Who wants an on-street bike corral?

Hey Chainlinkers,

The City of Chicago's Department of Transportation is introducing on-street bike parking corrals. On-street bike corrals are a low-cost way to provide parking for 10 or more bicycles in the same space typically occupied by a car. Currently, there are four bike corrals in Chicago, but there is a need for many more. There are many reasons why a business should get a bike corral installed, but the biggest benefit is economics. We keep hearing it in the news. 

Bicyclists tend to visit their local shops more often and spend more per month with all that disposable income. Making a bicyclists visit as convenient and inviting as possible makes sense for good business.

Do you know of a business or building that would benefit from having a bike corral?

Please reply here or send any suggestion to me at tony@activetrans.org

Also check out the bike corral website!

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Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on December 27, 2012 at 10:14am

I know the owner of the Cheetah Gym in Andersonville was interested in paying for an on-street bike corral several years ago. The corral in the photo you posted is pretty close to his A-ville location, but he might be interested in installing one at his Bucktown or Edgewater gyms.

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on December 27, 2012 at 10:58am

I think bike corrals at Revolution Brewing, Cole's across the street, and Logan Theater, would benefit people who bike to those businesses and the many nearby businesses. The owner of Revolution Brewing expressed interest in one when I asked him in the spring. 

Permalink Reply by Tony on December 27, 2012 at 4:12pm

Thanks you two. Great suggestions. We're working on getting one at Revolution Brewing. I'll reach out to those other locations. Any other spots?

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on December 27, 2012 at 9:46pm

Howabout hitting up some of the bike shops ? They might like the idea? I'm talking about the "bigger" shops... (even some of the smaller shops might be interested, too)

Some buildings won't care for them due to the city providing bike racks (on city property), and it takes the responsibility of having to "watch" (via video/person/etc..) the rack off of the building's owners/management company.

I also think that it would be an even better idea due to the "up-tick" in parking costs in the downtown areas. It would save people a lot of money.... ($6.50/hr x 8hrs = $52/day, x 5 days =$260/wk ? Really?, x 4 weeks = $1040 a month !?!?! Oh, my ! I just thought about it....I would be able to afford a pretty decent bike in a few months....if I had to park downtown)

I just don't want the ppl paying for the corral(s) to end up shouldering the LAZ contract amount that Daley signed...for the parking spaces that they will be taking up. I understand that they will be shouldering some of it, though, because they are takling up the space, but I just hope they don't get creamed.

No 99 yr contracts. No unecessary "incremental" raises to the renting of those corral(s). Maybe a rebate after 3 (or maybe 5, 6, 7, etc..) years of continuous service/renting/owning the corral(s).

Just my 2 cents.

Sorry about the pros and cons. Brain was working a bit overtime.

 

 

Respectfully,

 

Manny

Permalink Reply by S on December 28, 2012 at 2:26am



Manny Fuentes said:

I just don't want the ppl paying for the corral(s) to end up shouldering the LAZ contract amount that Daley signed...for the parking spaces that they will be taking up. I understand that they will be shouldering some of it, though, because they are takling up the space, but I just hope they don't get creamed.

No 99 yr contracts. No unecessary "incremental" raises to the renting of those corral(s). Maybe a rebate after 3 (or maybe 5, 6, 7, etc..) years of continuous service/renting/owning the corral(s).

If a parking space ends up being used for the corrals, I'm sure LAZ will want their pound of flesh and they almost certainly won't prvoide a rebate if the space gets used for the long term.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on December 28, 2012 at 3:36am

wow manny - your brain really was working overtime (at 3:30 am ? yikes). mine was sleeping btw.

 

Don't forget though that (other) rules of economics apply here too : as the city (LAZ) parking meter rates increase (they are obscene btw) people will find alternatives (besides cycling or public transportation). Who else benefits when the meter rates increase ? the private garages/ lots. they *love* the price increases, since their rates are more appealing. and who *else* benefits from the private garage's increased revenue ? the city (thanks to the mandatory city parking tax). wow. what a scam. anyway - you'd have to be pretty crazy to drive and park downtown all day anyway. call it a stupidity tax (similar to the lottery).

 


DB

Manny Fuentes said:

Howabout hitting up some of the bike shops ? They might like the idea? I'm talking about the "bigger" shops... (even some of the smaller shops might be interested, too)

Some buildings won't care for them due to the city providing bike racks (on city property), and it takes the responsibility of having to "watch" (via video/person/etc..) the rack off of the building's owners/management company.

I also think that it would be an even better idea due to the "up-tick" in parking costs in the downtown areas. It would save people a lot of money.... ($6.50/hr x 8hrs = $52/day, x 5 days =$260/wk ? Really?, x 4 weeks = $1040 a month !?!?! Oh, my ! I just thought about it....I would be able to afford a pretty decent bike in a few months....if I had to park downtown)

I just don't want the ppl paying for the corral(s) to end up shouldering the LAZ contract amount that Daley signed...for the parking spaces that they will be taking up. I understand that they will be shouldering some of it, though, because they are takling up the space, but I just hope they don't get creamed.

No 99 yr contracts. No unecessary "incremental" raises to the renting of those corral(s). Maybe a rebate after 3 (or maybe 5, 6, 7, etc..) years of continuous service/renting/owning the corral(s).

Just my 2 cents.

Sorry about the pros and cons. Brain was working a bit overtime.

 

 

Respectfully,

 

Manny

Permalink Reply by Barry Niel Stuart on December 28, 2012 at 11:44am

We've had bike corrals here in Milwaukee for the past two years.  Alterra on Prospect has had one and so have the Nomad on Warren, just off Brady  and Cafe Hollander on Downer.  They've been quite successful here, although they end up being taken down for the winter from December to March.

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on December 28, 2012 at 4:03pm

Regarding bike parking corrals and the parking meter contract...

There are lots of loading zones and some businesses are willing to use those for bike parking corrals instead of loading. There's one existing case: Hopleaf in Andersonville did this. 

"Renting" a parking space isn't the only way to deal with the parking meter contract. Metered spaces can be swapped for unmetered spaces elsewhere. 

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on December 28, 2012 at 6:50pm

How far "elsewhere?"

Steven Vance said:

"Renting" a parking space isn't the only way to deal with the parking meter contract. Metered spaces can be swapped for unmetered spaces elsewhere. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on December 28, 2012 at 8:20pm

The alderman of the ward or aldermen of the wards must support the swap, I believe. Also, the currently unmetered space must have a potential market value as great or greater than the currently metered space that will become unmetered.

Permalink Reply by Tony on December 30, 2012 at 6:26am

Thank you Steven. Yes, the alderman must support the swap whether the bike corral is replacing a loading zone or LAZ space. It is much easier and preferable to re-designate a loading zone rather than replace parking. Finding replacement parking is the alderman's responsibility and they will likely keep the space within their ward. A business owner does not bear any LAZ parking burden if a parking space must be removed. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for bike corral locations?

Permalink Reply by Kevin Zolkiewicz on December 30, 2012 at 6:25pm

Metropolis Coffee, 1039 W Granville. I believe the owner has expressed interest in offering increased bike parking.

I'd also suggest Clark and Berwyn on the west side of the intersection. There's practically no space for sidewalk racks at this corner due to a bus stop and numerous sidewalk cafes. Since Berwyn west of Clark is also the location of Andersonville's farmer's market in the summer, I think a corral at this spot would see a lot of use. Plus, if placed along Berwyn, it could remain year-round unlike Andersonville's other corrals located along Clark.

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