By Bill Parry
Citi Bike is coming to Queens. The popular bike-sharing program will expand into Long Island City beginning in the spring with the installation of 10 docking stations throughout the neighborhood.
“We want these blue bikes here as soon as possible,” City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. Stations will be located at several spots in Queens Plaza, Murray Playground and the East River Ferry terminal.
Further expansion of Citi Bike will include Astoria and eventually Sunnyside.
“Today brings welcome news for all of us who fought so hard to bring bike share to western Queens,” state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) said.
Long Island City was supposed to be part of the original Citi Bike roll-out, but Hurricane Sandy destroyed much of the equipment that was stored in flooded warehouses.
“There were many broken promises and delays along the way, but there is no such thing as a citywide program that does not include the great borough of Queens,” Van Bramer said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with these blue bikes and people will have a way to explore Queens in a whole different ways. They’ll visit our cultural institutions, eat in our restaurants and explore the wonders of the waterfront.”
Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg made the announcement at the Queensbridge Houses Tuesday.
“We have worked hard these last 10 months to get Citi Bike on track for the long term,” she said. “New Yorkers deserve a system that’s more reliable and convenient, that reaches more neighborhoods and remains affordable.”
Trottenberg announced that former MTA Chief Jay Walder would return to New York and run a restructured Alma Bicycle Share, the company that has operated Citi Bike since its start in May 2013, as its new chief executive officer. He takes over a nearly bankrupt program that was beset by technical glitches but still had more that 100,000 city residents who signed up and rode a combined 14.7 million miles, according to the DOT.
“Citi Bike has been a tremendous success and I am thrilled to be joining the bike share revolution,” Walder said. “Bike sharing has become such an important ingredient of urban life. With the backing of a deeply committed private investment group, and a seasoned leadership team, we will not only grow Citi Bike, but we will also improve and enhance operations and software reliability.”
Walder, who was born and raised in Rockaway Beach, further explained that the system would expand from the current 330 stations and 6,000 bikes to over 700 stations and 12,000 bikes by the end of 2017. This will be done with a $30 million infusion of private capital as well as an increased sponsorship commitment from Citi of $70.5 million through 2024.
The expansion will also include an increase in the cost of yearly membership in the program, from $95 to $149. A date for the price hike announcement will be announced soon.
“This is about delivering the bike share program New Yorkers expect and deserve,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “We believe in Citi Bike’s potential as a fixture of new York City’s public transit system. It can make our neighborhoods more accessible, help us achieve our sustainability goals, and bridge inequities in our transportation network.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
