Bike memberships we are happy they have added the station,” Riley wrote.

BU offers discounted Bluebikes memberships to all BU students, faculty and staff, Riley wrote. The discounted membership costs $52.50 annually, compared to the $99 standard Bluebikes membership. Through this option, all rides under 45 minutes are also free.

Natalia Alonzo, a freshman in the College of Engineering, said new stations are beneficial in any location, but especially near Warren.

“I think adding more stations in general, no matter where they are, would definitely encourage more people to use them,” Alonzo said. “[Warren] is a good location because it is central to the BU campus and for students it is good to have a station that is in the center of campus for easy accessibility.”

Bailey Rymes, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she is scared to ride bikes in the city but that the new station benefits others who do bike in Boston.

“I think it would incentivize other people who aren’t like me,” Rymes said. “I don’t see myself using a bike, I just don’t see it happening, but I think it would motivate other people because it’s so convenient, it’s right there.”

Rymes also said that knowledge of more stations around campus allows more BU students to easily use the bike system.

“I think that’s one concern in my mind too, I don’t know where a drop off station is,” Rymes said. “Now, if students know that there is one at Warren, more people can use [the bikes] without having to think.”

Blaire Smith, a sophomore in the School of Engineering, said the new station is beneficial to casual bikers.

“A lot of people walk by Warren and if they want to ride bikes with their friends or get somewhere faster they would probably use [the station] now,” Smith said.

Smith also said the station is helpful for students living off campus without their own bikes.

“It would incentivize people who want to ride bikes at BU but don’t have their bikes here and don’t have a means of getting their bike here, like someone who lives further from campus and doesn’t want to buy a bike,” Smith said. “[Bluebikes] would be a cheaper means to use bikes.”