JCDecaux wants Chicago.
According to an article titled "New option for city bike rental program" in the February 26 Chicago Sun-Times, JCDecaux has offered to renegotiate its 7-year old bus shelter, newspaper box, and kiosk deal with the city to incorporate a bike-sharing component. "The Daley administration is entertaining the offer from JCDecaux after a 'request for proposals' last year attracted only two competitors. Neither JCDecaux nor London-based OYBike met the mayor's mandate to operate a bike rental program 'at low-cost or no-cost' to Chicago taxpayers," the newspaper reports.
"Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, said he hopes the rental fee will be 'similar to Paris, where the first half-hour is free and it's $1.50 for every 30 minutes after that. It can't just be a bike rental for tourists. It has to be attractive financially -- and competitive with the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) -- so people see it as a true transportation option.'
The renegotiation would provide more bus shelters, newspaper boxes, and kiosks in order to pay for a bike-sharing fleet of 1,000 bikes at 80 downtown stations with reasonable usage fees.
The Second City is blossoming into one of America's most bike-friendly large cities and bike-sharing would push them closer to the goal of being the most. Um, how are things looking over there in the First City - New York?
image credit: Stuck in Customs
1 comment:
If Chicago and other cities seperate there street advertising and public bike contracts, the city comes out millions ahead. City wide advertising rights are far more valuable (tens of millions) than a million spent on a bike share program. So lets challenge cities to seperate these contracts, and give 90% of the money to bike improvements and programs!
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