Bike sharing in Chicago: Worth the wait

For months now Active Trans has been chomping at the bit for the launch of Chicago’s new, world-class bike-sharing program. Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to have to wait a little while longer: until spring 2013.

As advocates we see the amazing potential for this program to change the way people get around Chicago for the better. Like the Chicago Department of Transportation, Active Trans is counting on a successful program launch to change the face of transportation in the central business district.

We’ve always known that Chicago is a great city for cycling, and bike-sharing will create a no-commitment way for first-timers to give it a shot. So we see the bright side: This delay will give the city more time to implement the robust Streets for Cycling Plan 2020, building a safer, more inviting environment for those novice city cyclists starting out next spring.

It was a struggle to keep our “second city complex” at bay when New York City’s program was planned to launch before Chicago’s. But now we just appreciate them stepping up to work out the bugs first.