Officials in New York City have announced a comprehensive bike sharing program that will launch in Manhattan and Brooklyn sometime in 2012. The program will give tourists and New Yorkers alike an environmentally friendly alternative to using public transportation for short, one-way trips.

New York appears to be a perfect candidate for a program like this. Research shows that 40 percent of the trips taken by New York residents are under one mile, while 67 percent are less than three miles.

Initial plans call for 10,000 bicycles and over 600 stations to be installed throughout the city, with self-service stations available every few blocks. Alta Bicycle Share, which already operates similar systems in Boston, Washington D.C., and Melbourne, Australia, is the company behind the massive project in New York, which is expected to create nearly 200 jobs in the city.

So how much will it cost ya? The company says annual membership in the program will cost less than the cost of an unlimited monthly MetroCard (currently priced at $104.)

Membership will allow for unlimited 30-45 minute trips on the bikes, with a graduated usage fee for longer trips. For visitors arriving on New York City flights, 1-day and weekend passes will also be made available.

Source: Reuters

Flickr: Smart Destinations