NYC Sets Launch Date for Citi Bike Share

Finally. After years of waiting, the city is rolling out its bike share program on Memorial Day.

The rent-a-bikes will be available first to those who cough up the $95 annual membership fee. The more cautious opting for a daily or weekly membership will have access a week later, on June 2.

Eager beavers take note: if you want to make use of the bikes during opening week, you must sign up for the annual membership by May 17 in order to get your electronic key in time.

For Prospect Heighters, below are the closest Citi Bike stations. See a map of all the locations here.

- Dean Street and 5th Avenue- Atlantic Avenue at Fort Green Place (in front of Atlantic Center)

- Franklin Avenue at Lefferts Place (one block north of Atlantic Avenue)

- Fulton Street at the following intersections: Clermont, Waverly and Grand

And no, there is no date set yet for when the bikes will come to our side of Atlantic. … Maybe in 2014. Long Island City, Greenpoint and Williams are getting them next. No, I don't know why the DOT likes them better. ... Anyway, let's move on.  

The bikes will also be available every few blocks in Manhattan below 59th Street, so if you don’t live near Atlantic Avenue, they’ll still be useful for crosstown jaunts.

Convinced they're still going to be useful to you? Ok, good. Here are the deets:

-Annual memberships offer unlimited rides of 45 minutes or less and cost $95.
-Daily memberships will be available for $9.95 a day or $25 a week, and allow unlimited rides of 30 minutes or less at no additional cost.

-Longer rides cost more in both plans, but are cheaper with the annual membership.

See the Citi Bike site to sign up and see pricing details.