After Sandy wiped out much of the equipment and with much complaining about the placement of the pick-up/drop-off stations, New York City’s bicycle share is off to a good start with thousands already signed up. Initially, there are to be 10,000 bicycle and 600 stations located in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.
Every cyclist’s heroine, Janette Sadik-Khan, transportation commissioner, stated for the NY Times, “We have the A train, and we have yellow cabs, and we have the Staten Island Ferry, and today, Citi Bike joins the ranks of the transportation icon family in New York City” (see the article for some good photos of Day #1).
NYC’s program is easily the largest in the country and undoubtedly will enhance the city’s chances of moving up in the bicycle friendly community standings. It is currently designated by the League of American Bicyclists as “silver” (with “gold” and platinum” as next steps). While Albany is in the “honorable mention” bicycle friendly community category (and there may be others in the state at this level), the only other city in NYS in the official list is Rochester.
If you haven’t heard enough already, check out the “commuter challenge” conducted by the NY Times on Monday.
Albany Bicycle Coalition 