Roosevelt Island Citibike Service, Motogate Bike Lane/Ramp, Island House/Westview Lease Amendments & MTA Strecker Lab Building Redesign On RIOC Real Estate Committee Meeting Agenda For February 26

When you unlock a Citi Bike, you unlock New York. 🚲

Grab a Single Ride pass in the Citi Bike or Lyft App for just $3 and get exploring! https://t.co/xcniCcRfrh pic.twitter.com/6SPtPwdWIE

— Citi Bike (@CitiBikeNYC) February 25, 2020

Roosevelt Island is surrounded by Citibike sharing stations in Queens and Manhattan

 Image From Citi Bike

but none on Roosevelt Island.

The answer to the question when Roosevelt Island will get Citibike docking stations may be more clear after tomorrow's Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) meeting.

Among the items on the Agenda is:

Discussion of Citibike Agreement

I asked RIOC today:

Is there an agreement with Citibke for Roosevelt Island service?

How many bikes and docking stations and where will they be located.

RIOC Public Information Officer Terrence McCauley replied:

There is no agreement with Citi Bike yet, though we are briefing the committee this week and will bring it before the board on March 5th. The final numbers are being worked out as we speak.

In response to my inquiry, NYC Council Member Ben Kallos, who has been a long time advocate for Roosevelt Island Citibike service, reports:

CitiBike share for Roosevelt Island was one of my first campaign promises. The Roosevelt Islander was the first to identify more request for CitiBike on Roosevelt Island than anywhere else in the City. Bike Share for Roosevelt Island was the first resolution we passed through RIRA and CB8M as a candidate to be your Council Member.

In the years since we've worked through multiple owners of CitiBike to pursue this expansion while eliminating costs to the Island, secured permission from the Department of Transportation, and found a willing partner in President Susan Rosenthal to move forward.

It is good to see the years of work finally paying off. I look forward to working with RIOC, RIRA, and residents on a roll-out that makes a CitiBike a welcome addition to Roosevelt Island.

CitiBike is going to make getting around Roosevelt Island a whole lot faster, whether Four Freedoms or Lighthouse Park or destinations in between.

A Citibike spokesperson adds:

Lyft has been in touch with RIOC about the potential to bring Citi Bike service to Roosevelt Island residents this year. No agreement has been reached. We hope to have more to share soon.

More on the many years of efforts to get Roosevelt Island Citbike service at this prior post.

Also on the meeting agenda is a discussion of the proposed $14 million Roosevelt Island Motogate Bike Lane and Bike Ramp.

 2017 RIOC rendering of proposed Bridge Ramp

Here's the full agenda for REDAC meeting tomorrow.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Main Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.Agenda:

• 1. Discussion of MTA Building Re-Design
• 2. Discussion of Citibike Agreement
• 3. Discussion of Bike Lane and Bike Ramp
• 4. Discussion of Island House and Westview Lease Joint Amendments
• 5. Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee