Queens neighbors push back on Citi Bike’s Forest Hills expansion

Forest Hills residents are pushing back on the Citi Bike stations that went up across the Queens neighborhood over the past month. They say the docks take parking spaces, crowd sidewalks and seem to stay full of bikes most of the time.

The neighborhood’s count has reached 44 stations, spread over both main roads and residential blocks. They are part of the bike share expansion Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced in recent days. That expansion grew the network by 11%, adding 234 stations spread over seven neighborhoods across the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The city says the expansion added roughly 10 square miles of coverage, bringing Citi Bike’s total service area to 86.5 square miles, according to the NYC Mayor’s Office. The city’s release counts more than 230 stations and 3,700 docks across the seven neighborhoods, according to the NYC Mayor’s Office. With the expansion, the city says 62% of New Yorkers live within the Citi Bike service area, according to the NYC Mayor’s Office.

Forest Hills Citi Bike complaints

Joe Augello, a 70-year-old insurance broker who has lived in the area for three decades, said he started noticing the new docks about a month ago. “There are too many. It’s ridiculous,” he said. He objected most to stations placed in front of private homes. He said they leave little room for people in wheelchairs or pushing strollers, and he noted that many people in the neighborhood drive.

Sergey Davydov, 41, said the docks take up a lot of parking and are mostly full because few people use them. Arthur Feigenbaum, 73, called the stations a bad idea.

Citi Bike e-bike prices draw criticism

Cost is another complaint. David Ruiz, 23, of Corona, said $8 is too much for a five-minute ride. He pays $220 for an annual electric membership because it costs less than paying for each trip.

A city spokesperson said the city takes a “thoughtful approach” to choosing locations. The spokesperson added that ridership is often high even in neighborhoods that are skeptical at first, once residents come around to the service. The city did not say why Forest Hills was chosen. According to City Hall, Lyft also intends to put hundreds of docks within the existing coverage area this fall, with Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Gowanus, Chelsea and Midtown among the spots.

What it means for you

Lyft plans to add hundreds more docks inside the existing service area this fall, so more docks could appear in neighborhoods that already have stations, according to the NYC Mayor’s Office.