After months of delays, New York City is ready to open the new Citi Bike program to the public. New York is following in the footsteps of many other cities worldwide, including Paris, Beijing, and Boston by creating a bike sharing system for the city’s residents. The program has been in the works for several years now, and after some setbacks due to software problems and Hurricane Sandy, it is finally ready to launch.
The program is designed to create a more affordable and environmentally friendly means of transportation in the city. Members will be allowed to use one of 6,000 bikes located at 330 stations throughout Midtown, Lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn. Annual membership costs the rider $95, and allows him/her to use a bike up to 45 minutes at a time without any additional charge. A 24-hour pass costs $9.95 and a 7-day pass $25, both allowing the rider to use a bike for 30 minutes at a time with no additional fee.
The convenience of the bike share program is a big draw for prospective users. All it takes is going up to a station, swiping a card, picking a bike, and then returning the bike to a new station when you reach your destination. Stations are typically located two to three blocks apart, making it easy to find a location close to your starting point and final destination.
New Yorkers are very excited for the city’s new program. On opening sign-up day, more than 2,500 people had registered for the annual membership, granting them “founding member” blue keys. Although it is not quite ready for riders, membership continues to grow. The bikes and stations should be ready for riders next month. The network is said to eventually expand to 10,000 bikes and 600 stations, including much of the Upper East and West Sides, and Long Island City, Queens.
Sources:
New York Times- “City’s Bike Share Program Starts Signing Up Customers”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_sharing_system#United_States