Get Excited: The Latest Citi Bike Map Is Out

Detail of Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn / Credit: DOT

It's (almost) here: the rollout of our very own bikeshare system, Citi Bike. Yes, we are years behind other major cities, but in fairness to DOT New York is a big place (and some people here really, really hate bikes). But for those of us who have been waiting to join the rest of the first world and enjoy a world class bikeshare system, we are just a few months away from being in luck.

Thanks to a bit of Sandy-related damage, not all of the system will roll out immediately. Instead, DOT will start with 293 stations (in blue on the map), expanding to 420 stations by the end of the year. That will add those gray points on the map, mostly in Bed-Stuy, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and LIC.

So what does it mean for the average Brooklynite? Bikeshare systems like Citi Bike allow users to enjoy the benefits of bike ownership without the hassle of locking up at home or your destination, nor any responsibility for maintenance. Just take any available bike from a dock, and return it to an open docking space at your destination. With a well developed network, bikeshare is a great way to commute, run to the store, visit friends, even have a night out (the blog reminds you that biking drunk, while not technically illegal, is still a tremendously irresponsible idea). In DC, where Capital Bikeshare has been operating since 2010, red and gold bikes have become a mainstay of the morning and afternoon commutes; the biggest problems with the system have been associated with too much demand leading to occasional imbalances (full/empty docks) around rush hour. You can read about DC's success and see a great visualization of how extensive the daily flow of CaBi bikes at area blog Greater Greater Washington.

Here in South Brooklyn, we'll have to walk a little to enjoy the system, as Atlantic Ave is the de facto southern boundary for Citi Bike at this time. But with that little walk, this summer we'll be able to enjoy quick and easy bike trips to virtually anywhere in Manhattan south of Central Park, not to mention Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO, Fort Greene and, later in the year, Williamsburg. And don't forget that DOT is still planning on adding another 180 or so stations. They collected thousands of suggestions in 2011-2012, and they are still working with community boards, including CB6, to determine the best locations. I'm partial to filling in some of the transit gaps along Columbia Street and in Red Hook, but there are plenty of places nearby that would benefit from another convenient transportation option. Have a look, have your say, and enjoy having another option to get from A to B.