CHICAGO – A Chicago alderwoman wants to charge a $25 licensing fee for bicycle owners and require them to take an hour-long safety class.
Pat Dowell's proposal could generate up to $10 million a year if 400,000 cyclists buy the license. Dowell thinks the city should implement it instead of a heightened tax on cable television that's been proposed by the mayor.
The South Side alderwoman says bike riders should pay for increasing number of protected bike lanes on city streets.
Cycling advocates say they're not aware of any other U.S. city that requires similar licenses.
The executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance says enforcement and cumbersome set-up costs outweigh the potential financial benefit.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pledged to make Chicago one of the nation's most bike-friendly city.
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