City Ramps Up PR Campaign For New Bike-Sharing Program
By Chuck Sudo in News on May 28, 2013 2:15PM
Image courtesy Chicago Department of Transportation
The awareness campaign for Divvy, the city's upcoming bike-sharing program, went into high gear over the Memorial Day holiday. Last Friday DNAInfo Chicago reported that Lincoln Park would be among the first neighborhoods to receive Divvy docking stations June 23. Here is a map of the locations. As expected, they'll be situated near CTA train stations, but also near heavy traffic intersections and destination spots like Oz Park and Green City Market. Four of the docking stations will be located along Lincoln Avenue in the hopes that residents who sign up for Divvy will use the street for cycling now that the Lincoln Avenue bus route is gone. Divvy stations are also expected to debut downtown when the program launches next month.
The Sun-Times reports that cyclists interested in signing up for Divvy can do so later this week. Cyclists may buy a $75 annual membership or a $7 daily pass. The annual memberships come with a personalized key allowing riders to unlock a Divvy bike at any docking station in the city. There will be plenty of options, since the city is expected to roll out 4,000 bikes at 400 stations across Chicago by 2014.
Riders who participated in Bike the Drive Sunday got a sneak peek at the three-speed bicycles. But there could be resistance ahead of the rollout. Crain's Chicago Business reports the program's details have been so secretive—another example of Emanuel adminstration "transparency"—that residents don't know what they could protest about the program until after it launches.
"I've heard very little, if anything, except a general awareness" that bike-sharing stations are coming, said Ron Tabaczynski, director of government affairs at the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, which represents downtown landlords. "Once they roll that out, that could be a different story."
The city is also looking for a corporate sponsor for the program, which so far has been funded by a combination of $22 million in federal grants and local funds.
Related:
City's Bike Sharing Program Launching This Summer
Map of docking stations, via DNAinfo:
View 43rd Ward Bike Share Proposed Locations in a larger map