Citi Bike expansion in Bushwick and Ridgewood begins next week
Next week, Citi Bike will begin the first phase of a four-year expansion that will double the system’s New York City footprint. The blue bikes are coming to a larger area of Bushwick and, for the first time, Ridgewood, Streetsblog reports. L train riders will have more options thanks to 85 new stations in those neighborhoods.
As 6sqft previously reported, since it was first introduced in 2013, Citi Bike has grown its New York City presence from operating 6,000 bikes to a total of 10,000 bikes in more than 600 locations. When the first phase is complete there will be 14,500 Citi Bikes available in the city.
Caroline Samponaro, Director of Micromobility Policy for Citi Bike’s parent company, Lyft, said in a statement: “Fresh on the heels of nearly 10 record-breaking days this summer and more than 2.3 million Citi Bike rides in August alone, we are thrilled to bring Citi Bike to more New Yorkers this month, and with Citi Bike directly available within the Lyft app, residents of Bushwick, Ridgewood, and beyond can soon seamlessly experience the benefits of bike share and how transformative Citi Bike can be for getting around our city.”
As 6sqft previously reported, car-sharing company Lyft purchased Citi Bike’s operator Motivate last year, which meant a $100 million investment in the program’s expansion and a vow to triple the Citi Bike fleet over the next five years to double its size. Over the next three years, the program will reach to docks in a larger area of Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens (but still no bikes for Staten Island).
Before the end of 2023, expect new bike share stations in Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill, Washington Heights and Inwood in Manhattan; Mott Haven, Melrose, Port Morris, Highbridge, Claremont, Morrisania, Longwood, Concourse and Mount Eden in the Bronx. In Brooklyn, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, East Flatbush, Sunset Park, South Slope, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Park South, and Kensington are getting new bikes. Sunnyside, Maspeth, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Corona in Queens can expect to benefit as well.
And this Saturday, Sept. 21, you’ll be able to enjoy Citi Bike rides for free: Free Ride Day, sponsored by Healthfirst, gives you the first 30 minutes of each ride free when you use the Citi Bike app. How to get your free rides and more info can be found here.
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