LONG ISLAND CITY — Citi Bike will roll into the neighborhood this year, answering the calls of cyclists and local politicians who've been pushing to see the program expand into Queens.
The blue bikes are expected to launch in Long Island City sometime in the second half of 2015, part of a plan to more than double the number of Citi Bike stations in the city over the next two years.
There are 11 stations in the works for the neighborhood, according to the Department of Transportation's plans — sites chosen more than two years ago after meetings with local elected officials, Queens Community Board 2 and a public planning workshop.
"We're pretty excited about this," said Steve Scofield, a member of the Queens committee for bike advocacy group Transportation Alternatives.
"I think you're going to see people using it to go over the Queensboro Bridge, I think you're going to see a lot of people using it to go from Long Island City to Greenpoint and Williamsburg," he said.
Long Island City was originally supposed to get bike share stations during Citi Bike's initial launch, but flooding to equipment during Hurricane Sandy delayed the program's rollout there.
Stations have been proposed for busy and well-populated locations, like near the Queensboro Plaza and Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue subway stations.
There will also be 31 bike docks on 21st Street near the Queensbridge Houses, 35 docks on 44th Drive near the Citigroup Building in Court Square, a station on Center Boulevard near the East River Ferry stop and another on Jackson Avenue near MoMA PS1, among others.
"I think it's good," said Luis Garrido, an accountant who works in Hunters Point, near where the Citi Bike station is planned for Vernon Boulevard near 50th Avenue.
"There's only one way of transportation here," he said, referring to the problem-riddled 7 train. "If the 7 train isn't working, you can use the bike."
Scofield said he and other transit advocates have some concerns about the station planned for 31st Street off Thompson Avenue near LaGuardia Community College, where he said biking can be "pretty hairy" due to heavy traffic in the area and the need for more bike lanes.
"We need some more bike infrastructure there," he said, but added that overall, he's pretty happy with the planned Citi Bike locations so far.
"Obviously, we'd like to see more," Scofield said, adding that he's eager to see bike share expand to Astoria and other parts of Queens.
Officials said last fall that a major expansion is in the works, with Astoria, Harlem, and the Upper East and Upper West sides in Manhattan slated to get Citi Bike in the coming years. Stations are also being planned for several more neighborhoods in Brooklyn, including Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Is there anywhere else in the neighborhood you think a Citi Bike station should go, or any spots you disagree with? Let us know in the comments.
