Hubway—Boston’s regional, bike-based, public transportation system—will add over 70 bike share stations in neighborhoods across the city by next summer. The expansion, managed by the Boston Transportation Department, will be guided by residents’ input, some of it through a series of meetings that begin with one today in Grove Hall.

“The Hubway bike share system is a healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation,” said BTD Commissioner Gina N. Fiandaca in a statement. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to expand the existing service and provide more people with the chance to take advantage of public bike share in Boston’s neighborhoods.”

Hubway currently operates 180 stations that offer 1,600 bikes to over 15,000 members in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.

“Since the launch of Hubway in 2011, the City of Boston has gradually expanded the bike share system,” said Tracey C. Ganiatsos, Public Information Manager for BTD. “An Early Action Goal of the Go Boston 2030 plan is to ensure that all households are within a 10 minute walk of a bike share station. The upcoming expansion is the first major step toward reaching that goal.”

Before a new station is installed, Hubway considers both user and community needs. All stations are solar-powered and must be located in areas that receive ample sunlight. Stations are strategically placed to minimize conflicts with pedestrians, bikers, and drivers, and cannot block utility access points like fire hydrants, sewer grates, and manholes.

A standard Hubway station consists of 19 bike docks, a kiosk for rental transactions, a solar panel, and a map panel. Installations, carried out via crane, usually take about two hours. Stations are not fixed to the ground, but rather, are held in place by their own weight.

BTD announced the latest expansion of Hubway last June. Over the last several months, hundreds of Boston residents have made suggestions for new bike station locations through an interactive map on Hubway’s website. Visitors can view the whereabouts of current bike stations, suggest new locations, and share their thoughts on existing recommendations. BTD will consider suggestions made on the website when selecting new bike share sites.

“I would love to see stations along the Neponset River Trail,” said Lynn Holmgren, a Hubway user and Dorchester resident. “Ideally, one could get to these stations from other stations near T stations like Fields Corner and Ashmont.”

Holmgren explained that she would use Hubway more if there was a bike station closer to her home.

“Right now it is a one-mile walk to the nearest station in Dorchester,” Holmgren said. “I know that many of my neighbors in Dorchester do not use Hubway right now because stations are few and far apart.”

Throughout the fall, BTD officials will combine online suggestions with feedback they receive at community planning workshops. Dorchester’s first workshop will be held on Thursday, September 14 at 6 p.m. at the Grove Hall Library. Additional Dorchester workshops will be held on Monday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Adams Branch Library; Saturday, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Codman Square Branch Library; and Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Upham’s Corner Health Center.

“[W]e will [also] include installations in Mattapan as well as [in] the nearby neighborhoods of Dorchester and Roslindale,” Ganiatsos said. “We will also be adding many new stations to the existing service area to improve access and service reliability.”

The first Mattapan-based workshop will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. at the BCYF Mattahunt Community Center. The second will be on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Mildred Avenue K-8 School.

The upcoming expansion is not the only update Hubway introduced in 2017. Over the summer, Hubway launched a mobile app that allows riders to locate nearby stations, purchase passes, and unlock bikes. The app lists all station locations and provides real-time dock and bike availability information.

Holmgren and her neighbors believe that Hubway’s services would be used further if the program also offered bikes for children.

“I think a lot of parents who have never seen biking as an option for them and their kids might be encouraged to try it out if they had access to an affordable system of bikes that they didn’t need to provide storage space or maintenance for,” she said.

Upon the conclusion of the community planning workshops, BTD will synthesize location suggestions and release maps that feature potential station spots. In February of 2018, BTD will host open house events regarding proposed station sites, and hopes to install new stations by the summer of 2018.

“The demand for it is here and hopefully better street infrastructure will follow,” Holmgren said. “It’s also important for Hubway to continue to offer subsidized memberships, easy access to helmets, and partner for outreach and programming in the neighborhoods to show people how fun it can be to go by bike!”

Bernadette Darcy can be reached at bdarcy@dotnews.com, or follow her on Twitter at @BernadetteDarcy