LOGAN SQUARE — With just one Divvy bike station in his ward, Ald. Rey Colon (35th) is encouraging his constituents to request more.
The bike-share program, which is is owned by the Chicago Department of Transportation and operated by Alta Bike Share Inc., launched a website Dec. 10 where residents can suggest spots for future Divvy stations.
They plan to add 175 locations in 2014, which would make it the biggest bike-sharing system in the North America by number of stations, surpassing older bike-share programs such as New York's Citi Bike and Washington, D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare.
Divvy currently has 300 stations with about 11,000 registered members, according to the city, but just one lies in the 35th ward, at Kedzie and Milwaukee avenues next to the Logan Square Blue Line station.
"This holiday season, give your community health, happiness, a good quality of life and a transit alternative," Colon wrote in his weekly newsletter. "My goal is make the Divvy Bike Share System accessible to every current and future 35th ward resident, but I can't do it without you."
Colon linked to the new suggestion site and encouraged ward residents to pitch locations.
The website allows for anonymous suggestions and feedback, including the option to make a case for why Divvy should be in a specific location.
"I need and would greatly appreciate your assistance in identifying and recommending potential bike station locations to CDOT." he wrote. "Don't let the CDOT 2014 Divvy expansion plans be finalized without getting a bike station near you."
