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
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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