A Bike Share kiosk located on the corner of Park ave. and St. Edwards Street in Brooklyn. Photo: Onissa Sancho

By: Onissa Sancho

Residents of Fort Greene and surrounding areas of Brooklyn attended a town hall meeting on April 24 to learn about and offer feedback on the Citi Bike Share Program, which was newly introduced by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT). Under this program, the DOT installed hundreds of bike stations, known as kiosks, throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. These Kiosks will have bikes available for rent that can be used by the public at their discretion.

Several people attended the meeting, which was organized by Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James and the DOT, held at the Church of the Sacred Heart located at 30 Clermont Ave. in Brooklyn. After introducing the hosts of the event, James opened the floor to questions from the audience.

As many questions were asked, the reactions of the audience made it clear that the room was divided; there were residents in favor of the Bike Share and those against it.“My problem is not with the program,” said one Brooklyn resident, “I think it’s fine, however it’s a commercial enterprise and it doesn’t need to be in a residential, historic district.” Several individuals felt similarly; another resident presented a signed petition with over 100 signatures of local residents who want the kiosks on their block removed. “We have enough schools, we have enough city parks, why aren’t we using city property? Why are [kiosks] here burdening our tax paying citizens?” Though several complaints about the locations of the kiosks and the parking issues presented to residents, many people were in favor of the Bike Share program. “I am so excited for Bike Share, because the best way through this city is on a bike,” one enthusiastic resident said. “If you’re worried about parking, keep your car parked and use Bike Share.”

Councilwoman James took to the microphone to inform the audience that within ten years working closely in Brooklyn neighborhoods, a number of fatalities have occurred in the area involving bikes being struck by cars. James said she would rather allow the kiosks to stay as “an age old reminder that we need to share the road and need to respect those who lost their lives.”

Residents of Fort Greene and surrounding areas of Brooklyn attended a town hall meeting on April 24 to learn about and offer feedback on the Citi Bike Share Program, which was newly introduced by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT). Under this program, the DOT installed hundreds of bike stations, known as kiosks, throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. These Kiosks will have bikes available for rent that can be used by the public at their discretion.

Several people attended the meeting, which was organized by Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James and the DOT, held at the Church of the Sacred Heart located at 30 Clermont Ave. in Brooklyn. After introducing the hosts of the event, James opened the floor to questions from the audience.

As many questions were asked, the reactions of the audience made it clear that the room was divided; there were residents in favor of the Bike Share and those against it.“My problem is not with the program,” said one Brooklyn resident, “I think it’s fine, however it’s a commercial enterprise and it doesn’t need to be in a residential, historic district.” Several individuals felt similarly; another resident presented a signed petition with over 100 signatures of local residents who want the kiosks on their block removed. “We have enough schools, we have enough city parks, why aren’t we using city property? Why are [kiosks] here burdening our tax paying citizens?” Though several complaints about the locations of the kiosks and the parking issues presented to residents, many people were in favor of the Bike Share program. “I am so excited for Bike Share, because the best way through this city is on a bike,” one enthusiastic resident said. “If you’re worried about parking, keep your car parked and use Bike Share.”

Councilwoman James took to the microphone to inform the audience that within ten years working closely in Brooklyn neighborhoods, a number of fatalities have occurred in the area involving bikes being struck by cars. James said she would rather allow the kiosks to stay as “an age old reminder that we need to share the road and need to respect those who lost their lives.”