Plan and Install Bike Parking to Encourage Community Cycling

Bicycling is getting more and more attention these days with gasoline prices reaching record heights. Becoming more "bicycle friendly" also is one way communities show they are "green" and environmentally aware.

One issue often gets overlooked: Where to put the bicycles once people reach their destinations?

Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says adequate bicycle parking should be a part of every community's transportation planning.

"People are naturally more likely to want to bicycle to work or do errands or go out to eat if they know they'll have a safe place to secure the bike when they get there," he says. "It seems pretty basic, but bike parking is often sort of an afterthought."

He offers these suggestions for businesses, government agencies and other organizations that want to encourage cycling by employees and patrons:

• Put functionality first. The most artistic design may or may not be the most suitable design for efficient use as an anti-theft device.
• Consider simple "inverted U" racks or similar designs that allow both wheels of a bicycle to be secured with a cable or other locking system. They don't require a lot of space and are among the most economical.
• Look at designs used in other communities to see what works best for various situations.
• Locate bike parking where bicycles can be seen easily from inside a building as well as outside. The more visible they are, the more likely they are to be used and the easier they are to monitor.
• If space permits, set up an indoor facility where employees can park their bicycles securely and protected from the weather.

For more information, contact the Iowa Bicycle Coalition at 515-309-2867 or bikeinfo@iowabicyclecoalition.org.