The Village of Oak Park | 123 Madison St.  Oak Park, IL 60302 | village@oak-park.us

Main menu

STAY CONNECTED

Bike sharing on the agenda for local bike plan

April 22, 2014 -- Bike sharing, the popular program that rents out bikes on street corners throughout Chicago and other cities, may be on its way to Oak Park this year.

A new study commissioned by the Village through the Active Transportation Alliance will focus on ways to bring bike sharing and other bike-related practices and infrastructure such as bicycle boulevards to Oak Park. The study will serve as an addendum to Oak Park’s 2008 Bicycle Plan.

Bike enthusiasts and other members of the public are encouraged to get involved by attending the May 1 Plan Commission meeting and the May 12 Transportation Commission meeting. Both commissions plan to discuss bike sharing and bike boulevards.

The public is also encouraged to take a brief survey to help planners gauge interest in bike sharing.

“National best practices for both of these planning areas have made leaps and bound in recent years, and this community is ripe to bring these world-class innovations home,” said Amanda Woodall, Director of Policy and Planning for the Chicago-based Active Transportation Alliance. “Active Transportation Alliance is ecstatic to be working with Oak Park on this forward-thinking endeavor.”

Bike sharing is a popular strategy for encouraging community biking and a healthy, green transportation system. Oak Park hopes to bring bike sharing to the community by extending Chicago’s Divvy Bike Share system into the Village.

As part of this process, planners and bike advocates will look at access to job centers, transit hubs, shopping and tourism, among other crucial destinations. The 2014 study will provide the Village with detailed analysis of target locations and technical recommendations for placing and spacing bike stations. Organizers will be at Earth Fest on April 26 and Day In Our Village on June 1 to solicit ideas for bike sharing.

Bike boulevards are streets designed to prioritize bicycle travel. They often include infrastructure that calms and reduces vehicle traffic on neighborhood streets, and improves safety at busy intersections. The goal is an attractive, safe and comfortable environment for people on bikes, and more peaceful residential streets.

The 2014 study will include a review of the proposed bike boulevard system in the Village’s 2008 Bicycle Plan, and will recommend specific treatments and facilities to implement the network.

Other outreach efforts, including public meetings and online surveys, are planned as well. For more information on the bike study, email parking@oak-park.us.