Thursday, June 20, 2013

Explore Chicago with Divvy Bikes!

On June 28th, the City of Chicago is rolling out almost 1,000 new bicycles in the first phase of its Divvy Bike Share Program. Once completed in 2014, Divvy Bikes will be the 2nd largest bike share program in the U.S., consisting of 4,000 bicycles and 400 solar-powered docking stations conveniently located throughout the city. 

The Divvy Bike Share program will complement Chicago’s extensive public transit system, and is intended for “short point-to-point trips.” The program is primarily being funded by federal grants as a means to stimulate economic growth, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality in Chicago. The bike share program is part of a greater bicycling initiative: Chicago Streets Cycling Plan 2020, which calls for “a 645-mile network of biking facilities to be in place by 2020 to provide a bicycle accommodation within half-mile of every Chicagoan.” By providing alternatives means of transportation, Chicago hopes to employ a more effective transportation system and foster a safer, healthier community.

The program name derives from the meaning “divide and share,” reflective of the nature of the bike share program; the program’s logo represents a “sharrow,” or double arrow, that is indicative of a shared road for bicyclists and motorists. The bicycles have adopted the distinct "Chicago Blue" color, which will draw attention to the program and its purpose.

The bicycles will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year, with annual memberships and day long passes available. Annual memberships start at $75 and allow for unlimited access to Divvy bikes. If you’re only staying for a few days, daylong passes are only $7 and give access to unlimited trips up to 30 minutes each for 24 hours. For a detailed map of bike stations, visit the Divvy website, listed below, or click here.

Bringing your own bike? We have a bicycle storage room on the first floor to keep your bikes safe during your stay. Be sure to check out Chicago's Lakefront Trail, spanning almost 20 miles along Lake Michigan!

References:
DivvyBikes.com

CityofChicago.org

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