With the recently announced selection of a vendor to operate its first large-scale bicycle sharing program, Chicagoans are primed to start pedaling in earnest this summer, reports Jon Hilkevitch.
Alta Bicycle Share, Inc., of Portland and its equipment manufacturer, Public Bike System Co. have been selected over two competing bids to implement and operate a $21 million network beginning this summer. According to Hilkevitch, 3,000 bicycles will be made available at 300 solar-powered self-service pick-up and drop-off locations this summer, with expansion to a total of 5,000 bikes and 500 docking stations by 2014.
Alta currently operates bike-share systems in London, Melbourne, Boston, Minneapolis, Washington, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa, and is expanding to New York and Chattanooga this year.
As for the $21 million start-up price tag, "$18 million will be covered by federal funding aimed at improving air quality and easing traffic congestion and the remaining $3 million will be provided by the city," writes Hilkevitch. Operating costs are expected to be covered entirely by users.
FULL STORY: Bicycle-sharing vendor selected by Chicago

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont