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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 17, 2023 | The Indian Eye 20

Mayor Adams, DOT Commissioner Rodriguez,

Lyft Announce Expansion, Improvements to Citi Bike

System as Ridership Reaches Record Highs

Citi Bike Surpassed Single-Day Ridership Record,

Reached 200 Million All-Time Rides, and Opened 2,000th Station in September

OUR BUREAU
NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric
Adams, New York City De-
Npartment of Transportation
(DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodri-
guez, and Lyft today unveiled plans
to expand and improve the Citi Bike
system to meet ridership demand and
growth and to promote cycling and
micromobility. By the end of next
year, Citi Bike will double its electric
bike fleet and pilot at least two elec-
trified charging/docking stations, with
plans to electrify 20 percent of stations
in the coming years. Citi Bike will also
introduce new price caps to its e-bike
pricing model, and has already added
2,800 classic bikes and replaced 2,200
existing bikes as a part of its Phase 3
expansion.
Since its launch 10 years ago, Citi public bike share will be available more than 40,000 bikes. . This year’s “The growth of Citi Bike and
Bike has become a ubiquitous part for New Yorkers to do the same for expansion areas include Ditmas Park biking in the city attest to New York’s
of the fabric of New York City, and the next decade. As we work every and Flatbush in Brooklyn; Jackson increasing preference for sustainable
now is the largest bike share program day to promote safe cycling on bikes Heights, Corona, and Elmhurst in and convenient mobility options,” said
in the nation and the fastest-growing and e-bikes, we will never stop mak- Queens; and Bathgate and Marble Tri-State Transportation Campaign
transportation network in the city’s ing it greener, cleaner, and easier for Hill in the Bronx. executive director Renae Reynolds.
history with 200 million all-time rides. all New Yorkers to travel across our “With each new record set, we see “The addition of more electric bikes,
Lyft and the city have doubled the sys- great city.” how integral a role bike-share plays in charging stations, and protected bike
tem’s number of docking from 1,000 Under Mayor Adams’ leader- New York City’s transportation eco- lanes has never been more crucial. As
in August 2020 to 2,000 in September ship, New York City has launched and system,” said Manhattan Borough advocates for a more connected and
2023. In August 2023, the system set completed significant bike infrastruc- President Mark Levine. “Pedal-assist greener transportation network, we
a monthly record with over 4 million ture and greenway projects across all bikes are making longer commutes know that every neighborhood de-
rides, up 63 percent from 2019. A re- five boroughs. After winning a $7.25 possible for New Yorkers, and both serves a protected bike lane, docking
cord-breaking 161,422 Citi Bike rides million federal grant, the Adams ad- increasing their availability as well as stations, and that increased access to
took place on October 28, 2023, repre- ministration launched a groundbreak- creating a path toward electrification these mobility options is a win for our
senting approximately one-quarter of ing effort to expand the Harlem River are exciting steps forward.” city and a sustainable future.”
the total estimated cycling trips on an Greenway seven miles into the Bronx “This expansion of the Citi Bike “As more New Yorkers choose
average day in New York City. Addi- — delivering critical public space in a program is a significant step forward cycling as their preferred mode of
tionally, as of October 29, there have community too often left behind. The toward encouraging more and more transportation, doubling the number
been 30.7 million Citi Bike rides this administration has also completed people to get around our borough of e-bikes in Citi Bike’s fleet will un-
calendar year – setting a new annual and launched major bike infrastruc- and city by bike,” said Queens Bor- doubtedly further increase ridership
record with more than two months ture projects in East New York in ough President Donovan Richards and our shared goals of inclusion and
left in the year. Brooklyn, on Soundview Avenue in Jr. “Citi Bike has proven to be very empowerment,” said Bike New York
“Biking in New York City the Bronx, on Third Avenue in Man- popular wherever it has been avail- CEO Ken Podziba. “We’re thrilled
wouldn’t be what it is today without hattan, and more. able, and I am sure it will be even that Citi Bike broke another sin-
Citi Bike, and we’re launching a new The Citi Bike system has grown more popular thanks to today’s an- gle-day ridership record and reached
era of our city’s two-wheeled histo- to more than 30,000 bikes and 2,000 nouncement. I look forward to fu- the 200 million mark, and, with con-
ry by expanding and improving this stations, more than quadrupling its ture expansions of the Citi Bike pro- tinued bike infrastructure improve-
system,” said Mayor Adams. “I’ve fleet from 6,000 bikes and 332 sta- gram and will continue to partner ments and congestion pricing around
biked all across the city — from High tions at launch in May 2013. After the with the Department of Transporta- the corner, we see the number of rid-
Bridge to the Brooklyn Bridge — and completion of the current Phase 3 ex- tion to promote bicycling in Queens ers reaching greater heights leading to
this agreement with Lyft ensures that pansion, Citi Bike will have deployed and throughout New York City.” a healthier and greener city.”

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