Well maybe. The New York City Council has proposed $12 million in funding for Citi Bike as the only solution to finally bringing the bike share program to The Bronx and other parts of the city.
Since the inception of the bike share service, Citi Bike has predominantly ignored low income communities of color (with the exception of East Harlem/El Barrio which finally got the service last year) and even Jersey City got them before us!
Bike sharing programs such as Citi Bikes are actually more beneficial to low income communities as an alternative to ever rising MTA fare hikes so if this proposal goes through, it can have a positive impact on our communities that need it the most.
A yearly membership is $163 for unlimited use for a full year (up to 45 minutes per ride) or $14 per month.
Best of all, residents of NYCHA get a major discount at just $5 a month (just $60 a year).
Clearly this is a better way of getting around with one way subway fare at $2.75 a pop or $121 monthly unlimited.
According to the Daily News, the $12 million can get an additional 2,000 bikes on the ground without having to wait for Citi Bike to actually do it themselves.
While these amenities can clearly be seen as a vehicle (pun intended) for gentrification especially since they’d be coming to the South Bronx, is it if everyone else has access to them too?
Let’s hope this gets approved so our residents can get a move on!
