TRIBECA — Art has hit the street in TriBeCa to celebrate the rollout of Citi Bike.
The Department of Transportation’s Urban Art Program recently covered part of Franklin Street between West Broadway and Varick Street, home to a new Citi Bike station, with colorful art to mark the launch of the bike share program, officials said.
The TriBeCa street mural will be the first in a series of Citi Bike station asphalt designs, said Emily Colassaco, manager of DOT’s Urban Art Program — though she did not specify where or when the next pieces would appear.
Brooklyn artist Emily Caisip’s design — a bright blue base embossed with whimsical red feathers — was chosen out of about 21 artist proposals for Franklin Street, Colassaco told Community Board 1 last month.
The city coated the short block, which was closed to traffic to make room for the Citi Bike dock, with a special latex paint that will naturally wear away in about a year.
While some passersby said they weren't particularly enamored of the new art, several said they liked the added splash of color on the street.
"I think it's great — I love it," said Phoebe Plagens, 30, a longtime TriBeCa resident. "It really brightens up this area."