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Opinion: Just heard about Citi Bike? Don’t complain.

webadmin on February 9, 2023

A Citi Bike docking station in Glendale.

It’s now February, and as promised, more Citi Bike stations are creeping into the streets of Queens.

But somehow despite Community Boards discussing the topic at every meeting, civic associations fighting against the DOT’s original rollout plan and local reporters screaming into the void for a year, the normies are only just finding out about it.

Our question to them is: Have you been living under a rock?

In District 5 of Queens, for example, Citi Bikes are a hot button issue given that the communities of Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale fit the bill for being “transit deserts.” Additionally, NYC Economic Development Corporation produced a chart based on Census data, which shows that well over 60 percent of households in District 5 own cars.

Since the release of the DOT’s initial Citi Bike draft plan around this time last year, many longtime community residents have been angry and confused about the commercial enterprise coming to their neighborhood.

This is especially due to the fact that many of the Citi Bike docking stations were placed in roadbeds – where up to three parking spaces per station will be surrendered – as opposed to on sidewalks.

Elected officials, including Councilman Robert Holden and members of Community Board 5, have expressed their dismay with the DOT’s lack of transparency, since it neglected to present its Citi Bike draft plan for CB5 to vote on.

Juniper Park Civic Association released two reasonably feasible counter proposals in response to the DOT’s plan, where the group advocated for more stations to sit on sidewalks instead of in the street. CB5 also fought like hell, voting overwhelmingly in favor of submitting a letter to the DOT requesting that they be able to play an active role in the implementation of the program and the placement of these stations.

“Lyft’s Citi Bike program continues to gobble up parking spaces badly needed by hardworking New Yorkers, like a giant corporate PAC-MAN who refuses to hear the reasonable requests of middle-class neighborhoods in favor of the fanatical anti-car movement and a corporation with a vested interest in getting New Yorkers to give up owning cars,” Holden said in a statement back in July. “One of the great things about living in New York City, particularly in Queens, is that every neighborhood has its own character. The Queens DOT denies this unique diversity by forcing a one-size fits all approach to bike stations across the city.

In order to prevent this menace to our community, we needed to come together as a massive unit of residents and reach out to the powers that be. People who were angry and concerned about this stark loss of parking and ostracization of disabled and elderly folks who cannot use these bikes, needed to open their mouths – BEFORE, not after they’ve been fully implemented.

You’ll be hard pressed to get these things taken down by the DOT once they’re up.

Our newspaper and several other hyperlocal papers worked diligently to inform readers about this addition to the community through many meticulously reported updates and articles. We call on real New Yorkers to stay informed on what’s going on around them by supporting local journalism and using their voice to advocate for their best interests.

Once all the hipsters are over living in NYC for the aesthetic and head back to the Midwest to settle down, they will not take the bikes with them. We’ll be stuck living with it. Don’t let it happen again when the next big thing plagues our neighborhoods.

New Citi Bike stations ‘on hold’ for District 5

Jessica Meditz on December 21, 2022

CB5 votes to send letter to DOT requesting input

By Jessica Meditz

[email protected]

The original proposal for the Citi Bike expansion in District 5, circulated by the DOT.

As the implementation of new Citi Bike stations for Queens District 5 comes closer, the debate on where they should go continues among members of the community.

Following an eventful Transportation Committee meeting of Community Board 5 on Nov. 29, the incoming installations are now “on hold” pending community feedback — much to the dismay of some residents.

The committee resolved that it would pen a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting that the board be able to play an “active role” in the implementation of the program and the placement of these stations. In the interest of preserving as many parking spaces as possible, the committee stated a preference for stations on sidewalks, daylighting and no parking areas.

At CB5’s monthly meeting on Dec. 14, the board voted overwhelmingly in favor of submitting the letter, in hopes that they can figure out a way to make the Citi Bike system work for everyone.

CB5 voted in favor of sending a letter to the DOT, requesting that they play an active role in the implementation of the program.

“A lot of people in the community have various opinions on it, and everyone just wants to make sure it’s implemented in a way that provides the maximum benefit, while minimizing any consequences or downstream negative effects,” Eric Butkiewicz, a Middle Village resident and chairman of the Transportation Committee, said in an interview.

He said that the DOT has scrapped the original map of the draft plan that was circulated earlier this year, in wake of the pause for community input.

The installation of the stations will be delayed until at least January, but it’s not certain as to when residents will begin seeing more Citi Bikes.

“I think this is the proper way to do it. [The DOT] is open to community feedback and how they go about putting these stations within the grid, and I think that’s where we come in as a Community Board…what works and what doesn’t,” Butkiewicz continued. “It seems that the DOT has scrapped or put aside locations in the previous plan that were right outside businesses, which they thought were a good idea. Once they consulted or heard feedback from those local businesses, they found out that it would conflict severely with the ability for them to operate.”

While Butkiewicz feels the recent conversations around the Citi Bike installation have been productive, other locals feel disappointed in the new plans and left out of the conversation — including Rachel Albetski, an urban planner who resides in Ridgewood.

She and another resident attended the last Transportation Committee meeting to engage with board members and publicly discuss Citi Bike in a positive light to demonstrate that many locals are in favor of the expansion happening as quickly as possible.

“As soon as the door was opened to let us into the meeting, we were immediately questioned by the District Manager [Gary Giordano] where we were coming from and who we’re associated with…I was really taken aback,” Albetski said in an interview. “I’ve never ever been treated like that at a public meeting.”

Albetski claimed that she was told the entry restrictions were COVID-related, and that she did not see a Zoom link immediately available as a remote option.

She was eventually let into the meeting and shared her thoughts about Citi Bike to all who were present.

“I just wanted to give a positive voice to someone who is pro Citi Bike, and part of that stance is being in favor of seeing them in the roadbed and not on the sidewalk. Once they’re on the sidewalk, you’re further congesting sidewalk space…sidewalk space is at a premium and they’re already congested. It just doesn’t make sense to put Citi Bike on the sidewalk,” Albetski said.

She argued that the discussion at the meeting to go back to the drawing board in terms of placements of the stations was confusing, and said that this would only delay the project from community members who will benefit from more Citi Bikes now.

“That process should be open to more people besides the ones in that room because I don’t really think that it’s completely representative of what everyone in the actual broader community thinks. You’re saying that no one wants this and that the community is against it, but there’s actually a broad swath of people out there that really want to see it,” she said. “It’s just good to have another option for people when they just want to get around within their neighborhood, and it’s a great supplement for trips that would have been made by transit or car.”

Various letters of support from locals were submitted to the public forum of the recent monthly board meeting, as well as another letter questioning whether or not the CB meetings are actually public.

In reference to the Transportation Committee meeting, Giordano said that all members of the public who wanted to be let in, were indeed permitted to enter.

“I had some concern about additional people coming, to the point where it would be unsafe — especially with COVID,” he said. “We didn’t have anyone standing outside not able to get in.”

All members of the community were then encouraged to become involved in future meetings, reiterating that every meeting — both committee and board meetings — are open to the public.

Group calls for regulation of all two-wheeled motorized vehicles

Jessica Meditz on October 26, 2022

By Jessica Meditz

[email protected]

As locals continue to see more motorized vehicles other than standard cars on the streets, many hope that the operators — and the law — will uphold the responsibility involved with being on the road in any capacity.

In recent weeks, the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association (RPOCA) penned a letter to local elected officials Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan and State Senator Joseph Addabbo to propose state legislation that would regulate all motorized, two-wheeled and over vehicles.

In the letter, the group called for these vehicles to be licensed, with a metal license plate on the rear, and insured.

They also believe that all operators of such vehicles should be required to pass a written and driving test to be licensed.

The group feels that, if passed, this legislation would significantly reduce the number of traffic accidents and pedestrian injuries.

Charles Ober, the group’s president, said that as a civic association, part of their grassroots mission is to address concerns they’ve heard from members of the community — these vehicles being a common one.

“The basic complaint is they do not follow any of the traffic rules. They are very unsafe, a lot of them don’t even wear helmets. They have passengers on the back of them with no helmets, they snake in and out of traffic, they cut cars off, they go through red lights and don’t stop at stop signs,” Ober said.

“We would like to see that they be registered and insured. This is a big issue, and we think that the state can regulate it better and give the Police Department tools to enforce the law,” he continued. “We’re not trying to force them off the road, we’re asking them to follow the rules.”

According to an infographic from the DOT, Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes, as well as e-scooters are not currently required to be licensed or registered.

Source: DOT.

For e-scooters and Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, helmets are recommended for all, but required for 16 and 17-year-old riders and working cyclists.

All mopeds must be licensed, registered and insured — however, some residents claim that they’ve seen these vehicles operating with no license plate, as well as illegal e-mobility devices such as segways or electric skateboards.
“We’re concerned that we see unlicensed scooters and motorbikes. I saw a guy on a segway going down Central Avenue, and I saw a guy on a motorized skateboard going in the wrong direction. These vehicles are always just zooming about, zipping across traffic in and out, not stopping for lights,” said Peggy O’Kane, secretary of RPOCA.

“They’re a danger to pedestrians and cars, and they’re a danger to themselves.”

Her biggest concern is safety and accountability for all.

“People have no sense of obligation that they need to take responsibility. I think if they had to have some kind of insurance, it would be a benefit to everybody, because if they injure somebody — that somebody is straight out of luck.” she said.

At the June 104 Community Council meeting, Deputy Inspector Kevin Coleman, Commanding Officer of the 104th Precinct, said that when it comes to illegal motorbikes, the 104’s efforts are to remove them from the streets.

“What we do is we set up operations for this kind of thing and try and get them somewhere where there’s a bottleneck so we can enclose them and grab them,” Coleman said.

On Oct. 15, the 104 Precinct took to Twitter to announce the confiscation of several illegal dirt bikes, mopeds and ATVs.

When asked about his thoughts surrounding the issue, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi said he “would be open” to further regulation of these vehicles.

“There are motorized scooters all over the place where they shouldn’t be. They’re in parks, on sidewalks, they scare people and they sound terrible,” he said. “I would be open to reasonable regulations for these vehicles.”