With Citi Bike, New York's landmark bike-share program, set to miss its expected July launch, city officials and the company running the program are giving few clues as to what's causing the delay and when the program may actually become operational.
"Software Problems"
According to Matt Flegenheimer, Mayor Bloomberg's vague explanation seems to be the only public indication as to what may be delaying the launch of New York's highly touted bike-share system. With the Transportation Department saying only that it was "working on the
launch plan" and promising updates "as soon as we finalize
all the details," elected officials and members of the public are becoming frustrated with the city's lack of transparency over the cause of the delays and uncertain start date, writes Flegenheimer.
According to Ted Mann, writing in The Wall Street Journal, the delays may hit operator Alta Bicycle Share in the wallet. "While representatives for the mayor and the Department of
Transportation have refused to discuss Alta's contract with the city, a
review of the document suggests the city could seek payment if the
system isn't operational after July 31, the 'go live date' named in the
agreement."
However, with Alta footing the bill for the entire project, at no expense to the city, "Bloomberg and other city officials have so far shown no intention of
penalizing Alta for the expected delay to one of the signature
initiatives of the mayor's third term," writes Mann.
FULL STORY: On Delay in Bike-Share Program, City Gives Few Details Beyond ‘Software’
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie