Oak Park has approved the purchase of 13 Divvy bike-sharing stations, which will be placed throughout the area.
At a board meeting on February 16, village trustees approved an agreement with Motivate International, which will operate the system, and an intergovernmental agreement with Chicago.
Bike sharing is a service whereby individuals use shared bicycles for very short periods of time. For a small membership fee, a rider can pick up a bike at one station in the system and return it to a different location. Some systems make the first part of the ride either very inexpensive or entirely free, to encourage the system's use. Bike sharing is commonplace in Europe and Asia, and is now gaining popularity in the United States, with Oak Park joining the trend.
Oak Park was awarded a grant that will cover about 80% of the costs of installing 12 bike-sharing stations, with its share about $161,177. In July 2015, the village decided to add a 13th station, which it will pay for. According to Jill Velan, director of Parking and Mobility Services, the purchase of the Divvy stations will be finalized by the end of February, with installation anticipated in June or July.
Village officials might want to make up a colorful brochure and mail it to residents to illustrate the bike-sharing concept, and encourage them to use the new system.
