The Methodology of Bike-Share Station Placement in New York City

Last month, New York City selected Alta Bicycle Share to develop and operate its long-awaited bike-share program. Having finally arrived at this decision, the city must now shift its focus to 600 others: That's how many stations it intends to place throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn before the program's launch, which is scheduled for the summer of 2012. This first phase of 10,000 bikes alone will make NYC Bike Share the largest such program in United States, and among the largest in the world.

The situation seems primed for success. Two out of every five trips made in New York City are under a mile, or roughly 20 blocks, and to date the city has constructed hundreds of miles of bike lanes to facilitate the travel mode. Still the station selection process can't be taken lightly. Putting bike-share docks too far apart can frustrate riders trying to get as close as possible to their final destination; failing to stitch them into the city's existing transit fabric can push riders back to other modes; placing them where neighborhoods don't want them can incite local resentment toward the program in particular and riders in general.