The first of DOT’s Community Workshops were a huge success! Over 100 New Yorkers from Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Clinton, the West Village, Tribeca and SoHo came out to help select locations for Bike Share stations in their respective neighborhoods.

DOT staff greeted community members at the Holland House on 42nd Street on January 31 and at Our Lady of Pompeii on Bleecker Street on February 6.  As multiple workshop tables of about 8 people apiece quickly filled up, DOT staff began with a short presentation about bike share, answered questions, and then lead participants though a series of activities. These activities were centered on types of trips they will use bike share for, the technology associated with bike share and the places they would like to see the stations. The main event, for most, came at the end of each table’s session, when a large map was revealed displaying potential station sites throughout the community districts. DOT staff explained to participants that these sites, suggested by residents, local businesses, local officials and community groups had passed the test concerning technical feasibility.

The exercise asks that community members, who undoubtedly know their neighborhoods best, take the map of what “could be” and turn it into the map of what “should be.” With this in mind, workshop attendees were asked to indicate, using stickers, the sites they liked and disliked, and discuss the reason for their viewpoint.

DOT staff collected all the feedback that residents offered, and will examine it in close detail when determining a plan of action for station placement. Come help DOT and Alta Bicycle Share plan the system when there is a workshop in your neighborhood! You can find a list of upcoming workshops and events here.

Community Workshop season is upon us! Add your community board workshop to your calendar and come out to support station locations that work for you.

During the workshop, community members will participate in small group conversations led by DOT moderators to discuss how they might use Bike Share, types of locations that work best, and features that make Bike Share easy for daily life. The workshop concludes with a more precise look at where attendees would like to see Bike Share stations in the community.

The workshops run on a “drop-in” format; the whole session takes about an hour and new groups will be starting throughout the workshop’s scheduled time frame.

Check our timeline to see details for upcoming workshops in your neighborhood. Bike share thrives when the station locations work for the community so we’re asking for your help!