Alderman Beale Calls for Divvy Bikes on the South Side

Lee Edwards | As of Friday, November 7, 2014

In August 2014, Divvy announced that it would expand its bike network to 175 stations and 1,750 bikes, giving Chicago the most bike share stations and largest service area in North America with a total of 475 stations that cover 87 square miles.
In August 2014, Divvy announced that it would expand its bike network to 175 stations and 1,750 bikes, giving Chicago the most bike share stations and largest service area in North America with a total of 475 stations that cover 87 square miles.

Last week, Ninth Ward Ald., Anthony Beale (9th Ward), asked the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to be more “aggressive” in extending Divvy, the City’s bike sharing program, to the Chicago's far south side, during the Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.

During the discussion, Ald. Beale asked CDOT Commissioner, Rebekah Scheinfeld, why there wasn’t a Divvy presence on the south side beyond 53rd St., adding “we ride bikes on the south side.”

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Ninth Ward Alderman Anthony Beale called for Divvy bikes, Chicago's bike sharing program, to make its way to the far south side of Chicago at Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., on Oct. 29, 2014.

“We’re really pleased with the success of the Divvy program and we are working to expand Divvy. It’s a nice problem to have when you have requests for Divvy stations and we haven’t gotten that far out,” responded Rebekah Scheinfeld, CDOT Commissioner. “ In order for the bike share system to work there has to be a point-to-point system. Next year in the spring, we will be adding 125 stations … that’s progress, we’re heading your way and we expect future expansions to continue to expand those boundaries.”

Within the past three months, Divvy has announced two separate expansions in the Chicagoland area.

In August, Divvy announced that it would expand its bike network to 175 stations and adding 1,750 bikes, giving Chicago the most bike share stations and largest service area in North America with a total of 475 stations that cover 87 square miles. In late September, Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn announced a $3 million state investment in Divvy that would install 700 new bikes and 70 docking stations in Chicago, Evanston, and Oak Park neighborhoods.

In that same timeframe, Divvy has made an effort to reach out to the south side of Chicago but not as far out as Ald. Beale is suggesting.

Divvy representatives met with the South Shore Chamber, Inc. (SSCI) leadership and community stakeholders in February to plot locations where Divvy bike stations would be the most advantageous to the South Shore community.

Ald. Beale, expressed “in no way” was he satisfied with Comm. Scheinfeld’s response at the meeting because from 95th St. to the city’s limits, 138th St., there has yet to be an announcement of a coming Divvy presence.

“I’m telling the commissioner that she needs to find a way to roll out those Divvy bikes to the far south side and tighten it up from the far south side to downtown,” Ald. Beale said.

“Ninety-Fifth Street is the busiest CTA station in the City of Chicago, you have Olive Harvey, Chicago State [University] and you have a host of high schools where the kids would love to get on a bike from 95th street and ride a bike to school if they so choose. We need to give the people all the amenities that they’re giving the rest of the city right now and stop telling us, well, we’re getting to you, you need to get to us instead of saying you’re getting to me.”

During the meeting, Commission Scheinfeld offered to schedule and attend more meetings with constituents on the far south side to hear suggestions concerning the Divvy program.

For more information about Divvy visit http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot.html.

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