Brookhaven unveils new bike sharing program

On Sept. 17, the Comsewogue Public Library, located in Port Jefferson Station, became the first library in Suffolk County to offer bicycles for patrons to borrow.

The new program is part of a partnership between the Town of Brookhaven and Long Island Bicycle Cooperative, a Brookhaven-based nonprofit that refurbishes and donates bicycles. The nonprofit provided the bikes for the program and will handle maintenance and repairs.

Brookhaven councilman Jonathan Kornreich praised the initiative, highlighting its benefits for community mobility and sustainability.

“By providing rehabilitated bicycles, you are promoting both mobility and sustainability,” Kornreich said in a statement. “I commend the library, and everyone involved for their dedication to enhancing our community’s resources.”

The Bike Borrow Program, introduced by the New York State Department of Transportation’s Statewide Mobility Services program, allows adults with a valid library card to borrow a bike for up to two weeks.

The program offers four refurbished bikes and aims to promote cycling as an alternative means of transportation in Port Jefferson Station, a community identified as having transportation needs.

Library Director Debbie Engelhardt expressed excitement about the program’s launch, citing the library’s commitment to sustainability and community equity. 

“The Bike Borrow Program will help fill transportation needs and lets residents engage in cycling for recreation and health,” Engelhardt said in a statement. “This program for adult members of the library is equitable, sustainable, and made possible through local and regional partnerships.”

For more information about the Long Island Bicycle Co Op, visit libicyclecoop.org.