Press Release: Divvy Bike Share Rolls Into Evanston Next Week

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press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2016
Media Contact: Patrick Deignan pdeignan@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-448-8234

Divvy Bike Share Rolls Into Evanston Next Week

With 100 Bikes at 10 Stations, Evanston Joins Divvy’s Regional Transportation System Connecting Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park

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EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - Next week, Divvy Bike Share will officially roll into Evanston, with 100 Divvy bikes and 10 bike share stations being installed in locations strategically chosen to provide residents, visitors and students with an additional two-wheeled transportation option. Divvy allows riders to get quickly from Point A to Point B, and is intended for short trips within Evanston or across Divvy’s network of more than 580 Chicagoland stations. 

Divvy memberships provide riders with 24/7 access to bikes in Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park. Riders can seamlessly take a bike from any station anywhere in the network and return it to any other station. 

Divvy now joins other regional bike share networks operated by Motivate International, Inc., including Citi Bike, Hubway, Capital Bike Share and Bay Area Bike Share, in providing a transportation network that serves residents across municipal boundaries with one single, seamless membership.

“I’m excited to welcome the Divvy Bike Share program to Evanston,” said Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl. “Divvy provides community members and visitors access to an easy, healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly way to complete their last mile of travel or an option for quick trips around town.”

The Divvy Bike Share system advances Evanston’s goal of having safe, integrated, and accessible transportation options available to all. The City has already built more than 50 miles of bike facilities, including protected bike lanes, signed bike routes, and off-street bike paths, and continues to expand and improve its system. From 2000 to 2010, Evanston’s recorded number of bicycle commuters increased by almost 50 percent.

The launch of Divvy in Evanston speaks to the number and variety of bike riders in Evanston,” said Tom Witt, President for the Evanston Bicycle Club. “Divvy will work in tandem with other City programs and projects such as Pedal Bright, Bike the Ridge and the new Dodge Avenue Protected Bike Lane to encourage cycling both for recreation and for practical purposes, such as commuting. The Evanston Bicycle Club is proud to be a part of the diverse cycling community in Evanston and we look forward to continuing to support an environment that is safe, comfortable and convenient for all road users.”

Evanston has gained the support of sponsors, including Northwestern University, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Valli Produce, and Presence Saint Francis Hospital, to increase the number of stations and contribute to the financial sustainability of the system.

“Northwestern University is happy and pleased to contribute to the Divvy bike program in the City of Evanston,” said Alan Anderson, executive director of Neighborhood and Community Relations at Northwestern University. "We look forward to having our students, faculty and staff join Evanston residents in seeing the community on two wheels. The University is committed to working with our neighbors in Evanston to engage with the City in ways that make it better for everyone."

How to Use Divvy
Evanston residents can sign up for memberships at DivvyBikes.com. Pricing across Evanston and Chicago are the same, with an annual membership cost of $99, or monthly installments of $9.95 with an annual commitment. Members are entitled to unlimited use of the system for individual bike trips of up to 30 minutes. Members using Divvy bikes for longer periods will be charged incremental usage fees. There is also a 24-hour pass option for $9.95 for those visiting Evanston or trying the system for occasional use. The 24-hour pass allows unlimited use of the system for a 24-hour period, with trips over 30 minutes incurring incremental usage fees.

Corporate and community memberships are also available. With these memberships, companies and organizations can offer their employees and members discounted or subsidized membership. More information is available at divvybikes.com/pricing/corporate-memberships.

In addition to expanding into Evanston this summer, the program is also opening 13 new stations in Oak Park as well as more than 85 new locations in neighborhoods on Chicago’s west, south and far north sides. Divvy’s expansion into Oak Park and Evanston is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation, with Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park each providing the required 20 percent local cost share match for their stations and bikes. Evanston was selected based on the goal of developing a network that balances access to transit, geography and population reach. Station locations were determined by gathering data from a survey during the City’s Bike Plan Update, a Northwestern University Industrial Engineering capstone project, a community meeting, an online survey (with over 1,000 respondents), and paper surveys provided at the Levy Senior Center and the Evanston Public Library’s Main Library.

Divvy currently covers the largest service area of any bike share in North America and Divvy riders have taken over 7 million trips since the service launched in 2013. Evanston and Oak Park are the first Chicago suburbs to be able to enjoy bike share, thanks to a grant from the State of Illinois.

Evanston Station Locations
Information on station locations can be found at DivvyBikes.com/evanston. 

  • Benson Ave. & Church St.: Located in downtown Evanston, adjacent to the Davis Street CTA Purple Line and Metra Stations, this station provides connections for riders looking to access transit stations from the numerous restaurants, entertainment venues, shops, and employment opportunities in the downtown area.
  • Chicago Ave. & Washington St.: Just steps away from the Main Street CTA Purple Line and Metra Stations, this station serves the vibrant Main-Dempster Mile commercial district and is located less than half a mile away from the lakefront park system.
  • Sherman Ave. & Austin St.: Adjacent to Presence Saint Francis Hospital and within walking distance to the South Boulevard CTA Purple Line Station, community members will be able to use this station to connect to the neighborhood parks of south Evanston and the services and employment opportunities provided by Presence Saint Francis Hospital.
  • Evanston Plaza - Dodge Ave.: Nestled within the commercial center of west Evanston, the station, located within Evanston Plaza, is a short walk to a multitude of retail stores and bus connections along both Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue.
  • Church St. & Dodge Ave.: Immediately to the west of downtown and along the 2016 Dodge Avenue protected bike lane, this station will serve community members traveling to Evanston Township High School and the various community centers nearby.
  • Central Street Metra: Situated in the heart of the Central Street commercial corridor, this station will serve riders connecting by Metra Rail to north Evanston.
  • Central St. & Girard Ave.: Adjacent to the Central Street CTA Purple Line Station and NorthShore Evanston Hospital, this station will connect community members and visitors traveling between the Central Street CTA and Metra stations.
  • Chicago Ave. & Sheridan Rd.: Steps from the southern entrance to Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus, this station will connect riders traveling between Evanston’s downtown, Northwestern, and the lakefront’s recreational opportunities.
  • Sheridan Rd. & Noyes St.: Located along the western edge of Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus and a five-minute walk from the Noyes Street CTA Purple Line Station, this station serves community members looking to access Northwestern’s Campus or connect to the downtown or Central Street stations. This station is possible through the support of Northwestern University.
  • University Library: Northwestern students, faculty and staff and campus visitors will be able to travel to the heart of Northwestern's Evanston Campus to access the arts and cultural resources of the Arts Circle and the educational resources of the adjacent University Library and Norris University Center. This station is possible through the support of Northwestern University.

View a map of Evanston Divvy Bike Share station locations. For more information about Evanston’s Divvy Bike Share program, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston. 

About Divvy
Divvy is Chicagoland’s bike share system with thousands of bikes available at more than 580 stations across the region. Divvy provides residents and visitors with a convenient, fast, fun and affordable transportation option for getting from Point A to Point B. For more information and a map of station locations, visit DivvyBikes.com. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the exclusive System Sponsor of Divvy.

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