NYC set to begin bike sharing program
Source: Agencies |
May 6, 2013, Monday
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NEW York City, with its constant hum of subways, buses, cabs and ferries, has long had one glaring exception to its many transport options: bicycles for the masses.
But bike sharing is finally coming to the Big Apple, which could help the city overcome its reputation as a commuter obstacle course of speeding cabbies, horn-honking drivers and sharp-elbowed pedestrians who treat crossing signals as a mere suggestion.
City officials say the nation's largest bike-sharing system will begin sometime this month with 6,000 bikes at 330 stations in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, with plans to expand eventually to 10,000 bikes and 600 docking stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
"When you talk about scale, no other US city comes close," says Jon Orcutt, policy director at the city's Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the program's launch.
Officials hope the privately funded bike-sharing program, dubbed Citi Bike after a US$41 million sponsorship from Citibank and an additional US$6.5 million from MasterCard, will add riders to the more than 1,127 kilometers of bike lanes throughout New York and will be used by one-way commuters and round-trip tourists alike.
The idea is that bike-sharing programs decrease the number of drivers on the road and encourage healthy lifestyles, a particular policy goal of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The city expects the system to turn a profit, which will be split evenly between the city and the operator.
Thousands of people already have signed up as Citi Bike founding members, paying the US$95 annual fee for unlimited rides of 45 minutes. And supporters say New York has no choice but to join the ranks of cities such as London, Barcelona and Paris, all of which have successful programs.
As of last month, there were 534 bike-sharing programs worldwide, said Russell Meddin, a bike-sharing advocate.
But bike sharing is finally coming to the Big Apple, which could help the city overcome its reputation as a commuter obstacle course of speeding cabbies, horn-honking drivers and sharp-elbowed pedestrians who treat crossing signals as a mere suggestion.
City officials say the nation's largest bike-sharing system will begin sometime this month with 6,000 bikes at 330 stations in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, with plans to expand eventually to 10,000 bikes and 600 docking stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
"When you talk about scale, no other US city comes close," says Jon Orcutt, policy director at the city's Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the program's launch.
Officials hope the privately funded bike-sharing program, dubbed Citi Bike after a US$41 million sponsorship from Citibank and an additional US$6.5 million from MasterCard, will add riders to the more than 1,127 kilometers of bike lanes throughout New York and will be used by one-way commuters and round-trip tourists alike.
The idea is that bike-sharing programs decrease the number of drivers on the road and encourage healthy lifestyles, a particular policy goal of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The city expects the system to turn a profit, which will be split evenly between the city and the operator.
Thousands of people already have signed up as Citi Bike founding members, paying the US$95 annual fee for unlimited rides of 45 minutes. And supporters say New York has no choice but to join the ranks of cities such as London, Barcelona and Paris, all of which have successful programs.
As of last month, there were 534 bike-sharing programs worldwide, said Russell Meddin, a bike-sharing advocate.
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