Title: A Systematic Approach to Bicycle Parking Planning for Cities Track: Connect Format: 60 minute panel Abstract: Cambridge, MA and Washington, DC have taken a strategic approach to bicycle parking. This session will focus on their planning tools and lessons learned from both the public and private sector. Presenters: Presenter: Megan Kanagy Downtown DC Business Improvement District Co-Presenter: Daniel Clark Dero Bike Rack Company Co-Presenter: Jeffrey Rosenblum City of Cambridge, MA

1. A Systematic Approach to Bicycle Parking Planning for Cities
Jeffrey Rosenblum, City of Cambridge
Megan Kanagy, DowntownDC BID
Daniel Clark, Dero Bike Rack Company
September 10, 2014 :: Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place

2. Overview
●Bicycle parking 101
●Bicycle parking program in the City of Cambridge
●DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) in Washington, DC
●Dero Bike Rack Company in Washington, DC
●Looking ahead

3. Bicycle Parking 101
Good bicycle parking
Zoning requirements
Importance of a comprehensive strategy
Types of bicycle parking
Good and bad frame support

4. What Good Bicycle Parking Looks Like
●Strategically planned
●Actively connected with local transport networks
●Beneficial to local businesses
●Artistic contributions to streetscape
●Sited with pedestrian traffic patterns and accessibility in mind
●Usable

5. Importance of Strategic Planning
●Holistic approach
●Complementary to infrastructure
●Maintains orderly and neat streetscape
●Creates designated areas
●Accommodates both short & long term
●Designed with present needs and future in mind

6. Zoning Requirements
●District of Columbia - Title 18, Chap 21: 2119.2
●City of Cambridge - Article 6.100
“Number of bicycle parking spaces provided shall be at least equal to 5% of the number of automobile parking spaces required”
“Bicycle Parking is required in all buildings with car parking”
*Proposed new zoning would unbundle bike parking from car parking and be determined based on # of units and sq. footage

7. Long Term vs. Short Term

8. Interior Bike Rooms
●Long-term parking: office buildings, large residential, schools, parking garages
●“Vertical” & “2-tier”
●Weather-proof
●Secure entry rooms

9. Temporary / Event Parking
●Seasonal events
●Farmer’s markets, street fairs, concerts, presidential inaugurations, 4th of July, baseball games
●Free valet bicycle parking- Washington Nationals (250-500 bicycle spaces)

10. Frame Support - The Good
●Supports variety of bicycle sizes and frames
●Provides adequate space to secure bike with high- security “U-lock”
●Both wheels remain on the ground
●2 points of contact
●Sturdy and durable support into concrete/brick streetscape

11. Frame Support - The Bad
●Suspend any part of bicycle in the air
●Provides only 1 point of contact
●Design allows bicycle to fall and obstruct sidewalk
●Not secured to the ground
●“Wheel Bender”

12. Placement - The Bad

13. City Bike Parking Guides

14. The City of Cambridge
Bicycle Parking Planning for The City of Cambridge, MA

15. History
●Developed as joint effort between Community Development & Traffic, Parking & Transportation Department
●Focuses primarily on sidewalks & public space
●Over 500 bicycle racks installed in first 5 years of program; 3,000+ total in city; cycle stall program
●Harvard Square - 173 metered vehicle spaces and over 400 bicycle parking spaces

16. Who is involved?
●City of Cambridge: Community Development, Traffic Dept, DPW
●Business Associations
●Neighborhood groups
●Local business owners
●Interested residents

17. Funding sources
●$30,000 ARRA funds FY11 & FY12 for installation
●$10,000 from CDD & TPT
●$95,000 from MAPC for cost of racks in FY12
●$50,000 annual budget for purchasing and installation going forward

18. City Department Responsibilities
●Community Development
oReceiving & processing requests
oPreliminary outreach and site visit
oSite approval
oCreation of “Round” presentation (drawings, photos, notes)
oInterdepartmental review process
oPreparing for installation
●Traffic, Parking & Transportation
oContractor parking permits
oCoordinating and overseeing installation
●Department of Public Works
oMaintenance
oSnow removal

19. Interdepartmental Review Team
●Environmental & Transportation Planning
●Department of Public Works
●Traffic, Parking & Transportation Dept
●Cambridge Police Department
●Cambridge Fire Department
●Historical Commission
●Economic Development
●School Department (if racks located at schools)

20. Surveying a Site

21. Siting Details
●Mindful of: Loading zones, ADA requirements, bus stops, curb ramps, handicap spaces, sidewalk width, pedestrian traffic, fire hydrants, proximity to physical objects, building entrances, stairs, manhole covers, benches, overcrowding of bikes

22. Common Design Exceptions
●Sidewalk not wide enough (ADA - 4’ walkway)
●Too close to physical object (ex. lamp post)
●Inside loading zone, disability space or bus stop
●Rack spacing closer than recommended (36”)
●Too close to fire hydrant

23. Installation Process
●Trained contractor to follow Cambridge best practices
●Round installations (50/day)
●Coordination with school startings, police, business openings
●Promotion on social media
●New racks inputted into GIS maps

24. Demand Surveys

25. Utilization Studies
●Central, Harvard, Kendall, Inman Squares

26. Business District Planning
Ask Jeff for HSQ & Central SQ plans
●Work with local business associations
●Short-term & Long-term parking
●Sidewalk “pocket” spaces
●Long range planning: Harvard Square, Central Square, & Kendall Square

27. DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID)
Bicycle Parking Planning in Downtown Washington, DC

28. What is a BID?
●Non-profit
●Funded by assessment paid by property owners
●Supplements city services

29. DowntownDC BID

30. ●Investments in bicycle infrastructure over last decade
●Increase in demand from development & population growth
DC Bicycling Context

31. DowntownDC BID’s Bike Program Areas

32. ●DDOT is a young organization
oDDOT formed in 2002
oBID formed in 1997
●What is easy for DDOT to provide and what is easy for the BID to provide?
DDOT Bike Parking Partnership

33. Bike Parking Roles & Responsibilities
DDOT gets a rack request
Sent to Downtown BID
BID does planning, outreach & siting
BID or DDOT purchases rack
BID installs rack
BID adds rack to GIS inventory
BID shares GIS with DDOT

34. ●Previously installing 30-50 racks per year
●Given increase in demand, needed a holistic approach to bike parking
Bike Parking Plan

35. Bike Parking Plan
●Prior to 2013, there were about 500 racks in the BID
●Goal of doubling capacity: 1000 racks over 144 blocks

36. Outreach

37. ●What’s in it for them?
oCommercial properties
oTenants
oRetail
oHotels
Stakeholder Interests

38. ●Year 1: 145 installed in 2013
●Year 2: 185 in 2014
●Year 3: 100 in 2015 (proposed)
Status of Plan Implementation

39. Future of Bike Parking in Downtown

40. Dero Bike Rack Company
in Washington DC
Bicycle Parking Planning in Washington, DC Metro Area

41. Local Coordination in Washington, DC
●DDOT, BIDs focus primarily on exterior and public spaces
●Dero focus primarily on interior rooms, private spaces & new developments
●Joint cooperation covers current bike parking spectrum in DC
●Communication

42. Determining the Goals of the Project
●Maximizing allocated space
●Meeting local regulations
●LEED target
●Architect or Property Manager requests
●Anything will help!
Space Use - Horizontal Parking
Space Use - Vertical Parking

43. Choosing the Right Site
●Meeting product setback requirements
●Maintaining accessibility needs and aisle spacing
●Proximity to building entrance and likely path of cyclists
●Signage if not in obvious location
●User type (public vs. private)

44. Choosing the Right Products
●Dependent on goals
●Expected user-type
●Budget
●Satisfying a requirement
●Creating an amenity

45. Site Visit & Layout
●In-person discussion of site and product options
●Customized AutoCAD layouts based on space
●Designed to meet local requirements

46. Designing Bike Rooms
●More than just functional bike parking
●Artwork, lockers, showers, benches, local trail maps, space to hold bicycle repair workshops, water station
●Creating an amenity for car-free tenants

47. Bike Room Examples

48. Custom Racks

49. Looking ahead in Washington DC
●Car ownership declining & bicycling rising
●Parking policies and zoning regs changing
●Parklets
●More public space activities

50. Future of Bike Parking
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
10,000 Bike Parking Spaces - 17,000 by 2020
Population 800,000

51. Thanks!
Jeffrey Rosenblum -
rosenblum.jeff@gmail.com
Megan Kanagy - megan@downtowndc.org
Daniel Clark -
daniel@dero.com