A new bike share program gives New Yorkers an alternative to crowded subways and expensive cab fare.
According to ABC News, the privately financed program called Citi Bike, after lead sponsor Citigroup Inc. - kicked off with 6,000 bikes at more than 300 stations. The city intends to split any profits with Citigroup, which is paying $41 million to sponsor the program. MasterCard is paying an additional $6.5 million.
Bloomberg's administration reportedly has added hundreds of miles of bike lanes and promoted cycling as a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to driving.
Future plans call for expanding the program to 10,000 bikes with racks located in 600 places in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Riders may now unlock the bikes from any station, renting them for 45 minutes before returning them to any rack location.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg officially introduced the program on Monday.
"We now have an entirely new transportation network without spending any taxpayer money," said an enthusiastic Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a news conference.
Citi Bike share subscribers must pay a $95 annual fee for unlimited rides of 45 minutes. On June 2, subscribers will be able to buy a 24-hour pass for $10 and a seven-day pass for $25; both allow for an unlimited number of 30-minute trips.
New York's is the biggest bike share system in the United States. Fifteen thousand people already have signed up for New York's program, city Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Kahn said.
Not all New Yorkers are thrilled about the bike stations. Many are enraged that racks are blocking the entrances to their buildings. New York residents who own cars dislike that the bikes are taking up invaluable parking space to a city that is already lacking. Some apartment owners have even gone as far as threaten lawsuits against the program.
In order to adhere to the public's complaints, some racks have been shortened or moved. According the ABC News, officials said they held 400 community meetings to decide where to put the racks. Bloomberg noted that New Yorkers have long had to work around parked cars and other curbside obstacles.