West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result
Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Search the site

No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

AVAILABLE NOW!


HERE

BIKE SHARE DEAL WILL BRING CITIBIKES TO UWS; EXACT TIMING UNCLEAR

October 28, 2014 | 5:36 PM
in NEWS
24

citibike uws
CitiBikes somehow made their way to West 80th street last month, and then got unceremoniously dumped in the trash. Photo by William.

A deal to expand CitiBike that the city has been working on for months finally came to fruition on Tuesday, and that means that the bikes will finally come to the Upper West Side. Right now the bike sharing network stops at 58th street.

But even if you’re excited about the expansion, don’t break out the champagne just yet. Because it could still be awhile before the bikes actually make it here.

The city says the program will double in size by 2017, expanding to Queens, further into Brooklyn, and up to Harlem. But the first expansion, starting next year, will be into Williamsburg and Long Island City. After that they’ll be coming to the Upper East and West Sides (see map below), but the Department of Transportation couldn’t give us more specific timing beyond “by 2017.”

Before that, there will be extensive public hearings on where to put the docking stations, DOT says: “DOT will begin the community outreach on bikeshare again before we can plan specifics locations of docks and get definitive timelines. The existing 332 stations were selected through an 18 month community input process so community outreach for this expansion is key to planning specific dock locations and getting them on the ground.”

Once the expansion is complete, there will be 12,000 bikes — up from 6,000 now — and an additional 375 stations.

The cost of an annual CitiBike membership is also rising, to $149 from $95. NYCHA residents will still be able to pay $60.

tumblr_inline_ne5t4ful9w1rzab29

Share this article:
Get WSR FREE in your inbox
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

24 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
james
james
8 years ago

I’m super disappointed with Citibike. I was among the first 1500 people to sign up and truly believed bike-sharing would revolutionize New York. For the first year it did. I went places I normally wouldn’t based on a simplified commute. I took long rides during weekend mornings to get some added exercise. I planned days around bike hopping. The word “bike-able” was added to our family lexicon, denoting dressing requirements for the day.

In its second year, i’ve found the program far too frustrating, far too limited, and entirely inconvenient to continue my membership. I’ve hardly used the program this year. Unless they announce firm plans to expand to the Upper West, I won’t be renewing in May.

0
Reply
webot
webot
8 years ago
Reply to  james

James what changed in the second year?

0
Reply
James
James
8 years ago
Reply to  webot

Bikes were in bad condition, making long rides less enjoyable. Stations were often either full or in repair, making it difficult to return bikes. I became less inclined to take a bike knowing if have a hard time returning it at my destination.

Mostly, I think I was more patient the first year. I had hoped of improvement and expansion. I forgave the growing pains. Unfortunately, things only got worse.

0
Reply
Cyrus
Cyrus
8 years ago
Reply to  James

OK, so the novelty wore off. Got it.

0
Reply
Samuel
Samuel
8 years ago

Unless bike riders start obeying existing bicycle laws, this will be a disaster for the UWS. All bikers, including delivery men, must stop at all red lights, ride on the streets not the sidewalks, go in the direction of traffic not against it on one-way streets, walk their bikes in the parks, and respect the rights of pedestrians. Bike riders are notorious for flaunting these rules, pretending they’re deaf, riding too fast, making obscene gestures and remarks when asked to obey the rules, speeding through red lights, threatening the safety of pedestrians on sidewalks and park pathways, etc. Increasing the number of bikes to 12,000 without providing adequate inforcement is a threat to all those who walk the streets of the UWS.

0
Reply
ELJ
ELJ
8 years ago
Reply to  Samuel

While we’re at it, can we ban adults from zooming down the sidewalks on scooters? Never have I heard any adult on a scooter, or for that matter a child, say excuse me when they come zooming down the sidewalk as though they have the right of way and expecting me to jump out of their way.

0
Reply
Dave
Dave
8 years ago
Reply to  ELJ

SKATE BOARDS. At dusk, and beyond. No lights, no courtesy, no regard for sidewalks, pedestrians, dogs. Parents, let’s get a little polite and safety considerations into the drug-addled skulls
(OK, that was an exaggeration. I don’t have stats on the drug addled operants, but I do feel that a teener, all in black, going in the street, with/against traffic, with 2 BEATS clanging “Not MoZart” is a prime ER candidate. IF s/he doesn’t kill s puppy or a baby first.

0
Reply
DMH
DMH
8 years ago
Reply to  Samuel

Seems like Citibike users in the current service area have avoided these issues. Those bikes are pretty sturdy and sedate.

0
Reply
geoff
geoff
8 years ago
Reply to  DMH

to use ‘steady’ and ‘sedate’ is an interesting choice. as the mass of riders increases through the increased use of citibikes, the tempo might change, possibly to a pace that is also steady and sedate. video images of riders in places like china show a mass of riders moving sedately and safely. so safely in fact it looks like falling over might not be possible.

0
Reply
Mike
Mike
8 years ago

How about they expand the program to include the mandatory use of bike helmets?

0
Reply
Nathan
Nathan
8 years ago
Reply to  Mike

No. It’s unnecessary and will just discourage use. (Though, many people are apparently opposed to cheap, environmentally friendly, and healthy transportation?)

0
Reply
Steve
Steve
8 years ago
Reply to  Mike

The goal of which would be…?

0
Reply
pjrod
pjrod
8 years ago

Can’t wait for all the ensuing battles between bikers and pedestrians. Think you have it bad now with the car/pedestrian problem? This should be beautiful to watch.

Oh… and bike helmets help prevent head trauma. I think that’s the point Steve.

0
Reply
DMH
DMH
8 years ago
Reply to  pjrod

No doubt you are right, but the Citibike safety record here is reassuringly good. (Weird Reuters link, sorry).

From May 2013 to August 2014, there were 10.3 million Citibike rides, and thank goodness, not one fatality. Only 40 riders out of 10 million have been hurt and reported to require medical attention. I think it’s been a lot better than people were bracing for when the program came online last May.

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0GC10T20140812

0
Reply
T
T
8 years ago

Not good news if you own a car and have to park it on the street on the West Side. Not everyone can afford $700 a month to park in a garage.

0
Reply
public transport
public transport
8 years ago
Reply to  T

Not everyone can afford a car at all. If it’s too expensive to park, sell it & take the subway/bus.

0
Reply
Marie
Marie
8 years ago
Reply to  T

Can’t say I can muster up any iota of sympathy for any car owner in Manhattan. If you can’t afford parking then why should we, the tax-paying (well, admittedly only a small percentage of us really pay most of the tax bill) citizens of NYC subsidize parking for you? I dislike the bikers in the neighborhood who don’t follow the laws (and there are TOO MANY of them) but protesting bikes for commoners because it gets in the way of your free Manhattan street parking? That’s the kind of attitude that makes the line at Zabar’s bread counter at 7pm each day intolerable lol.

0
Reply
Lorraine Bege
Lorraine Bege
8 years ago

Who wants these bikes?????? They create problems with traffic and people. I already see people constantly crossing against the light on West End in the eighties–FREQUENTLY! Even though people have been hurt or killed. We need the police to enforce speed limits and jaywalkers. I’ve been in cabs that have almost hit people who dash in front of them against the light. This is particularly difficult at twilight. Pedestrians need to take responsibility too.

I love my neighborhood and, so far, the new painted
directions on the street are not heeded, and look ugly.
Bringing more bycycle traffic to the area will create more problems unless they are limited to the parks. There are plenty of places to ride in Riverside. Many people already have their own bicycles and ride them responsibly.

EVERYONE needs to take responsibility for what they do whether they are driving or walking!

0
Reply
james
james
8 years ago
Reply to  Lorraine Bege

I, for one, want these bikes.

0
Reply
geoff
geoff
8 years ago
Reply to  Lorraine Bege

loarraine, your comment reminds me of one i read decades ago in the times. it concerned a korean grocery store that existed on a corner of park avenue and something. a resident across the street who was not in favour of its existence reportedly said “who wants to look out of the window and see VEGETABLES?”
give it time. you’ll get used to the pavement markings.

0
Reply
bill
bill
8 years ago

I can’t wait to get these in our area. I asked DOT if we can have a rack in front of our building. Ride it over to Zabars, to the movies etc.. It’s a great way to travel.

0
Reply
Rob
Rob
8 years ago

This is great, but can we please have some separated bike lanes, like Columbus, throughout the UWS? It is scary to be able to go one direction protected from cars, but not the other direction.

And what’s the deal with West End Avenue? All that extra space created with the road diet, given over to double-parking? I thought double-parking was illegal in NYC.

0
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
8 years ago

Seems to be quite a lot of Citibike use in Greenwich Village and around Tribeca. Unfortunately, it appears that most cyclists (whether on Citibikes or their own bikes) completely disregard lights and are dangerous to pedestrians. (The delivery cyclists are actually pretty mindful – it is the “civilian” cyclists who ignore pedestrians and lights.)

In heavily residential areas such as the West Side and East Side, I am really pessimistic –
concerned that Citibike will just mean more danger to pedestrians.

0
Reply
Wendy
Wendy
8 years ago

I would love to see Citibike on the Upper West Side. Wish it was coming sooner rather than later. But there is a parking problem up here, so they’d better put those racks on wide avenues, or streets with large sidewalks, like West 78th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam. or at W. 86th Street near Gristedes, that’s not a terribly busy block, etc.

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

Updated: Two Suspects Arrested in Three Riverside Park Sexual Assaults:  NYPD
CRIME

Man In Critical Condition After E-Bike And Car Collide On Central Park West: Police

September 28, 2023 | 2:17 PM
Saturday: UWS Children’s Museum Will Take Part in Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play; Paw Patrol Will Be There
ART

Saturday: UWS Children’s Museum Will Take Part in Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play; Paw Patrol Will Be There

September 28, 2023 | 12:23 PM
Previous Post

WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN: SENIOR CITIZEN BULLY, ANTI-VAXXERS, BIKE WARS, CRIME AND MORE

Next Post

NEW TENANT REVEALED FOR OLD FOOD EMPORIUM SPACE

this week's events image

Explore Your Favorite Subject

20th precinct 24th precinct american museum of natural history animals art bicycling bulletin central park closings columns community board 7 coronavirus crash crime dogs events fdny fire food gale brewer helen rosenthal history homelessness jcc lincoln center monday bulletin morning bulletin nypd openings openings and closings pedestrian safety photography photos politics public schools pupper west side real estate restaurants riverside park silver stars fitness snow sponsored subway upper west side uws

CITY NEWS

The City
Brick Underground
City Limits
Eater
Gothamist
NY Daily News
NY Post
NY Times

LOCAL RESOURCES

Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group
Central Park Conservancy
CB7
Community Education Council 3
Assembly District 67
The New York Historical Society
Riverside Park
West End Preservation

UWS Blogs

Bloomingdale History Central Park Blogger
North River Notes
Next Post
NEW TENANT REVEALED FOR OLD FOOD EMPORIUM SPACE

NEW TENANT REVEALED FOR OLD FOOD EMPORIUM SPACE

SATURDAY: FREE CONFERENCE ON HOW TO FIND AND KEEP AFFORDABLE HOUSING

SATURDAY: FREE CONFERENCE ON HOW TO FIND AND KEEP AFFORDABLE HOUSING

TOWNHOUSE ON 94TH HAS A MINOR SPIDER PROBLEM

TOWNHOUSE ON 94TH HAS A MINOR SPIDER PROBLEM

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT US
  • WSR SHOP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.