Mayor deBlasio Announces Lyft Investing $100 Million For Citi Bike Sharing System 5 Year Expansion Plan To More NYC Neighborhoods - But Roosevelt Island Not Included Without Docking Station Funding From RIOC

.@NYCMayor de Blasio Administration Announces Details of Major @CitiBikeNYC Expansion

City releases boundaries of Citi Bike’s next expansion, which will double the current service area by 35 square miles and triple the number of bikes to 40,000https://t.co/xiHTLNw1xW pic.twitter.com/bqWuJcLhgn

— City of New York (@nycgov) July 16, 2019

According to this excerpt from July 16 Press Release from NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio's office:

The de Blasio Administration joined Lyft to today announce the boundaries of the planned expansion of Citi Bike over the next five years, which will bring the nation's largest bike share system to a larger and more economically diverse range of communities. Last November, the City and Lyft announced an agreement in which Lyft would invest $100 million to grow and strengthen the system, doubling the size of its service area and tripling the number of bikes over the next five years. The third phase of Citi Bike's expansion will bring Citi Bike to all of Manhattan, as well as into the Bronx, and deeper into Brooklyn and Queens....

Except the Citi Bike expansion does not include all of Manhattan - Roosevelt Island is left out of the Citi Bike sharing system.

Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal:

Mayor deBlasio today announced a major expansion of Citibike but no mention of Roosevelt Island.

What is status of Citibike service to Roosevelt Island?

Ms Rosenthal replied:

We met with them and unlike the earlier business model, they now charge for the stations. I reached out to Hudson Related and Cornell to kick in some $$$ ... we need to follow-up.

When asked who is expected to pay for Roosevelt Island being part of the Citi Bike system, Ms Rosenthal said:

We do.

Meaning, unlike every other NYC neighborhood, Roosevelt Island alone is expected to pay for Citi Bike docking stations located on Roosevelt Island.

Why is that? Again, I asked Ms Rosenthal:

... Does this have anything to do with Roosevelt Island being State land? If yes, doesn't Battery Park City have docking stations? Who pays for that?

Ms Rosenthal replied:

Yes but I don’t know when the economic model changed nor do I know about Battery Park’s agreement.

According to Streetsblog:

... Citi Bike is that rarest of forms of mass transit: It gets no public subsidy. In fact, the Lyft-owned Citi Bike pays the city for the parking spaces its docks occupy...

Except that RIOC is expected to pay for Roosevelt Island docking stations.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos has been a long time supporter of bringing Citi Bike to Roosevelt Island.

Yesterday, I asked Mr. Kallos:

Any idea what status is of Citibike service to Roosevelt Island?

Even if no Citibike on Roosevelt Island, would it be possible to get Citibike Dock on Roosevelt Island Bridge next to Motorgate and include it in the Long Island City allocation.

Mr. Kallos replied:

Citi bike will be an excellent addition to Roosevelt Island's transportation options, allowing Islanders to easily move about the Island, to connect to the ferry, and to bike over the Red Bridge into Queens.

My office has been working with RIOC, DOT, and Citi bike's parent company Lyft to bring Citi bike to Roosevelt Island despite challenges posed by geography which makes it difficult to keep docks supplied with bikes on the island.

We will continue to push for the necessary players to come together and do their part to make this happen so Roosevelt Islanders can tap into the Citi bike network.

Roosevelt Island has been asking for bike sharing stations as far back as this 2010  demo and in 2014 was the neighborhood with most requests for bike sharing.

In 2017, Citi Bike sharing came to Astoria/Long Island City

Image From Citi Bike

which are the nearest locations to Roosevelt Island.

UPDATE 7/19, 1:45 PM - On July 18, I asked the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT):

... The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) told me that Citi Bike is requiring RIOC to pay for any Roosevelt Island Citi Bike Docking stations. Is that accurate?

If it is true, why is Citi Bike not paying for Roosevelt Island docking stations as it does for all other neighborhoods? How much money is RIOC being asked to pay for installation of docks?

Are there any other neighborhoods that are required to pay for the docks? if yes, which ones?

When do you anticipate Citi Bike coming to Roosevelt Island?

A DOT spokesperson replied today:

To clarify, Roosevelt Island is included in the expansion and due to the deal with Lyft to expand Citi Bike, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp is not obligated to pay for docking stations.

No mention of when Roosevelt Island will be included in the expansion. I followed up asking when that would happen. Will update when more info received.

UPDATE 7/19, 2:30 PM - RIOC President Susan Rosenthal adds:

I’m very happy to hear about this change in the Citi Bike program. My staff and I look forward to discussing the idea of bringing Citi Bike to Roosevelt Island with NYC DOT in the near future.