Greater Greater Washington

Bicycling


Change car parking to bike parking, suggests Georgetown bike shop

According to this week's Current (article, continuation), the CycleLife bike shop on K Street in Georgetown has suggested replacing two on-street parking spaces (holding one car each) with bike racks (holding about 20 bikes each). There isn't enough space on that sidewalk for bike racks.


On-street spaces used for bike parking on a very DC-like street in Montreal. Photo by Aaron Naparstek.

"Bike parking in Georgetown is notoriously terrible," said WABA Executive Director Eric Gilliland. "There are few places to lock up properly. People avoid Georgetown because of this." The Georgetown ANC endorsed the plan last week, and now it's up to DDOT's Public Space Committee. Portland, New York, and other cities have transformed car parking spaces into bicycle parking.

According to the article, DDOT is also strongly considering a SmartBike station at 31st and K, though as always, they have no actual timeline for expansion. Tip: Ben Thielen.

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater. 

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This would be great for scooters too. Technically scooters aren't allowed to park on DC sidewalks like bikes do. Yet most scooter owners don't feel secure without being able to lock their scooter to a big immovable object. Definitely worth consideration for certain commercial corridors.

by FourthandEye on Dec 12, 2008 3:15 pm • linkreport

Playing Devil's advocate here (as I tend to do): is there enough demand for bicycle parking to warrant taking two parking spots? And is there adequate *OPEN* parking (defined as "not being full") in the immediate vicinity to make up for the loss of two on-street parking spaces?

If the answer to both is "yes", then it's a no-brainer. If at least one is a "no", then some more serious and expanded planning needs to go into the proposal.

by Froggie on Dec 13, 2008 8:04 am • linkreport

I'm not sure it should take a 1'x8' dedicated space per bike - surely they can fit more than 40 in there.

Alternately, wall-based racks with do not have to take up so much sidewalk space.

by Squalish on Dec 13, 2008 5:11 pm • linkreport

That's a fantastic idea. And Froggie, I don't know about others, but I have often been riding through Georgetown, thought about going into a shop for a bagel or even clothing, etc. - then realized there is literally NO place to lock up a bike in Georgetown, and ridden on. On most streets there are street signs and parking meters to lock to. In Georgetown, these do not exist - I don't know if this was a deliberate decision or if the planners just weren't thinking about bicycles (probably the latter.) But there is NOWHERE to park. The last time I went to H&M in Georgetown I locked my bike to a scrawny, vulnerable-looking sapling and spent my whole time in the store worrying about its being stolen.

by Erica on Dec 14, 2008 9:28 am • linkreport

froggie: yes, there is an enormous demand for bike parking, not just in georgetown, but in every commercial district of the city.

and, if you subscribe even slightly to the idea of induced demand, this makes it even more of a no-brainer. by providing more bicycle parking, the city is can induce more people to get out of their cars and onto cycles, freeing up some space on the roads...

by IMGoph on Dec 14, 2008 12:32 pm • linkreport

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