May 14, 2013: Dock and lock bike sharing stations are blocked by parked cars in New York's Chelsea neighborhood. (ap)
NEW YORK – New York City's long-awaited and much-hyped bicycle-sharing program is finally set to begin.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan will christen the beginning of bike-sharing at a docking station near the Brooklyn Bridge Monday morning.
The privately funded Citi Bike bike-share program will launch with 6,000 bikes at 330 docking stations in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. Officials hope to expand to 10,000 bikes and 600 docking stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
On Friday, the blue bicycles started appearing in docking stations throughout the city.
More than 9,000 people who have signed up for the program will be able to ride starting Monday. The bikes will be available to anyone starting June 2.
An annual membership costs $95 and a day pass will cost $9.95.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
