Sandy Was a Double-Edged Sword for Bikes in NYC

In the immediate aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, bicycles appeared to be the big winner in the ensuing transportation chaos. This week, however, it was revealed that efforts to expand bike use in the city were also one of the storm's victims.

November 15, 2012, 7am PST | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

Matt Flegenheimer reports that equipment being stored for New York's bedeviled bike-share program, which has been delayed from its expected summer launch date until next spring, "found its way into Hurricane Sandy's unsparing path."

Housed along the Wallabout Bay waterfront at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, docking stations and other program equipment were damaged when Building 293 flooded. "The city's Transportation Department would not describe or detail the extent of the damage; officials released a brief statement on Tuesday saying that the agency was 'making an assessment' and would provide updates if the program's rollout might be affected."

Flegenheimer points out that, "[t]he dock stations would appear to be particularly vulnerable to any flooding, given their electronic components, though officials did not respond to questions about potential damage."

"Officials said it was premature to estimate whether the flooding could affect the program's start date, scheduled for next March."

Full Story:

Bike-Share Equipment Apparently Damaged by Flooding

Published on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 in The New York Times