While in New York recently, I noticed something visibly different since my last visit. Shiny electric blue bicycles were everywhere and for a moment I thought Manhattan was channeling Amsterdam and other European cities. Citi Bike is a privately owned for-profit bicycle sharing system- and the largest in the US- serving New York City. Expected to expand to more than 10,000 bikes and 600 stations, New Yorkers have already pedaled 1.28 million miles since their debut in May – which should make Mayor Bloomberg proud. Intended as an additional mode of transportation- for those who need a reprieve from going underground– biking can be a great solution for quick trips around the city…not to mention a less stressful way to bypass all that taxi gridlock in what is the country’s biggest and most traffic-gnarled city- I seriously thought Los Angeles had that over New York.
Available 24/7, 365 days a year with more than 700 miles of bike lanes city wide, this high-tech fleet of specially designed and durable bikes can be accessed throughout Manhattan and southwest Brooklyn to anyone over the age of 16. Station locations are based on population and transit needs, and were selected through a participatory public input process. Each station has a touchscreen kiosk, a map of the neighborhood, and a docking system that releases bikes for rental with a card or a key. Annual members pay $95 dollars- the real cyclists- while a 7-Day pass runs $25 dollars, and if you’re just cruising around for the day, a 24-Hour pass will do the trick. Celebrities, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, have been spotted two wheeling the streets- and sidewalks- and even the city’s fashionistas have not been afraid to spin in their stilettos- which by the way, could be the next SoulCycle trend. To be expected, traffic tickets have skyrocketed in Citi Bike areas, and do not even think about cycling home after a few glasses of wine…leave that up to us in LA. www.citibikenyc.com
