transportation

Citi Bike May Be Best Hope for Stranded G Train Riders

Lots of people along the G line would like Citi Bike stations in their neighborhoods, from Hasids in South Williamsburg to at least one guy in Bed Stuy. But those at the north end of the line may actually be the first to get them, as the MTA considers a plan to fund an expansion of the program to the area that will lose train service this year and next thanks to post-Sandy repairs. It’s not a done deal, but the Daily News ran a hopeful report that the MTA and the Bloomberg administration are having an “active discussion” about getting the authority to pay for the expansion.

The push has been on for a while now to get the program into the neighborhood to make up for the upcoming loss of train service; the MTA plans to close for twelve weekends this year and five months in the summer of 2014. As Gothamist reported last week, Councilman Stephen Levin has been lobbying the Department of Transportation to green-light the expansion. He started a petition to Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, and has been asking the MTA to fund the project. The Daily News report is the first sign that may be working.

Ironically, Sandy is the whole reason Citi Bike hasn’t already opened in Long Island City and Greenpoint, as was originally intended. The storm damaged equipment in the program’s Navy Yard facility, causing the city to scale back the launch. What’s the saying? A rising tide lifts all budgets?

Citi Bike May Be G Train Riders’ Best Hope