There have been talks about the MTA partnering with Citibike to foot the bill for bike docking stations in Greenpoint and LIC given the G train service outage beginning next weekend.
I got on the phone with Citibike and the MTA to find out whether this is happening.
The short answer from the MTA is that “it is being discussed” but “there is no timeline.” Part of the discussion includes the MTA paying for the bikes.
Ronald Leiva, representing Citibike said that it’s “a possibility,” but that I should consider it a “rumor” with “no hard evidence” but that he is “not denying that it is not happening.” He went on to say that there is also “no timeline”, but he did mention that if the MTA were to pay for the program they would get their logo on the bikes. Score! Maybe they could put the G train logo on it.
When questioned as to why Greenpoint was not initially included, he said that the DOT chose the locations which are in more densely populated areas around bridges. Apparently the Queensboro Bridge and our beloved Pulaski don’t count.
According to the Daily News, Greenpoint was in the initial plans which, “were scaled back, and those neighborhoods were excluded after equipment stored in a Brooklyn warehouse was damaged by Superstorm Sandy flooding.”
Leiva of Citibike went on to say that as they receive more “sponsorship” aka advertising dollars they will expand outward and that they will likely expand into Greenpoint, but this may not be for “a few years” – unless the “rumors” about partnering with the MTA become a reality in the short term.
Do you want Citibike in Greenpoint? Were you disappointed when Greenpoint didn’t receive a docking station? Will you use Citibike in place of G train service to LIC?
I haven’t used CitiBike, but aren’t trips limited to 30 minutes before you incur overtime charges? For most people, that’s not enough time to reach Manhattan from Greenpoint or vice versa.
you could get to LIC and take the subway from there a much shorter ride.
Point. A Bedford L docking station would sell it as well. Most people who take bikes out of Greenpoint in the morning would bring ’em back in the afternoon, I bet.
Annual CitiBike memberships allow for 45 minute bike rides. I can get from Wall Street to the CitiBike station at Bedford and Metropolitan in 30 minutes. From there, it would only take another 10 minutes to get to Greenpoint.
I also commuted from Greenpoint to Midtown in less than 45 min. Guess it depends. Everyone rides at a different pace.
Is there a docking station in LIC? If not, the plan doesn’t really work.
There isn’t one but that would probably be part of the plan in order for commuters who can’t take the G train to be able to ride from GP to LIC then take train to city from LIC.
What is the update to this? When will Greenpoint have bikes?
FYI for people timing their commutes via bike: The Citi Bike bicycles are heavy with only three gears, so add several minutes to your commute if you’re used to riding road bikes.
Don’t most people who live in Greenpoint already have a bike? I’m not trying to sound like an elitist or something, but I’d love to take a poll of residents to see who would actually use these things. Seems like an unnecessary addition to a neighborhood that’s had more than its fair share of unnecessary additions as of late. It’s like saying we need another bar with oysters and artisanal cocktails.
I would. My commute involves a 15-minute walk from my place over the Pulaski to the 7 in the morning, and I usually wait for the B62 on the return. I’d love to shave a few minutes off the walk and not have to wait for the bus.
I have my own bike, which I love for errands and organized bike tours, but I don’t want to keep it out the whole day.
I am a citibike user and was hugely disappointed that Greenpoint /LIC were moving to “phase 2” .
For me citibike is convenient because I often leave Greenpoint via LIC and come back through Williamsburg, or do other 1-way trips.
As far as the 45 minute time limit, if I’m riding for longer I just dock and switch bikes. It’s not a big deal, once you get outa fresh bike, the timer resets.
I was too, but the organizers couldn’t help it. Many bikes that were stored for “phase 1” were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Personally, I haven’t registered my “founding member” chip yet so I can get a full year while Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and LIC get up to speed.
As a bike commuter who owns his own bike, I’m not a fan of Citibike. I’ve seen some horrible bike riding by people on these bikes – e.g people going the wrong way on streets and people stopping in the bike lanes.
Maybe it will get better, but for now I’m perfectly fine with keeping Citibike riders out of Greenpoint.