Hubway, the popular bike sharing program based in Boston, has made its way across the Charles River in its first expansion beyond Boston’s borders. Hubway stations have already opened in a number of locations in Cambridge and Somerville, and the two cities celebrated the expansion of Hubway with ribbon-cutting events this morning, including a celebratory ride from Somerville City Hall to Central Square.

Hubway has grown rapidly since its opening last year and has already seen more than 250,000 trips taken on its bicycles, putting it far ahead of the pace of growth for similar bike share programs in other major cities. A $3 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration helped Hubway get off the ground and has allowed the program to grow. By making safe, regularly-maintained bicycles more readily available to commuters, Hubway has introduced a new, affordable public transit option that has helped to fill some of the gaps in our traditional public transportation system (such as the ride from Somerville City Hall to Central Square). Now that there are more than 1,000 Hubway bicycles in circulation, many people in Somerville and Cambridge have a new, healthy option to help them get around and stay active.

Of course, for bicycles to be a safe and healthy mode of transportation, a helmet is required. Hubway has compiled a list of many places in Boston where you can get a bike helmet for as little as $8. An organization called H.E.L.L. (Helping Everyone Live Longer) gives out free helmets to to bicyclists in the Boston area who are in need of one. To request a helmet, visit their website.