The controversial electric scooter program is not the only way Chicago the city is expanding transportation choices this summer. The city is getting ready to spread Divvy bikes to every ward in the next two years, starting with the Far South Side.
Lyft, the ride-share company
Ahead of the expansion, the city is planning community meetings on the Far South Side this month to demonstrate the new bikes and talk with people about the best place to put stations. The times and dates of the meetings have not yet been set.
“We’re not going to be making arbitrary decisions,” explained Sue Hofer, spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Transportation. “We’re going to community meetings, where people will say, ‘I think it makes more sense in front of the grocery store than in front of the bar.’”
Divvy started on June 28, 2013, with 75 bike-share stations located near CTA and Metra rail stations and other high-traffic spots in the downtown and River North areas. It has since expanded to 594 stations in Chicago, 14 in Evanston and 5,800 bikes, according to the city.
But the program still fails to serve big sections of the city south of 87th Street and on the Northwest and Southwest sides. Neighborhoods currently out of the network include Pullman, Rosedale, Beverly, Belmont Cragin and Edison Park.
Hofer said the city is not currently contemplating pricing changes for the Divvy program. Under its deal with Lyft, all pricing changes are subject to the city’s approval.
Divvy costs $3 for a 30-minute ride, $15 for a 24-hour pass allowing multiple 3-hour rides, and $99 for a full-year membership, which allows unlimited 45-minute rides. The Divvy for Everyone program provides $5 memberships for residents who meet income guidelines.