New bike lanes, Divvy stations coming to Far South Side
Expansion of share program scheduled to launch in spring
New bike lanes along portions of South Loomis, 81st and 82nd streets are among the changes coming to the Far South Side as the Divvy bike-sharing program expands during the spring.
The expansion will include 66 docking stations and 10 miles of new bike lanes, according to the city, which did not specify when the improvements will be made.
When Divvy started in 2013, most docking stations were located in the Loop and in crowded areas along the lakefront. More city neighborhoods have been added, but there are no stations south of 87th Street. Bicycling advocates have demanded not only expansion to unserved parts of the city on the Far South and West sides, but also more bike lanes in those areas, to allow users to ride safely.
The program’s expansion was expected. Lyft, the rideshare company that runs the bike-share program, said in September that it planned to expand into the Far South Side with new stations and 500 pedal and 1,900 electric-assist bikes that make it easier to pedal uphill against the wind.
But the city ran into bureaucratic problems that delayed the expansion. Federal and state funds provided more than $30 million to launch Divvy. Last year, Lyft won the exclusive right to expand it. Closing out federal and state involvement meant some paperwork, said Chicago Department of Transportation spokesman Michael Claffey .
The city said it worked with community residents to determine the locations of the bike lanes and docking stations.
Bike lanes will be constructed along Loomis from Marquette Avenue to about 98th Street, and on 81st Street from Damen to Vincennes avenues. There also will be new lanes along portions of 111th, 115th and 124th streets, and on South Michigan and Indiana avenues.
In addition to paying for the bikes and stations, Lyft pays Chicago an annual $7.5 million fee, which the city is using to pay for the bike lanes and other transportation improvements, Claffey said.