Divvy Bike Sharing Ready to Launch Tomorrow (6/28)

Empty Divvy Bike Sharing Station at Roosevelt and Wabash

We've been curiously following the Divvy bike sharing program and according to various news sources, the program is ready to officially launch tomorrow (via Tribune):

The first 700 bicycles painted "Chicago blue" will make their debut on city streets Friday, vastly outnumbered and upstaged by red and black. 

For any celebrants along the Blackhawks parade route who might want to pedal part of the way on one of the new Divvy bike-share program bikes, though, you're on thin ice. 

Of the more than 40 bicycle docking stations scheduled to be in operation Friday for the launch of the service, none of the handful of stations along the Hawks Stanley Cup victory route will be open, officials said. 

"It's for the safety of the people and the equipment," said Elliot Greenberger, marketing director for Divvy, which is operated by Alta Bicycle Share Inc., Chicago's partner in the $22 million bike-share experiment.

Seventy-five stations downtown and in River North will be fully stocked with the three-speed bikes and ready to roll by Sunday, Greenberger said.

What we're unsure about is whether or not the South Loop is included in this initial wave.  Judging by the map on their website, 9 stations in our hood will get bikes in June (including the two that are pictured in this post).

Empty Docking Station at 16th and State

Should be interesting to see how this goes.

(Hat tip: TJ!)