Mayor Daley, known for taking early-morning rides along the lakefront, just loves bicycles, and he delights in getting ideas from other cities.
So is it any wonder that Daley is eyeing a bike rental program that could make Chicago just a little bit like Paris?
On the other hand, could a ride down a Michigan Avenue jammed with short-tempered rush-hour motorists possibly compare with a leisurely cruise along the banks of the Seine?
Daley, traveling in Europe, took a spin on a rental bicycle Tuesday in the French capital, where by year’s end 20,000 more two-wheelers will be available for pickup and drop-off at 1,400 locations. Back in Chicago, city officials are considering two proposals for a similar, though much smaller, program.
The success of similar mayoral ideas so far been mixed. Daley returned from a trip to England in the 1990s smitten by what he considered the beauty of the wrought iron fences of London, and the result is visible everywhere today: faux wrought-iron fencing from one end of Chicago to the other.
Daley also tried Venice-like gondola service on the Chicago River a few years back. The businessman who won city approval for that one is now nowhere to be found.
On Tuesday, cycling enthusiasts had high hopes for a bike rental program for the city.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists. “Exploring a city by bike is a great way to really see it, and having that be made easy for visitors makes it more attractive.”
