The CitiBike Lowdown

To:  Community Board 6,  NYC Department of Transportation (John Frost, Colleen Chattergoon),        Borough President Scott Stringer (Jessica Silver)May 23, 2012The Turtle Bay Association and SAC have seen the recent maps of BikeShare stations (MN2 and MN4). In our community, 42nd to 59th streets from Lexington Avenue east, there are twelve stations with a total of 440 docks. The average size is 36.7 docks. The smallest is 23 docks (L6.6) and the biggest is 59 docks (J7.10).Prior to the issuance of these maps we, as well as many others in the city, were given assurances from DOT that the longest station would have only 20 docks. Needless to say, every single BikeShare station is longer – one nearly three times as long – with an average of almost double. We had reservations even about 20 dock stations; in our March 5, 2012, communication to DOT, the closing paragraph stated “While this 20 bicycle affair may be atypical and not the average rack there is no way that we can know exactly what size racks DOT are proposing for our community. We therefore lack the data with which to make a final decision as to which of the bicycle racks, including every one of those we have not deleted, are appropriate.”DOT was, to put it mildly, less than candid about the number of slots in its BikeShare racks, not only in Turtle Bay, but throughout the city. Bigger stations generate special problems. A 36.7 Citibike station, for example, will create a curbside barrier of at least 70 feet, blocking access for deliveries and customers for local businesses, trash removal, loss of parking (recall DOT said no stations would displace parking) and a hazard for the disabled and aged. This is unacceptable. According to  Gotham Gazette,  DOT is planning 540 stations for 7,000 Citibikes in Manhattan this coming July (another 3,000 are slated for Brooklyn early next year). That works out to 16.7 Citibikes per rack. Even allowing for some spare spaces, why are the stations more than TWICE the size needed?Accordingly, we object to each and every one of the Turtle Bay and SAC BikeShare stations on the ground that they are all far too large.DOT intends that each bicycle be used many times by different riders during the day.  During the daytime, a single Citibike could be on the street as many as 10 to 12 times with different riders.  With a total of 10,000 Citibikes in the City, they will be almost as omnipresent as the 13,000 medallion taxis, all competing for the same amount of streets. Is that good for either our neighborhoods or the City? Is it not better if DOT phased the program in stages, and then only after a trial run proved it successful, rather than charge full speed ahead with 10,000 CitiBikes. Because the subway is 10-15 minute walk from nearly all of Turtle Bay and SAC, there is less need of CitiBikes here. For those outside the area, there is always the previous proven solution – take the subway or bus and get off at the nearest train station or bus stop and …. walk.Is there a solution?  Yes. First, reduce the size of each station in Turtle Bay and SAC to 10 CitiBikes. Second, move the stations at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (where there is a need for security just as at the UN across the street), 2nd and 51st, 1st and 52nd, Sutton and 57th elsewhere. Third, phase the program carefully in stages, not all at once.Once again, we have a City agency moving much too fast largely for political or personal reasons on a project that affects hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of City dwellers, without carefully planning so that there are as few mistakes as possible. Haste makes waste. It is important to get this right from the beginning.(signed)SUTTON AREA COMMUNITY:  Gail Haft, President
TURTLE BAY ASSOCIATION:  Bruce A. Silberblatt, Vice President – Zoning/Land Use/Transportation Chairman