Page 4 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026 City Council OK’d 5-year Bluebikes deal, fully grant-funded Advocate Staff Report T he City Council unanimously approved a five-year agreement between the City of Revere and Lyft Bikes and Scooters, LLC for the city’s Bluebikes bike share program. Transportation Coordinator Julie DeMauro explained that Lyft bikes have done away with its maintenance and operation fee, and the program is now completely paid for with grants. For the city’s six bike docks and 66 bikes the cost would be $9,186. But Revere is entitled to $11,000 in funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield, which helps subsidize the system and gives it the Bluebikes name. “We’ll be operating with a credit for the next fi ve years,” 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Tues. - Sat. at 4:00 PM Closed Sun. & Mon. Announcing our Classic Specials Dine In Only:Dine In Only: * FREE Salad with purchase of Entree, Tuesdays & W Entree, Tuesdays & Wednesdays * Cheese Pizza - Only $10 Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s Scan & Follow Us on Facebook!Scan & Follow Us on Facebook! DeMauro told the City Council. She also said there is funding from other grants that should carry the city over the duration of the contract. Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri mentioned the bikeshare program in Washington, D.C. and said scooters will automatically lock if they are being used in areas where they are not allowed. Silvestri asked if Revere would have similar protection. “This contract is just for bikes; there would be no scooters allowed,” said DeMauro. “We are not entertaining scooters.” DeMauro said bikes that are out of bounds will be charged late fees or blocked from using the program. Ward 1 Councillor James Mercurio asked about a clause in the contract requiring the city to pay for aging, damaged or new equipment. DeMauro said fi ve new docking stations are coming to Revere, but they will be paid for by grants. Ward 4 Councillor Paul Argenzio asked again, to be clear, if the bikeshare program is paid for entirely by grants. DeMauro said that in 2020, the city paid $100,000 to be part of the bikeshare network. However, the new contract will not require any funding from the city. ~ LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR ~ (Editor’s Note: Below is a letter sent to the Revere City Clerk regarding a proposed development’s special permits that were approved by the City Council on Monday night.) April 13, 2026 City Council c/o Ashley Melnik, City Clerk Revere City Hall 281 Broadway Revere, MA 02151 Dear Ms. Melnik: I hereby submit my written remarks regarding the proposed Town House Development at 661 Washington Avenue and ask that they be read into the record. As a lifelong resident of Rewww.810bargrille.com vere and someone who drives through that intersection frequently, I am extremely concerned about my own safety as well as public safety. The City Council has been warned by multiple parties, including the former owner of the property and the City Engineer, who said, “This would create a very unsafe condition,” about the dangers of having a driveway so close to that busy intersection. What more evidence is needed before the Council acts to protect residents? Therefore, I respectfully request that the City Council vote this development down until the applicant redesigns the driveway — ideally as a shared driveway accessed from Malden Street. This would be a modest concession by a developer who has already been given the green light to build four townhouses on a property that can only legally support three. By his own admission at a recent Council meeting, he needs four units to make a profit. He will get his four units, but it should not come at the expense of public safety or to the detriment of the neighborhood. I don’t understand why some of you — particularly those who previously served on the Traffic Commission, which is tasked with safety improvements — are willing to downplay or ignore this serious traffi c hazard instead of insisting on a safer design. For years, this City has repeatedly overruled zoning requirements in ways that favor developers at the clear cost of residents’ quality of life. As a reminder, the role of the Council is to advocate for the needs of the residents, not to accommodate developers who should be bending over backwards to address legitimate public safety concerns. I urge you to uphold that responsibility here. Sincerely, Robert C. DeMattia Rumney Road, Revere, MA Spring is Here! 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Celebrating 67 Years in Business! n Roofing fng
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