P
Paul Turner
Guest
This story from today's Chicago Tribune. I thought cyclists from other cities might be interested
and might have comments about similar facilities elsewhere.
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Bike depot plan may turn commute into easy ride
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By Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporter
June 13, 2003
Mayor Richard Daley, perhaps Chicago's most notable cycling advocate and certainly the one with
the most clout, plans to take the city to a new level of bicycle-friendliness with a downtown
"bike station."
The station, expected to cost up to $2 million, is being planned for Millennium Park. Cyclists will
be able to pedal in, check their bikes, grab a shower, change clothes, have a cup of coffee and go
to downtown jobs or run errands, knowing their rides will be there when they return.
Bicycle rentals and repairs also will be offered in the 10,000-square-foot station, to be in
the northeast corners of Levels 5 and 6 of the park's garage. The station will accommodate
about 400 bikes.
Separately, officials are planning a secure outdoor area next to the garage where up to 300 bikes
can be checked during big downtown events, such as Taste of Chicago and music festivals. It would
replace the temporary "corrals" now in use.
"This is the most exciting project I've worked on since I came here," said Ben Gomberg, the city's
bicycle program coordinator. "Everything is tying together--the lakefront trail, the bike lanes
we're putting in and connections with public transit.
"This is another project in realizing the mayor's dream to make Chicago the most bicycle-friendly
city in the United States," Gomberg said.
Daley has taken heat for steep cost overruns at Millennium Park, now partly open at Randolph Street
and Michigan Avenue. But funding for the bike station comes from the federal government under a
program to ease congestion and improve air quality.
The city has received one $950,000 grant and will seek additional funds from the same pot of money
to cover the project's entire cost, said Brian Steele, a spokesman for the city's Transportation
Department.
"The storage areas will be free, but we are looking into possibly doing some type of charge, perhaps
a membership-type arrangement, for use of shower and locker facilities," Steele said.
The city will seek bidders to operate the rental and repair service and, separately, a coffee and
juice bar.
The Chicago architectural firm Muller & Muller last month won a $120,000 contract to design the
station, to open by next Memorial Day.
Besides serving people who use bikes to get downtown, the station will be available to other
commuters, particularly those who arrive at the Metra terminal at Randolph and Michigan and bike the
last leg of their routes to North Michigan Avenue, for example, or the West Loop, Gomberg said.
"It is not unreasonable for someone to take the [train] in, pick up the bike they stored overnight,
go on their way and at the end of the day drop off the bike and head home."
Other potential users may live in downtown apartments and condominiums without storage space
for bicycles.
Downtown visitors who want to ride along the lakefront could use the new station's rental bikes,
officials said.
"That's something we think would really work," said Nick Jackson, director of planning for the
Chicago Bicycle Federation. "It will be nice to have a [rental] location downtown."
Jackson said bike stations have been used in Europe for years and are in place or planned in U.S.
cities such as Denver; Los Angeles; and Berkeley, Long Beach and Palo Alto, Calif.
Bikes have come a long way in Chicago since Daley became mayor in 1989, Jackson said. The mayor is
an avid cyclist who sometimes goes for 100-mile rides near his Michigan summer home.
"He has been a huge factor and he has made a big impact," Jackson said.
Hundreds of bike racks have been installed citywide and 75 miles of bike lanes have sprung up on
city streets, with 25 more miles planned by next year. Meanwhile, the CTA has outfitted its buses
with bike racks and allows bicycles to be brought aboard trains during most of the day.
A public hearing is scheduled for Thursday at the Chicago Cultural Center to discuss the "Bike 2010
Plan," the next phase of citywide improvements.
On Friday, meanwhile, Daley is expected to speak at the annual Bike to Work rally in the Loop even
as the city prepares for Sunday's Bike the Drive, a ride sponsored by the bicycle federation that is
expected to attract up to 18,000 cyclists. Thanks to Daley, they will have exclusive early-morning
use of Lake Shore Drive.
Copyright (c) 2003, Chicago Tribune
and might have comments about similar facilities elsewhere.
--------------------
Bike depot plan may turn commute into easy ride
--------------------
By Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporter
June 13, 2003
Mayor Richard Daley, perhaps Chicago's most notable cycling advocate and certainly the one with
the most clout, plans to take the city to a new level of bicycle-friendliness with a downtown
"bike station."
The station, expected to cost up to $2 million, is being planned for Millennium Park. Cyclists will
be able to pedal in, check their bikes, grab a shower, change clothes, have a cup of coffee and go
to downtown jobs or run errands, knowing their rides will be there when they return.
Bicycle rentals and repairs also will be offered in the 10,000-square-foot station, to be in
the northeast corners of Levels 5 and 6 of the park's garage. The station will accommodate
about 400 bikes.
Separately, officials are planning a secure outdoor area next to the garage where up to 300 bikes
can be checked during big downtown events, such as Taste of Chicago and music festivals. It would
replace the temporary "corrals" now in use.
"This is the most exciting project I've worked on since I came here," said Ben Gomberg, the city's
bicycle program coordinator. "Everything is tying together--the lakefront trail, the bike lanes
we're putting in and connections with public transit.
"This is another project in realizing the mayor's dream to make Chicago the most bicycle-friendly
city in the United States," Gomberg said.
Daley has taken heat for steep cost overruns at Millennium Park, now partly open at Randolph Street
and Michigan Avenue. But funding for the bike station comes from the federal government under a
program to ease congestion and improve air quality.
The city has received one $950,000 grant and will seek additional funds from the same pot of money
to cover the project's entire cost, said Brian Steele, a spokesman for the city's Transportation
Department.
"The storage areas will be free, but we are looking into possibly doing some type of charge, perhaps
a membership-type arrangement, for use of shower and locker facilities," Steele said.
The city will seek bidders to operate the rental and repair service and, separately, a coffee and
juice bar.
The Chicago architectural firm Muller & Muller last month won a $120,000 contract to design the
station, to open by next Memorial Day.
Besides serving people who use bikes to get downtown, the station will be available to other
commuters, particularly those who arrive at the Metra terminal at Randolph and Michigan and bike the
last leg of their routes to North Michigan Avenue, for example, or the West Loop, Gomberg said.
"It is not unreasonable for someone to take the [train] in, pick up the bike they stored overnight,
go on their way and at the end of the day drop off the bike and head home."
Other potential users may live in downtown apartments and condominiums without storage space
for bicycles.
Downtown visitors who want to ride along the lakefront could use the new station's rental bikes,
officials said.
"That's something we think would really work," said Nick Jackson, director of planning for the
Chicago Bicycle Federation. "It will be nice to have a [rental] location downtown."
Jackson said bike stations have been used in Europe for years and are in place or planned in U.S.
cities such as Denver; Los Angeles; and Berkeley, Long Beach and Palo Alto, Calif.
Bikes have come a long way in Chicago since Daley became mayor in 1989, Jackson said. The mayor is
an avid cyclist who sometimes goes for 100-mile rides near his Michigan summer home.
"He has been a huge factor and he has made a big impact," Jackson said.
Hundreds of bike racks have been installed citywide and 75 miles of bike lanes have sprung up on
city streets, with 25 more miles planned by next year. Meanwhile, the CTA has outfitted its buses
with bike racks and allows bicycles to be brought aboard trains during most of the day.
A public hearing is scheduled for Thursday at the Chicago Cultural Center to discuss the "Bike 2010
Plan," the next phase of citywide improvements.
On Friday, meanwhile, Daley is expected to speak at the annual Bike to Work rally in the Loop even
as the city prepares for Sunday's Bike the Drive, a ride sponsored by the bicycle federation that is
expected to attract up to 18,000 cyclists. Thanks to Daley, they will have exclusive early-morning
use of Lake Shore Drive.
Copyright (c) 2003, Chicago Tribune
