Red Hook and Gowanus Locals Back Citibike Expansion -- With a Catch

• Photo courtesy of Tom Marvel/Flickr

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — On Wednesday, a divided Community Board 6 approved the Department of Transportation's planned Citibike expansion into Red Hook and Gowanus — as long as locals can object to troublesome docking stations.

In May, the DOT unveiled its final expansion proposal for the communities, involving a series of new stations to be installed this summer and fall as part of a larger push into new areas of Brooklyn.

At its Wednesday meeting, the board passed a resolution backing the plan, but only after adding an amendment granting residents the right to "question specific locations" for docking stations before or after they're installed.

The body, however, was divided on the amendment, with 20 supporting it and 12 voting against.

Multiple backers said they didn't want to sign off on a plan that puts docks in problematic locations. Others expressed the concern that they could lose needed parking spaces on their block.

Those who opposed the amendment, however, said the city had already changed 16 docking locations following numerous community meetings, and that the amended resolution would show the community isn't fully behind Citibike.

Chair Sayar Lonial encouraged community members to present objections to docking station to the board and the DOT, noting that the agency can move the stations quickly and easily if it chooses to.

DOT spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request Thursday for clarification on how residents can best object to Citibike stations.