JERSEY CITY – Citi Bike Jersey City is moving forward with a plan to relocate more than 15 percent of its docking stations, leaving nearly all neighborhoods south of Communipaw Avenue without access to the bike-share system.

The decision, which was announced last week, will remove eight of the least popular stations, including those at three light rail stops, a state college, and a community center. While officials have not announced where exactly the stations will be moved, they are expected to be brought to areas with higher ridership. A majority of the system is located Downtown.

Bike advocates and some residents who will lose service in their neighborhoods are disappointed by the decision and think more could have been done to promote the use of Citi Bike.

Colleen McElhearn regularly uses the Union Street and Journal Square stations as part of her commute to New York City for work. Using the bike-share system, she said, can cut up to 30 minutes off her commute by avoiding traffic and not having to walk. The closest station to her house would be nearly 12 blocks if the Union Street dock is removed.

"It's an inconvenience, but also very saddening," she said. "When you look Downtown, there’s a station almost every other block."

The Union Street dock was scheduled to be removed with the other stations: Garfield, Danforth, West Side, and Martin Luther King Drive light rail stations, NJCU, Columbia Park, the Bethune Center, and Bayside Park. City officials said Union Street will remain online and its relocation will be reconsidered. Columbia Park and NJCU have already been taken offline.

A year-long membership is $169 and includes unlimited 45-minute rides. A daily pass costs is $12 and included unlimited 30-minute rides. A single trip, one ride up to 30 minutes, is $3.

According to Citi Bike usage data, the eight stations that are to be relocated are among the poorest performing. Jersey City spokeswoman Hannah Peterson said the moves are necessary and officials are committed to finding a solution to bring the bike-share program back to each neighborhood in the city.

"Over time, the data has shown that there are stations that have consistently low ridership" Peterson said. "In an effort to reverse this trend, we worked with community members to encourage the use of the system in these neighborhoods. However, these stations continue to pose a threat to the financial sustainability of this system citywide, and has forced Citi Bike to relocate these stations."

But some say there has not been enough done to promote the program on the southern end of the city. Jane Urry, another Citi Bike user, said expanding to destinations, like the 440 shopping center, and more advertising could have helped encourage ridership.

"I'm just really disheartened because Citi Bike is taking away a transportation option from people who need it," she said.

A request for comment from Motivate, which operates Citi Bike, was not returned.

Patrick Conlon, president of advocacy group Bike JC, said the group hopes options of subsidized memberships, a dock-less bike sharing network, and building protected roadway will be explored to help increase ridership and eventually become sharing network.

"We believe everyone in Jersey City should have access to high-quality bike share," he said. "It's a small enough place that we should be able to support it even in the far north and south. So we call on the city government, Motivate, and our residents and community organizations to work together, and at least explore several possibilities."

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.