Bicycle Parking, Revisited...

Okay, so my mom informed me that my blogs need to be more positive and upbeat… demonstrating a bit more of a “rah rah you can do it” of an approach. In addition, my partner had some beef with my criticism of the “one bicycle rack per every 10 parking spaces rule,” as a typical bike rack holds many bikes.

So, let me clarify on the latter, and hopefully I will not too inadequately address the former. If we want bikes to be on equal footing with cars, or even promoted above the use of cars, we need to make it at least as easy, if not easier, to park a bike as it is to park a car in downtown. When I say that the one bicycle rack per every 10 parking spaces rule” is perhaps a bit stingy, I am not talking about providing a rack for ten bicycles. I am talking about even those simple U-shaped (see images on right…they can be used stand-along or stacked) bicycle racks that hold up to two bicycles, one on each side.

Let us consider the City of Portland’s bicycle parking requirements, since Portland (Oregon… my apologies to all my avid Maine readers) is, after all, THE (young hip progressive environmentalist) MECCA. For retail uses, Portland requires one bicycle parking space per 20 automobile parking space, but a retail use must provide minimum of 5 bicycle parking spaces. So, Northampton’s ratio of 1 bicycle space per 10 car spaces is actually more progressive than Portland’s, except for the fact that we don’t have a minimum requirement. So, if we were to follow Portland’s example, we could simply adopt a minimum requirement of several bike parking spaces for any retail, commercial, restaurant or multifamily residential use.

Of course, we should consider going further, really pushing the envelope and living up to our Sustainable Northampton Plan goal of developing a “comprehensive citywide bicycle system.” So, why not institute what I’ll term a “one to one” rule? A “one to one rule” would require that for every parking space you are required to provide, you are also required to provide one dedicated bike parking space. Further, we could provide additional incentives to enviro-sensitive businesses to increase their ratio of bicycle to car parking spaces. For example, an incentive might be created in which providing an additional five bicycle parking spaces allows for properties to have one less car parking space, up to some minimum number of car parking spaces.

Think the beauty of it…first parking, then bike commuting, then a bicycle rush hour… just like Amsterdam (see bike rush hour video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8uzIYUPEQ)

All very wonky, I know….but really, WE CAN DO IT! REALLY! (that better, mom?)

For further food for thought, check out the City of Portland’s guidelines for installing bicycle racks (not all bike racks are created equal!): http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=34813&a=58409