Help plan Chicago's Bike Share program
Photo courtesy of Flickr user slettvet
Bike share in Paris
MPC Research Assistant Melanie Truhn authored this post.
After last week's roundtable on technology’s role in participatory planning, it seems only fitting that the MPC team has been using http://share.chicagobikes.org/ to spread their opinions on where new bike sharing stations should go around Chicago.
Chicago’s bike share system will launch in spring of 2013 and will eventually grow to 400 stations and 4,000 bicycles. The Chicago Dept. of Transportation wants your help in planning the locations of the bike share stations. You can suggest station locations via the website with a simple click of your mouse!
So far, Chicagoans have proposed bike share locations ranging from Hegewisch South Shore Metra Stop to Howard Street station in Rogers Park. Participants' suggestions include neighborhoods in which the bike share system would help commuters, increase movement between neighborhoods, and give tourists better access to the city.
The site goes further in depth then just allowing a dot on a map; users can add comments to support their location suggestion – often highlighting nearby attractions or transit stops. You can also support another user’s location, add to their comments or broadcast your suggestions on Twitter and Facebook.
CDOT is giving Chicagoans an easy way to share opinions and offer input on new developments, without having to attend public meetings or write a letter to their aldermen (there will be upcoming public meetings for residents who don't wish to share their ideas online.) MPC invites everyone to use this tool to better their community and prove to the city that this new model of planning works.