The Citi Bike expansion is coming. The now-financially-solvent (albeit perpetually embattled) bike-share system is coming to the Upper East and Upper West sides by late summer or early fall, and now comes the time when the Department of Transportation has to show neighborhood residents a map (warning: PDF!) of where the stations will be. Upper East Siders are somewhat notorious NIMBYs, so Streetsblog was pleasantly surprised to see that Community Board 8 members didn't get too upset over the 39 planned stations. There were, of course, criticisms, because it wouldn't be a CB meeting without them:
Complaints touched on the aesthetic horror of adding bike-share to historic districts, as well as its potential to cause traffic congestion, pollution, and cancer. There were also plenty of threats from lawyers who live in the neighborhood who said they might sue the city over the program. But past stations have incited lawsuit upon lawsuit, that's not so surprising. The DOT made a concerted effort to seek public feedback about the locations of the stations this time around, holding "more than 35 meetings and events" with area residents and officials. Installation should be complete in August or September. Oh, and Upper West Siders? Your stations will be announced next week.
And here's the process of how those particular locations got selected.
· Citi Bike Expansion: Draft Plan | Manhattan Community Board 8 [DOT (warning; PDF!]
· Here's Where Citi Bike Stations Will Go on the Upper East Side [Streetsblog]
· New Upper East Side Citi Bike Locations Revealed [Gothamist]
· Citi Bike Will Double Its Brooklyn Presence By Late 2017 [Curbed]
· Citi Bike Plans Improvements As 90-Station Expansion Looms [Curbed]
· It's Official: Citi Bike Will Expand, Hike Fees to $150/Year [Curbed]
· All Citi Bike coverage [Curbed]