This Week: Rally for a Bike-Share System Big Enough for NYC

Citi Bikes aren't performing that well. Photo: Adrian Nutter/Flickr
Citi Bikes aren't performing that well. Photo: Adrian Nutter/Flickr

Later this summer, Citi Bike will expand in Manhattan up to 130th Street, and into more of western Queens and central Brooklyn. After that, no one really knows what’s next for bike-share in NYC. There are no official plans to enlarge the system, but there’s no shortage of ideas. A majority on the City Council supports public funding for future expansions, while Citi Bike operator Motivate could potentially finance a 50 percent expansion on its own, in exchange for more favorable contract terms from the city.

Some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city, where bike-share would come in handy for many types of trips, remain far outside the bounds of the service area. Advocates are pressing for a system scaled to these neighborhoods. In just a few months, Transportation Alternatives volunteers have collected more than 5,000 signatures from residents outside Manhattan calling for bike-share in their neighborhoods. On Wednesday, they’ll rally with council members on the steps of City Hall for a system that can meet New York City’s huge demand for bike-share.

Here are this calendar week’s highlights. Check the full calendar for more info on these and other events.

  • Tonight: DOT presents bike lane proposals for 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue in Windsor Terrace at Community Board 7’s transportation committee meeting. 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday: TransAlt rallies at City Hall for five-borough bike-share. 11 a.m.
  • Also Wednesday: Advocates present ideas for Columbus Circle biking and walking safety improvements to Manhattan CB 4’s transportation committee. 6:30 p.m.
  • Sunday: Sick of slow, unreliable transit service? Volunteer with the Riders Alliance to gather signatures for the campaign to get Governor Cuomo to fix the subways. 11 a.m. Sign up with Riders Alliance for more details.

Watch the calendar for updates. Drop us a line if you have an event we should know about.

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