Roosevelt Island’s next door neighbors living in Astoria will soon have Citibike docking stations. According to the Astoria Post:

The first batch of Citi Bikes will be rolling in to Astoria sometime this summer.

The Department of Transportation presented a map of 59 proposed locations for Citi Bike docking stations at a Community Board 1 Transportation Committee meeting last night, though DOT is still looking for feedback on the proposed locations.

Under the plan, 59 docking stations would be installed within the boundaries of Queens Plaza North, 44th Street, Ditmars Boulevard and the waterfront beginning this summer. Twelve of the locations would be installed on the roadway, and the rest would be added on the sidewalk….

But, still no Citibike stations for Roosevelt Island even though Citibike riders can often be seen on Roosevelt Island
and Roosevelt Island was the neighborhood with most request for Citibike docking stations. Hopes were high in September 2010 for a Roosevelt Island bike sharing station when the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp ( RIOC ) undertook a demonstration here.
Nothing came of it. The closest Astoria Citibike docking station to Roosevelt Island appears to be Spirit Playground, 2 blocks from the Roosevelt Island Bridge, at 36th Ave/10 Street ( We Heart Astoria has a large map of the proposed sites) Citibike stations are already located in nearby Long Island City.
Image from Google Maps Will Citibike ever install bicycle sharing stations on Roosevelt Island? I asked Roosevelt Island’s NYC Council Member Ben Kallos , a long time supporter of Citibike stations on Roosevelt Island. According to Council Member Kallos:

Roosevelt Island began investigating the options of a bike share in the summer of 2012 when the city first launched its program. With the ongoing support from the community, Citibike docking stations were requested for R.I., more than any other zip code in town. The community deserves to be a part of this successful initiative. Bike share systems provide sturdy bikes at self-service docking stations and are available 24/7.

Its a great alternative means of transportation and is a quick and healthy way to get around the island. We are currently exploring bringing CitiBike to Roosevelt Island jointly with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), the Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and Motivate.

If we can’t get Citibike on Roosevelt Island in the near term, perhaps a docking station at the top of the helix
Image From 2 014 NYC DOT Western Queens Transportation Study before entering Motorgate Garage would work? UPDATE 4/19 – Except, I don’t think we want Roosevelt Island jam packed with tourists on bicycles.

Roosevelt Islander