A sponsorship deal from Lyft, which owns the bike share provider Motivate, would expand Divvy bike service to every ward in Chicago.

The new Divvy contract may dramatically increase the reach of the service. "Under the proposed amendment, Lyft would expand the system to all 50 wards by 2021, adding 10,500 bikes and 175 stations. That would bring the total to about 16,500 bikes and 800 stations," writes John Greenfield. To achieve the expansion, Lyft would make a financial investment of $50 million. Currently, Divvy service is available in the city center and many, but not all, of the city's neighborhoods, meaning riders cannot drop of bikes in all of the city’s neighborhoods.
Beyond the expansion of service, the deal would also restructure the financial aspects of the service. "Additionally, the city asserts, the amendment would restructure the financial terms of the contract to 'dramatically' increase annual guaranteed revenues and reduce financial risk to the city," Greenfield reports. Divvy profits would go back to Divvy and the city would be paid an agreed-upon rate each year, and in exchange the city would receive a fixed amount of funding that it could budget against.
FULL STORY: Lyft May Spend $50M to Expand Divvy to All Wards, Using Dockless-Option eBikes

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet
With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)